Young team set sail on voyage of kinship

A group of teenagers from Sligo have joined young refugees on a voyage organised by Safe Haven Ireland.

The charity which aims to promote integration between communities also wants to empower young people at risk of social exclusion.

Founder Shauna Gillen believes a sailing trip like this is the ideal way to forge bonds and build relationships.

“Five of the young people were nominated through Foróige in Sligo and a further five were selected from refugee and migrant backgrounds,” she said.

The crew set sail on the 70ft long traditional tall ship, the Brian Boru from Sligo last Sunday evening bound for Galway Harbour.

Shauna says: “These young people will be given sail training during the voyage and will work together to complete the first leg of the journey.”

Sligo native Shauna who learned to sail aged 11 on a VEC sponsored course says: “It’s a great leveller.

“When you are on a boat and are part of a crew everyone needs to pull together to sail the boat. There’s nothing that you can do alone on board. You need to work as a team.

“The barriers between communities are naturally broken down as it is an unfamiliar environment for everyone.”

Legal firm Callan Tansey is sponsoring the event and hosted a Bon Voyage Family Fun day at the Sligo Yacht Club ahead of the voyage on Sunday.

Families of the staff and those participating gathered to celebrate.

Shauna continues: “This is a once in a lifetime experience and sail training is an ideal way to build bonds between communities and integration is of vital importance in modern Ireland.

“Projects such as this reaches out to migrant communities and helps to build a stronger, more cohesive society.”

The refugees include one Syrian from Globe House in Sligo and others from Tuam and Galway.

There are further legs to the journey where another group of young people will sail from Galway to Cork and from Cork to Dublin.

The non- for- profit Safe Haven Ireland was established in 2015.

Shauna who is originally from Lissadell in Sligo was first introduced to sailing on a sponsored course, subsidised by Sligo VEC, aged 11.

The young crew with some family members ahead of their Callan Tansey sponsored voyage on board the Brian Boru boat to Galway.

Local girl Shauna Gillen who is a keen sailor and now runs Safe Haven. She was sent on a sponsored sailing course through Sligo VEC when she was a child and has sailed ever since. She believes this project will hugely benefit all of the children...