Women's mentorship program launched plus Women's Race Day 2022 announced

Women's mentorship program launched © Antigua Sailing Week

With a continued focus from international organisations on promoting gender equality around the world, Antigua Sailing Week (A.S.W.) has worked with the Antigua and Barbuda Sailing Association (A.B.S.A) and the Antigua and Barbuda Marine Association (A.B.M.A.) to pioneer a mentorship program to encourage girls and women to consider the sport and business of sailing.

The programme's objective is to develop pathways and generate opportunities for women in the sport and industry of sailing in Antigua and Barbuda.

President of Antigua Sailing Week, Alison Sly-Adams said, 'When we devised the programme we looked at existing successful mentorship programmes worldwide and in particular the Magenta Project. The programme focuses on performance sailing and although eventually we would love to see more women in racing we decided that the Antigua and Barbuda programme needed to be broadened to include recreational sailing and additionally to invite women into the industry. There are already many women in high profile positions within yachting in Antigua and Barbuda but we would like to invite more to join in.'

For the inaugural programme there are eight women who have agreed to offer their time to help develop pathways in sailing for the women in Antigua and Barbuda.

The mentors are: Eloise Green, Super Yacht Services professional; Rana Jamila-Lewis, lifelong recreational sailor, day skipper and Events and Marketing Manager of ASW; Paola Vittoria, lifelong sailor and organiser of the World Optimist Championship held in Antigua in 2019; Elizabeth Jordan, founder of the National Sailing Academy; Junella King, Sailing Instructor, Dockmaster and Day skipper; Samara 'Nicky' Emmanuel one of Team Antigua Island Girls and a freelance skipper and delivery and race crew; Susan Elliott-Beatty, Class Secretary of the International Optimist Dinghy Association and secretary of ABSA, and Alison Sly-Adams, President of ASW and the Caribbean Sailing Association and General Manager of the National Sailing Academy and recreational dinghy sailor.

The programme is open to women from 16-30 who want to develop their knowledge and skills around the sport or industry. There are no qualifications necessary and you do not need to know how to sail. Applicants need to be open to new ideas and developing a relationship with one of the mentors who will use their skills, knowledge and network to help them.

The programme will take place over the next year with 4 one to one sessions with a mentor and 2 team days with all mentors and mentees together.

There are eight opportunities available for which applications must be received by May 31st, 2021 and mentees will be confirmed by June 30th, 2021.

Antigua Sailing Week is also encouraging corporate citizens who wish to support gender equality to consider coming on board as sponsor of the programme which will culminate in the first Women's Race Day during Antigua Sailing Week 2022.

More information about mentors can be found at sailingweek.com/mentorship.

Applications can be submitted online here.