No images? Click here SEAFARER NEWSLETTER Have you joined our growing global community yet?We now have an incredible 116 Peer-to-Peer Support Groups running, giving seafarers like you the opportunity to chat and share with other seafarers who understand the joys and the strains of life at sea. Friendship and connection are so important when you are thousands of miles from home – and a true global community has sprung up in these groups. The WhatsApp groups provide a digital safe space where you can share experiences, seek advice and support and connect with other seafarers across the world. We have groups for female seafarers, Captains, cadets, Ukrainians and seafarer families, as well as many general groups. They have become lifelines, ensuring that no seafarer sails alone. Why join? Just ask Capt. Ann Captain Ann Pletschke joined one of our Peer-to-Peer Support Groups after being given a tough time about being a woman in the industry. Here she talks to Sailors’ Society about the support she received and how reaching out is not a sign of weakness. You joined a female Peer-to-Peer Support Group after receiving negative remarks. Would you be willing to tell us a bit more about this and why it prompted you to join? I’d just been told by several colleagues how women shouldn’t be in the industry and how having women employed was a bad thing. I posted in the group partly out of my own frustration about what had just happened, but also in the hope other women in the group could see that these things happen – it’s not just them – and that it is ok to reach out. Us seafarers can often be hesitant to reach out for ‘help’ or ‘support’ and I wanted also to show not only that it is ok, but that ‘support’ can just look like a rant about a current situation and certainly not a sign of weakness. How did you find out about the groups? I had seen the groups advertised on my social media feed and I thought they sounded like a great idea. Connectivity is really changing the landscape of seafaring and can remove the isolation that so often goes hand-in-hand with seafaring. Can you tell us about the support you got from the Female-Only Group? I was really pleasantly surprised – I posted on the group on a Sunday evening and had a reply an hour later. It helped just to know my shout of frustration had been heard and the validation of my feelings was welcome. What prompted you to also join the Captain's Group? To get support, insight and discussion with other Captains, which also is probably a personal nod to myself that I’m not just a female seafarer. I hope to contribute, give and receive advice on professional and emotional matters – in a world of ISM, vessel audits and inspections, commercial pressures, red-tape and accountability, it’s a really good idea to have such a group. What do you see as the best things about being in the groups you are in? I remember especially in the early 2000s, when I was deep-sea, feeling very isolated when dealing with difficulties onboard and Peer-to-Peer Support Groups can be such a great part of a toolkit, alongside other maritime charitable resources that have developed over the years. Support is now just a WhatsApp away rather than a two-monthly letter away! What would you say to others who might be thinking about joining a group? I’d say go for it! You have nothing to lose, it’s free and if you don’t like it, you can always leave! It’s also good to have an outlet if you ever need it and you may well just be able to encourage other seafarers. It’s time to be Appy Did you know that you get a certificate when you complete the fun and interactive modules on our new MyWellness app? And top employers like Nomikos and Seaspan are encouraging their crews to download and complete the programme? So why not jump onboard and take control of your wellbeing? The app offers practical tools to help fight fatigue, stress and other issues that affect seafarers. Explore a range of topics to manage mental and emotional strain, improve relationships, and boost physical and mental fitness. Plus, there are quizzes, videos and activities to apply what you learn to daily life. Even with limited Wi-Fi, you can download modules and work offline. Your progress updates automatically when you're back online. Learn your way, at your pace (the whole programme should take between six and seven hours to complete).
Is a greener world a happier one for you? The end of last month saw World Maritime Day, a chance to shine the spotlight on issues facing the shipping industry. This year’s focus was on a greener future, but our CEO Sara Baade looked at whether a greener future could be a more isolated one for seafarers. 24/7 CONFIDENTIAL SUPPORT Need to talk? Need to share? Need help in a crisis? MyWellness app Need financial support? Peer-to-Peer Support Groups What do you think of our new seafarer e-newsletter? Are there topics you would like us to cover? Get your friends and colleagues to sign up to your newsletters here: About Sailors’ Society For more than 200 years, international maritime charity Sailors’ Society has been transforming the lives of seafarers and their families. Today, we provide 24/7 practical, emotional and spiritual welfare support to the world’s 1.9 m seafarers and their families across the world. We support seafarer wellbeing across every area of their lives and careers, giving them the best opportunity to enjoy a fulfilling - and productive - career at sea. |