Wellbeing and welfare boost for Indian maritime cadets

(Posted on 26/11/23)

Thousands of cadets and trainees in India will benefit from in-depth wellness training and support thanks to funding from the ITF Seafarers’ Trust.

The partnership between the grant-making trust and global maritime welfare charity Sailors’ Society will see a reshaping of cadet wellbeing and welfare in the country.

Working with maritime institutions and schools across India, a three-day Wellness at Sea training course will follow the Society’s annual India cadet conference. Schools will also be given the Society’s Wellness at Sea Awareness Campaign resources and access to a Sailors’ Society liaison officer for help when needed.

All this on top of the charity’s Peer-to-Peer Support Groups for cadets, cadet newsletters, e-learning programme, which will see cadets awarded a certificate on completion and a dedicated 24/7 helpline, which will be answered by a trained team who speak their language and understand the specific issues and challenges they may face.

Abdulgani Serang, Programme Development Manager at the ITFST said: “We are delighted to support the Sailors’ Society’s initiative to prepare cadets for the ups and downs of life at sea, creating awareness and building resilience with a well-structured and comprehensive approach to the subject.

“We’re well aware of the positive aspects of a sea-going career but also the inherent challenges and risks that can be overwhelming for new seafarers. This is an excellent project and one that we’re proud to encourage.

Sailors’ Society’s Head of Wellness, Johan Smith, added: “This programme of training and support will really help prepare cadets for a life at sea. Data from our cadet conferences, which have been running for three years now, reveal time and time again the gap between perception and reality.

“Engaging with cadets at the start of their career builds trust and familiarity that makes it easier for them to reach out to us at any point they need to throughout their years at sea. This programme will make a tangible and sustainable difference, not just to cadets, but to the industry as a whole.”