Creating kinship

Tell us something about yourself.

I always want to work in the service of young people – they are the next generation, after all. Supporting them with opportunities to learn together and from each other, to break down boundaries and give them a positive outlook on their own futures. In my personal life, I’m married, have three young children and a dog. Fun fact: I led a trek to Everest Base Camp while at university. I don’t suffer sea sickness, but I found out on that trip that I do suffer from altitude sickness…

What attracted you to work for Marine Society and Sea Cadets?

I started working for charities because I believe in service; I want to be of value and service to my society, my community. I’ve focused on charities for children and young people in much of my work – my experience at the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts showed me the value of non-formal education and the power it can have to change outcomes for young people. Also, tradition is a very powerful, albeit sometimes hard to qualify, quality. Sea Cadets, like Guides and Scouts, has the uniform, history, symbols, all of which have meaning and create kinship. They’re hugely powerful in bringing people, especially young people, around a common purpose.

If you were a cadet today, what activity do you think you’d enjoy the most?

Probably sailing. I like the idea of physical activity mixed with problem-solving and teamwork. My wife and her whole family, who live by the coast, sail incredibly well. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do!

What do you hope to achieve for the charity in the next five years?

I’d like more young people to sign up to be sea cadets and more volunteers to be available for coaching, mentoring and training them. I’d also like to see more seafarers taking up the expanded training that we offer. What we offer should be available to many more out there; we are the answer to so many issues and circumstances faced by people and communities today.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Get as much advice as you can from others, even those you disagree with. But make your decisions your own, based upon your own informed conclusions.

Could you share one of your favourite adventures? And what it meant to you.

I spent part of my teenage years living in Indonesia. I learnt to be a very competent scuba diver and extremely poor surfer. During that time, I had the opportunity to sail on a pinisi boat, a traditional wooden Indonesian cargo boat, to Komodo, to see the Komodo dragons. That was an incredible experience.

Photos: Sea Cadets/Nathaniel Rosa