acquire an impressive skill, improve your cultural IQ, and discover a surprising new self-confidence.
go old-school sailing in europe!
The QBE* European Leadership School offers adventure sailing expeditions for high-school students. We use uncommon traditional sailboats to take you and your crewmates to off-the-beaten-path ports and anchorages along the magical coastlines of western France and southern England. You’ll learn how to sail a gaff-rig boat, you’ll raise your cultural IQ, and you’ll find a new swagger. While we can’t transform you into James Bond, we can certainly move the needle in the right direction. Join us for an outdoor adventure that could change the trajectory of your life.
(ELS courses are run by one of Europe’s most seasoned sailing and life-skills coaches. No previous sailing experience necessary.)
*PARENTS: QBE (Qualified By Experience) is a top-shelf, if somewhat obscure, initiative supported by a group of like-minded adventure 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 several years ago, he immediately started working the phone to raise funds to purchase them. His idea was to make a transformative teen experience available to a broader group of youngsters.
When it comes to boosting self-esteem, challenging outdoor adventures (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. 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 crewmates come back and do it again.