RE-SAIL II
Description
An innovative initiative that educates and raises awareness among children and young people about the environment and the blue economy, with a focus on sailing, recycling, and the empowerment of vulnerable social groups.
The project is structured around three main pillars:
1. Technical training for young people aged 17–25 in:
Carpentry and CNC, with a focus on vessels
Sailing yacht and speedboat charter crew training
Entrepreneurship
2. Employability services
3. Innovative environmental action for children:
Construction of three small educational sailing boats (Optimist class) using recycled materials
Duration: Jan 24-Dec 24
Strategic Partner
36
Αcademy Beneficiaries Trained
34
Employability Servised
40
Hackathon participants
The Problem
Greece faces one of the highest unemployment rates in the EU, particularly among young people, many of whom remain outside education, training, or employment and are at risk of poverty and social exclusion. At the same time, vocational education and training systems suffer from underfunding, declining student participation, and limited focus on digital and social skills development. The problem is even more severe for refugees and migrants, who often face low educational attainment, digital illiteracy, and social discrimination. Despite high unemployment, key sectors such as construction, tourism, and the blue economy experience significant shortages of skilled workers, highlighting a critical mismatch between labor market needs and workforce qualifications.
The solution
The 2024 cycle of RE-SAIL centred on education, awareness raising and innovative tools to prepare young people for the environmental challenges and opportunities of the blue economy, addressing social and labour market needs through targeted training and empowerment. Odyssea delivered technical training in tourism and sailing, covering tourism professions, yacht charter crew duties, speedboat operation, and carpentry with modern digital manufacturing methods (CNC), alongside a hackathon on circular economy solutions and entrepreneurship training focused on the blue and circular economy. The aim was to educate and empower vulnerable social groups, strengthen self-confidence and self-awareness, guide young people toward career paths matched to their skills, improve employability and support labour market integration, while strengthening the blue economy and advancing education in sailing, sports and environmental awareness.
Services
RE-SAIL delivers vocational training in professions connected to the sea, combining theory with hands on practice, and follows it through to employment.
- Carpentry & CNC: boat carpentry using modern digital manufacturing methods
- Speedboat operation: handling and operating speedboats
- Barista: hospitality skills for coastal tourism
- Skippers & Yacht Charter: yacht charter crew duties and skipper training
- Employability Services: career services, job applications, employer matchmaking and job retention coaching, backed by partnerships with companies in the blue economy that link training directly to job opportunities
Outcomes
- 36 beneficiaries trained
- 4 courses delivered
- 34 people supported with employability services
- 18 hirings
- 40 participants in the 2nd Blue & Circular Economy Hackathon
2nd Blue & Circular Economy Hackathon, 6 to 8 December 2024
Over three days, participants developed and presented innovative ideas for the blue and circular economy. Mentors were central to the result, guiding the teams, sharing their expertise and helping them work through challenges so that the proposed solutions were both innovative and sustainable.
