Building Leadership with Senior Instructor Courses at ASC Portland 

Last week saw another successful Senior Instructor course run at ASC Portland. Several of our amazing staff completed and passed the course and we can’t wait to see them continue to develop this season!  

A full Senior instructor course gives us chance to reflect on the benefits for people of all ages but particularly young people to pursue leadership opportunities in sailing. It is one of the few environments where leadership skills are taught accessibly and then practiced in a supported but challenging environment.  

Completing a Senior Instructor Course is a huge achievement and the skills gained from the course can be fed into all aspects of life. The participants are not just learning skills for sailing but life skills as well.  

The course focuses on:  

• Teamwork 

• Feedback Delivery 

• Supporting Progression 

• Managing Stress 

• Adaptability  

And so much more. Here at the Andrew Simpson Centres, we take a holistic approach to supporting our instructors once they have completed their Senior Instructor and are looking to practice their skills. We challenge them to give briefings to the team and offer constructive feedback, and we also support them in running and managing days at the centre.  

Molly who recently took part in the SI course at ASC Portland said about her course experience: 

“[the days] were so rewarding! I learnt how to effectively manage briefs, debriefs as well as overseeing sessions and the challenges this brings” 

“I feel that I am and will go on to be an even better dinghy instructor having done this course. And I am so excited to do that. As well as start my journey as a senior instructor” 

Hazel another of our instructors who took part in the course said: 

“The Senior Instructor Course was a great experience that helped develop my leadership and instructing skills on and off the water. The trainers were great at giving feedback, and I learnt a lot from all the other instructors who had come from different sailing backgrounds. I’m excited to use the skills I have gained going into the future” 

The Senior Instructor Course and the following support at ASC can be used to help young people pursue all sorts of career pathways. With a formal management training like this, completed outside of university, they can seek varied career opportunities.  

Many of our programmes at the ASC focus on giving young people the skills and opportunities for them to explore different maritime careers. The SI course is another tool that we offer at all of our centres to help achieve this goal.  

Other programmes include our Portland Pathways Programme, Multi Activity Leadership Programme and the Young Leaders Programme. Keep an eye out on our socials and blogs for updates on all of these! 

by Holly Jones, Senior Instructor at ASC Portland

Holly studied marine biology and oceanography at university and has experience working in marine conservation and scientific research. This allows her to give the students a thorough insight into the field and answer lots of the questions they might have during the sessions. She is passionate about showing young people the incredible biodiversity we have here in the UK and why it is important to protect these areas. She hopes this programme will encourage young people to take an active role in combating environmental issues.