Family Connection Voyage
SALTS invites families experiencing barriers to connection to join a unique group therapy and sail training experience aboard the tall ship Pacific Grace. This is a pilot project to try a new type of SALTS program offering. This is a 4 or 5-day program for families with teenagers led by two clinical counsellors and the SALTS crew.
Consider the Family Connection Program if your Family:
- Is facing barriers that get in the way of understanding each other, and that might even lead to arguments or disruptive disagreements.
- Is experiencing feelings of isolation or disconnection that are pulling family members apart.
- Has a sense that by overcoming some of the barriers to connection your family would gain enjoyable family time and shared experience.
What is the Family Connection Program?Five-Day Program: This is a 5-day group therapy experience woven into a sail training context that will have capacity for up to 6 families.Communication Skills: Learn effective ways to communicate, fostering a deeper mutual understanding. Shared Activities: Engage in activities specifically designed to strengthen family bonds and reinforce newly learned communication skills. Connecting with Others: Meet families facing similar challenges, enabling shared learning and support in a community setting. Understanding Approach: We approach family communication issues with empathy, acknowledging their complexity without placing blame on any individual. Sail Training: More than “learning to sail,” this means personal/relational development through the intentional use of sailing and life at sea. All family members will have an active role in operating the ship under the guidance of SALTS’ professional crew. |
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What the Family Connection Program is not:
We plan to have rich and meaningful experiences together, but this is not a cruise or family vacation. Participants will be involved in every aspect of operating the ship, such as sail handling, navigation, steering, launching dories, rowing, washing dishes, and swabbing the deck. No prior sailing experience is needed. If your main desire is to go sailing with your family, this program won't be for you, as it focuses on group therapy in the context of a sail training experience.
Is This Program a Fit for Your Family?
This particular voyage in March 2024 is for dual parent families and their teenage children (age 13-18 inclusive) who live together. We hope to offer programs for a broader range of family structures in the future. All family members need to participate, be willing to stretch their comfort zone, and be mentally/physically capable of taking part. Who is Leading the Program?
- Sail training and ship operations will be led by SALTS Senior Captain Tony Anderson and the Pacific Grace crew.
- Registered clinical counsellors (and married couple) Liam Law and Asia Wilcox will facilitate group therapy sessions. Liam is a past SALTS crew-member now serving as Clinical Coordinator and Manager of Vancouver Island Programs at Take a Hike Youth Mental Health Foundation. Asia currently works as a youth and family counsellor at Stz’uminus Community School.
- Dr. Tim Black, a Registered Psychologist, is serving as a program advisor (he will not be in attendance).
Life on Board
Participants will be involved in every aspect of life aboard a tall ship, including raising and lowering sails, navigation, steering the ship, washing dishes, swabbing the deck, and anchor watch at night. Healthy meals will be prepared on board by the ship's cook. There will be lessons on knots, chartwork, rules of the road, and points of sail, as time permits. Row the ship's dories to local marine parks, beaches, and historical sites. "Mug-up" in the evening is a time of singing and entertainment while enjoying a warm drink and freshly baked treat.The ship has two main areas below deck called the "fo'c'sle" and the "hold" which is open to the galley. These multipurpose areas each have 15 bunks, a table for dining, and a single occupancy bathroom (head) with sink and toilet. Family members will have adjacent bunks in one of these two areas shared with other families. There are no showers on board, but swimming and bathing in the ocean is an option.
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SALTS is an independent, non-denominational Christian-based charity, operating in a multi-faith community in which our Society members, donors, volunteers, and program participants come from all backgrounds, beliefs, sexual orientations, gender identities, and walks of life. Our programs allow for friendly and open dialogue about many points of view while seeking to find shared values. During SALTS voyages, a crew-member typically says a short prayer for safety before departing the dock and ends each night with a prayer of thanks. These moments can be used for silent reflection and gratitude as each person chooses. We may sing a “grace” before meals (e.g. “Johnny Appleseed”) or ask participants to share what they are thankful for. We sing at evening mug-up, and our songbook contains hundreds of options including top 40 hits (current and past), sea shanties, and spirituals like Amazing Grace. We regularly receive feedback about the positive and transformative experiences young people have on board through the close community that forms and the challenges they overcome by living and working together at sea.
When/Where?
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What is the Cost?This voyage is provided free of charge but an option to make a charitable donation will be available for those who can do so. Why free? This is a pilot project to allow us to try out offering a new type of SALTS program, and since we’ll be figuring some of it out as we go, we won’t be charging fees for the initial voyage. Meals and accommodations are provided on board during the sailing; participants provide their own sleeping bags and pillows. |
Join us to learn what connecting means for your family, identify what might be getting in the way of your family’s sense of connection, and gain skills that can help you grow closer as a family.
More Information
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Photos are of previous SALTS program activities that have also taken place on SALTS tall ships