Hint: It has very little to do with the classroom…
and a lot to do with your teen’s self image and motivation
In the wake of the global COVID pandemic, an alarming number of youngsters have been left reeling, academically and emotionally, by the various dislocations resulting from lockdowns. All of us who have kids, or who work with them, are eager to do whatever we can to get them back on track.
While nothing is a panacea, challenging outdoor adventure courses like a QBE sailing expedition can work wonders. In fact, small-group team sailing is an optimum personal development platform for young adults. Our courses are specially designed to boost motivation, resilience, and self-esteem. But the interesting thing is, there’s evidence those psychological benefits often translate into (sometimes dramatically) improved academic results at school. We discuss the correlation on our blog. You can call it “the expedition effect.” One thing’s for sure: It’s not enough that teachers be able to teach, students need to be available for learning—and that means a willingness, if not an enthusiasm, to take some ownership of their own education. Challenging expeditions outside personal comfort zones seem to help make that happen.
And so we take teens yachting along postcard-worthy European coastlines. Or perhaps it’s fair to say we let them take us yachting along postcard-worthy European coastlines. It’s always their expedition, their great adventure.
We bring our fabled gaff-rig pilot cutters to the table. Not only are they extremely safe in choppy water, but they’re a delight to sail. Our frequent destinations are right out of a lavishly illustrated coffee-table book. And each expedition is largely organized by the crew members, all of whom who are required to handle the everyday tasks, including navigating, trimming the sails, and taking turns at the wheel. After an initial orientation, our instructors are there mostly to make some suggestions, answer questions, and make sure our crews and boats are never in danger. We even allow our students the latitude to get lost! Think of the QBE teaching approach as the Socratic method applied to yachting.
So why not help your teenager find a higher gear and show that high-school C/V a little love next summer? Sign up today for a life-elevating experience others just dream about—a singular live-aboard sailing expedition that beats most other outdoor adventure opportunities hands down.
In 2022, we welcomed crew members from around the world, including the UK, The United States, Italy, Spain, France, Poland, and Croatia.
*PARENTS: QBE (Qualified By Experience) is a top-shelf expeditionary learning initiative supported by a group of like-minded outdoor enthusiasts who taught at or attended the same Swiss international school. Outdoor and cultural expeditions were always mandatory for us, and through the years, skiing, mountaineering, cycling, and sailing were the outdoor activities of choice. So when one of our former expedition masters came across two rare pilot cutters on the market a number of years ago, he immediately started working the phone to raise funds to purchase them. His idea was to make one the school’s most transformative teen experiences available to a new generation of youngsters.
When it comes to boosting self-esteem, challenging outdoor experiences (like small-yacht open-water sailing) can be the secret sauce, especially when participants are given the reins to make many of their own expedition decisions. There’s nothing quite like the exhilaration of cutting through the water with a strong breeze in your sails, unless it’s the pride you feel when pulling into port after a challenging day on the water. (And of course there are the daily revelations that come from discovering our area’s vibrant ports, cultural sites, and distinct regional cuisine.) Participants go home aware that they’ve taken their lives to a new level.
It’s simply a fact that self-esteem is a powerful catalyst for academic and career success. Parents and educators are constantly amazed at the difference a great adventure can make in a teenager’s life trajectory. And what’s more, youngsters love it. In fact, many of our crew members ask to come back and do it again.
—Praise for QBE Director Will Sutherland from former colleagues—
“I am fully confident in recommending [QBE director Will Sutherland] very highly to you.”
—Didier Boutroux, former Head Master, Verbier International School, Switzerland
—Praise from former students—
“Will is a tremendous organizer and inspiring leader who is highly adept at facilitating this type of endeavor. I would wholeheartedly and enthusiastically recommend any program that he is involved with….and would sign up in a heartbeat if I were 18 again!”
—Dariane Hunt, Concord, MA, USA
Click on/tap the button below to learn more, or you can call us to discuss the many advantages of our gaff-rig sailing adventures. (You can use WhatsApp to reach us free from anywhere. But remember, we’re on Central European Time. New York +6)
—No previous sailing experience necessary—
new skills • new perspectives • new adrenaline rushes • new self-esteem
Trusted by parents since 1992 • All instructors licensed by the Royal Yachting Association