How visiting ship ‘Salomon’ changes lives
Updated: Apr 29, 2015 08:01 AM
Solomon, which is currently moored in Hamilton, is a tall ship from Switzerland and is part of the Foundation Youth Ships Switzerland - an organization whose aim is similar to that of the Spirit of Bermuda - geared towards youth development and experiential learning. At present their are eleven teenage boys from both Germany and Switzerland living on Solomon but the boat can accomidate up to 15 boys. Many of the teenagers are considered "at risk youth", having been put into the programme as a last resort by the government of Switzerland for misbehaviour and destructiveness. The teenagers are required to complete 40 weeks of training on the ship, and an additional week is added to their term, if they should act out. The teenagers are taught how to cook, clean and maintain the vessel, as well as taught in the classroom basic highschool courses. Yet despite the hard work and rigirous academic curriculum, many of the teenagers are grateful for the opportunity to travel and bond with one another; the experience is very much seen as a second chance. One of the participants, 17-years-old (who must remain annonymous, as well as all the other names of the teenage boys), describes the positive changes he has gone through while being a part of the programme, "It was hard for me to believe that anyone could like me on this trip... I was not used to people forgiving me for the stupid things I have done. I have changed a lot and after being on the ship for a year I have decided I want to do an apprenticeship in carpentary when I return home." Solomon will be having its' open house on Saturday in Hamilton, in which the boys will dress in their uniforms and show the community their life on the boat. (Photo by Nicola Muirhead)
Swiss tall ship Salomon is doing more than visiting the Island — it’s providing a unique opportunity for at-risk youth.
Jonathan Reist, managing director of Foundation Youth Ships Switzerland, said that for the past nine years the ship has taken on young people between the ages of 14 and 18 in an effort to give them a second chance.
“Basically they get a large timeout away from their old structure, bad habits and the people they shouldn’t be around, and they get an opportunity to work on themselves and try to change,” Mr Reist said.
“Normally when they first come aboard, they don’t really like it. They have to go to school — we have teachers and classes — and they are not used to doing that because many of them were just running around on the streets doing what they wanted. They had no structure.
“Then they come here and they have school and they have to do work and obviously sailing. There’s a lot of work on a boat like this. The beginning is tough, but the longer they stay here the more they like it. They gain trust in themselves again, and most of them want to change their lives.”
He said the teamwork required with sailing is also a key component of the programme, explaining that the boys have to work together in order to achieve their goals.
“A lot of people think it’s like a holiday, but it’s actually quite tough work,” he said.
While he said the programme — which is funded through sponsorships and donations — can only take a handful of students at a time, it boasts a high success rate with the majority of boys avoiding problem behaviour after their time at sea.
Mr Reist said the Salomon has visited the Island in the past while travelling between Europe and the Caribbean, and that the boys always enjoy the stop.
“The kids obviously like it because they can go out to Fort Hamilton and they have the chance to run around and play some sports,” he said.
“What’s special about Bermuda is people are very friendly to us. The kids were saying this week that they didn’t realise just how friendly people would be because they come out of towns in Switzerland where people don’t greet each other.
“Here they run around with a laptop and cars will stop and say where they can get Wi-Fi. We’re not used to that.”
The ship, which is docked in Hamilton, is scheduled to leave port next Thursday on their way to the Azores before sailing to the UK and then Germany, but Mr Reist said they hope to have an open day this weekend to let the public tour the ship — provided that the weather allows it.
Solomon, which is currently moored in Hamilton, is a tall ship from Switzerland and is part of the Foundation Youth Ships Switzerland - an organization whose aim is similar to that of the Spirit of Bermuda - geared towards youth development and experiential learning. At present their are eleven teenage boys from both Germany and Switzerland living on Solomon but the boat can accomidate up to 15 boys. Many of the teenagers are considered "at risk youth", having been put into the programme as a last resort by the government of Switzerland for misbehaviour and destructiveness. The teenagers are required to complete 40 weeks of training on the ship, and an additional week is added to their term, if they should act out. The teenagers are taught how to cook, clean and maintain the vessel, as well as taught in the classroom basic highschool courses. Yet despite the hard work and rigirous academic curriculum, many of the teenagers are grateful for the opportunity to travel and bond with one another; the experience is very much seen as a second chance. One of the participants, 17-years-old (who must remain annonymous, as well as all the other names of the teenage boys), describes the positive changes he has gone through while being a part of the programme, "It was hard for me to believe that anyone could like me on this trip... I was not used to people forgiving me for the stupid things I have done. I have changed a lot and after being on the ship for a year I have decided I want to do an apprenticeship in carpentary when I return home." Solomon will be having its' open house on Saturday in Hamilton, in which the boys will dress in their uniforms and show the community their life on the boat. (Photo by Nicola Muirhead)
Solomon, which is currently moored in Hamilton, is a tall ship from Switzerland and is part of the Foundation Youth Ships Switzerland - an organization whose aim is similar to that of the Spirit of Bermuda - geared towards youth development and experiential learning. At present their are eleven teenage boys from both Germany and Switzerland living on Solomon but the boat can accomidate up to 15 boys. Many of the teenagers are considered "at risk youth", having been put into the programme as a last resort by the government of Switzerland for misbehaviour and destructiveness. The teenagers are required to complete 40 weeks of training on the ship, and an additional week is added to their term, if they should act out. The teenagers are taught how to cook, clean and maintain the vessel, as well as taught in the classroom basic highschool courses. Yet despite the hard work and rigirous academic curriculum, many of the teenagers are grateful for the opportunity to travel and bond with one another; the experience is very much seen as a second chance. One of the participants, 17-years-old (who must remain annonymous, as well as all the other names of the teenage boys), describes the positive changes he has gone through while being a part of the programme, "It was hard for me to believe that anyone could like me on this trip... I was not used to people forgiving me for the stupid things I have done. I have changed a lot and after being on the ship for a year I have decided I want to do an apprenticeship in carpentary when I return home." Solomon will be having its' open house on Saturday in Hamilton, in which the boys will dress in their uniforms and show the community their life on the boat. (Photo by Nicola Muirhead)
Solomon, which is currently moored in Hamilton, is a tall ship from Switzerland and is part of the Foundation Youth Ships Switzerland - an organization whose aim is similar to that of the Spirit of Bermuda - geared towards youth development and experiential learning. At present their are eleven teenage boys from both Germany and Switzerland living on Solomon but the boat can accomidate up to 15 boys. Many of the teenagers are considered "at risk youth", having been put into the programme as a last resort by the government of Switzerland for misbehaviour and destructiveness. The teenagers are required to complete 40 weeks of training on the ship, and an additional week is added to their term, if they should act out. The teenagers are taught how to cook, clean and maintain the vessel, as well as taught in the classroom basic highschool courses. Yet despite the hard work and rigirous academic curriculum, many of the teenagers are grateful for the opportunity to travel and bond with one another; the experience is very much seen as a second chance. One of the participants, 17-years-old (who must remain annonymous, as well as all the other names of the teenage boys), describes the positive changes he has gone through while being a part of the programme, "It was hard for me to believe that anyone could like me on this trip... I was not used to people forgiving me for the stupid things I have done. I have changed a lot and after being on the ship for a year I have decided I want to do an apprenticeship in carpentary when I return home." Solomon will be having its' open house on Saturday in Hamilton, in which the boys will dress in their uniforms and show the community their life on the boat. (Photo by Nicola Muirhead)
Solomon, which is currently moored in Hamilton, is a tall ship from Switzerland and is part of the Foundation Youth Ships Switzerland - an organization whose aim is similar to that of the Spirit of Bermuda - geared towards youth development and experiential learning. At present their are eleven teenage boys from both Germany and Switzerland living on Solomon but the boat can accomidate up to 15 boys. Many of the teenagers are considered "at risk youth", having been put into the programme as a last resort by the government of Switzerland for misbehaviour and destructiveness. The teenagers are required to complete 40 weeks of training on the ship, and an additional week is added to their term, if they should act out. The teenagers are taught how to cook, clean and maintain the vessel, as well as taught in the classroom basic highschool courses. Yet despite the hard work and rigirous academic curriculum, many of the teenagers are grateful for the opportunity to travel and bond with one another; the experience is very much seen as a second chance. One of the participants, 17-years-old (who must remain annonymous, as well as all the other names of the teenage boys), describes the positive changes he has gone through while being a part of the programme, "It was hard for me to believe that anyone could like me on this trip... I was not used to people forgiving me for the stupid things I have done. I have changed a lot and after being on the ship for a year I have decided I want to do an apprenticeship in carpentary when I return home." Solomon will be having its' open house on Saturday in Hamilton, in which the boys will dress in their uniforms and show the community their life on the boat. (Photo by Nicola Muirhead)
Solomon, which is currently moored in Hamilton, is a tall ship from Switzerland and is part of the Foundation Youth Ships Switzerland - an organization whose aim is similar to that of the Spirit of Bermuda - geared towards youth development and experiential learning. At present their are eleven teenage boys from both Germany and Switzerland living on Solomon but the boat can accomidate up to 15 boys. Many of the teenagers are considered "at risk youth", having been put into the programme as a last resort by the government of Switzerland for misbehaviour and destructiveness. The teenagers are required to complete 40 weeks of training on the ship, and an additional week is added to their term, if they should act out. The teenagers are taught how to cook, clean and maintain the vessel, as well as taught in the classroom basic highschool courses. Yet despite the hard work and rigirous academic curriculum, many of the teenagers are grateful for the opportunity to travel and bond with one another; the experience is very much seen as a second chance. One of the participants, 17-years-old (who must remain annonymous, as well as all the other names of the teenage boys), describes the positive changes he has gone through while being a part of the programme, "It was hard for me to believe that anyone could like me on this trip... I was not used to people forgiving me for the stupid things I have done. I have changed a lot and after being on the ship for a year I have decided I want to do an apprenticeship in carpentary when I return home." Solomon will be having its' open house on Saturday in Hamilton, in which the boys will dress in their uniforms and show the community their life on the boat. (Photo by Nicola Muirhead)
