2 years ago, Boatshed Barcelona took part in an initiation to sailing for people with disabilities, organised by Sailability Catalunya. That was quite a gratifying experience: see our blog about that here.

I just found the following related article on Yachtsandyachting.com.

RYA Sailability’s Disability Awareness Training Scheme has been expanded to provide even more opportunities for clubs and centres across the UK to run Disability Awareness training courses.

Sailability groups, sailing clubs, centres and organisations will now have the opportunity to become an authorised RYA Sailability Disability Awareness Training Centre enabling them to run the nationally acclaimed one day training course which is designed to change attitudes and raise awareness of disability throughout the sailing community.

Volunteers who work with disabled sailors across the UK will also have the opportunity to attend a brand new RYA Sailability Disability Awareness Training Instructor Course and become qualified to run Disability Awareness courses at any authorised centre.

“Attitudes to the inclusion of disabled people in sport are forever changing, but the biggest barrier of all is still the concerns that non-disabled people have” explains RYA Sailability Manager Debbie Blachford.

“By alleviating fear of disability and imparting knowledge, the course aims to encourage helpers to become involved and to enjoy their involvement to the full. Importantly, training also improves the quality of that very first experience for both sailor and helper alike.

“For the past 10 years, RYA Sailability has been running Disability Awareness courses throughout the UK and train over 1,500 people a year through the national programme. We are delighted that this scheme is now being expanded to encourage more centres to run this valuable training locally and on a regular basis”.

To find out how to become an authorised training centre, instructor or find the nearest course, simply download the relevant guidance notes and application forms which can be found here.

For more information about RYA Sailability visit this site