Our action & impact

Climate leadership

Providing environmental education and action through sailing

Our programmes help young people build lifelong respect for the natural world by learning in it, playing in it, and caring for it. From low-impact watersports to citizen science projects, we’re turning coastlines, lakes, and rivers into powerful platforms for climate education and community-led action.

Why we’re focusing in this area

Escalating eco‑anxiety and disconnection from nature

Heightened awareness of global issues like climate change can trigger feelings of helplessness and anxiety in young people.

Under-represented youth excluded from environmental and outdoor opportunities

Young people from under-served backgrounds often lack access to nature-based, climate-focused learning.

Lack of community-level climate action and shared local pride

Without accessible and inspiring community programmes, communities miss out on opportunities for collective learning, pride, and climate stewardship.

Our action:

ASF’s climate leadership programmes, such as our hands-on, STEM-enriched SailGP activation and sustainability education at Portsmouth, help youth reconnect with the environment and take positive action, fostering hope and empowerment through real-world engagement.

Our action:

ASF removes barriers through inclusive watersports and STEM programmes (e.g. STT Portsmouth), providing tangible pathways for engagement in marine ecology, engineering, and sustainability, helping them build confidence, discover purpose, and develop skills for green careers.

Our action:

ASF’s localised events, like the SailGP Community Impact Beach Club with RYA and 1851 Trust, bring diverse communities together in Portsmouth, sparking collective interest, dialogue, and action around climate and water stewardship.

Our impact so far

Our objective is to advance the education, development and improvement of young people, through sailing programmes to develop their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as independent, mature and responsible citizens.

Increasing environmental awareness
260

260 young people have taken part in sustainability actions through our centres, including beach cleans and litter picks, collecting over 1,000 pieces of plastic headed for the ocean.

Integrating sustainability
themes
25%

25% of our programmes contain integrated climate or environmental content (e.g. plastic reduction, ocean literacy).

What we’re working towards

Target 1: Reducing our carbon footprint

Our aim is to facilitate a measurable reduction in carbon footprint of sailing operations (e.g. transition to electric safety boats, green energy use).

Target 2: Improved understanding of climate issues

Our aim is for participants to report an increased understanding of marine conservation or climate issues after attending an educational session.

Target 3: Increased sustainable practices in individuals

Our aim is for participants to take personal climate-positive actions as a result of involvement with the Foundation.

Sustainability sessions

The Sustainability Programme runs over 6 sessions and gradually introduces participants to different environmental issues using hands-on learning. We cover topics such as climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss; giving the students an opportunity to explore each topic outside of the classroom and come up with creative ways to help combat these issues.

Our work in climate leadership

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Sustainability Programme

The programme is designed to help young people gain a greater understanding of the natural world and give them the skills and knowledge to be more environmentally aware.

Could you help support our work in climate leadership?