THE resuscitated Raleigh International Bermuda (RIB), the local arm of the international youth development charity, has launched an ambitious programme to find and sponsor young Bermudians for an expedition this year to northern Borneo.

It has been able to attract support from Government House, Government, private sponsors, and star Bermuda footballer Shaun Goater.

Michael Spurling, local director of Raleigh Bermuda, outlined the scope of its plans, praised the supporters who have helped to date, and talked of the need to find additional corporate or private support for a programme that helps "less advantaged youth".

"We set up Raleigh International Bermuda as an arm of Raleigh International in London, to focus on motivating young people aged 17 to 25 who are less advantaged," said Mr. Spurling.

He expressed the group's gratitude to the patrons and sponsors who had supported RIB.

"We are so grateful to Sir John and Lady Vereker and Shaun Goater, who agreed to be patrons of RIB. Also, Governor and Lady Vereker have graciously allowed us to hold our launch reception at Government House on Tuesday, February 1 at 6 p.m.

"The CEO and Business Development Manager of Raleigh International in London, Christine Kent and Andy Wahid, are arriving on the island for a working visit next Thursday, and they will also be in attendance at the reception."

RIB has a board of directors and an advisory panel numbering some 25 people with a wealth of diverse experience, and drawn from different sectors of the community, but the organisation, which was active for some years in the early Nineties, is being spearheaded by Mr. Spurling and Karen Diel.

Reflecting the goals of the parent organisation, named after English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh, RIB's mission is "to inspire young Bermudians from all backgrounds to discover their potential by working together with other young people of all nationalities on challenging environmental and community projects around the world".

RIB envisages seeking ten candidate Sponsored Venturers (SV) from both CedarBridge and Berkeley, who will be short-listed during a training period to six SVs. After five months of part-time pre-expedition training in Bermuda, the lucky venturers will take part in a three-month expedition to Sabah, Malaysia, in northern Borneo.

The SVs will also be offered a minimum six-month work placement and training course with the National Training Board's "crafts and training programme, which can extend to a maximum of four years of training at the College and on-the-job training with an employer".

Within six months of their return from the expedition, SVs will be expected to develop and lead a community project of substance in Bermuda, and to return the favour by getting involved in the community through RIB or other organisations.

Each venturer requires $12,000 sponsorship, although they are expected to raise between $500 and $1,000 towards the expedition. RIB estimates the funding requirement including $2,000 for training and inoculations, $2,000 for airfare, $6,000 for the cost of the three-month expedition in Sabah, and the balance covering RIB administration and other costs.

"We have already received great sponsorship support from the Bank of Bermuda Foundation, which has sponsored two SVs each year for the next two years," said Mr. Spurling, "and we have just heard that the Bank of N.T. Butterfield will sponsor one this year. Ernst & Young have already offered sponsorship for one venturer, preferably someone working with YouthNet, and we have had substantial donations from Platinum Re and Fidelity."

Mr. Spurling is optimistic that RIB will secure the balance of the funding that will be required to send their target of six SVs to Borneo. In addition, Government has joined in the effort; the Ministry of Community Affairs & Sport has agreed to sponsor three SVs, one young adventurer from each of their three community centres, and to sponsor a staff volunteer older than 25 to go along on the expedition.

RIB has cast a very wide net to support its endeavour, and "partner agencies" assisting the RIB with this pilot project include CedarBridge Academy, the Berkeley Institute, the Ministry of Community Affairs & Sport, the Ministry of Education, and Outward Bound, which is providing a five-day ROAR (Raleigh Outdoor Adventure Residential) camp in February.

The Bermuda Sloop Foundation is a partner, as is the National Training Board, which is providing work placement for the SVs, and the Bermuda Regiment, which is providing a five-day survival camp in April. "Partner charities" are the Family Centre, offering "great guidance" and YouthNet, and the RIB hopes for further inter-charity co-operation in future.

Similarly, those involved as directors or as members of the advisory panel comprise a wide cross-section of people from the community: KPMG partner and RIB board member Craig Bridgewater will help with administration, as will Appleby, Spurling & Hunter (ASH) attorneys Tammy Richardson and Julia Saltus and St. Brendan's psychologist Monique Raynor.

The Bermuda National Gallery's Gita Blakeney, a board member, will help with mentoring, along with architect Jake Hocking, the Government's Denise Carey, CedarBridge counsellor Lisa Dailey, Court Services psychologist Anya McHayle, and St. George's Community Centre's Neil Paynter. Ms Blakeney will also help with Marketing, together with Ms McHayle and CTX Marketing's Anna-Laura Spurling, Ms Carey, Dailey, and McHayle will also assist Berkeley counsellor Brenton Burgess and former social worker Joy Rothwell with the task of assessment.

Others involved in RIB include ACE accountant Kai Simons, ASH attorney Janita Burke, Mia Daniels, Renee Foggo, funeral director David Augustus, the Bermuda College's Alnisha Daniels, the Small Business Development's Neville Grant, who will handle work placements, Whitney teacher Nicole Grant, Tourism's Zena Edwards, and community centre representatives Charles Marshall, Harold Minors and Troy Berkeley.