ASTO

ASTO ASTO is the Association of Sail Training Organisations. We are the membership body for sail training charities in the UK.

ASTO enables its members to deliver transformational residential adventures at sea. When we say Sail Training, we don’t mean ‘learning to sail’. Instead, we use the experience of sailing offshore as a part of a team to open up new skills, challenges, and discovery. You will meet new people and work together to set sails, steer, keep watch and even cook. You will need to take responsibility, commun

icate and work together to ensure a successful journey. All UK Sail Training members are not-for-profit organisations who use Sail Training for life-changing youth development and/or working with disabled adults. To become a member, organisations need to show that they comply with the criteria and fulfil ASTO’s aims. The criteria include vessel safety, appropriate staffing, and high standards to ensure the best Sail Training experiences possible.

One in four 16-25 year olds in the UK experience mental health problems, and statutory services can currently support on...
03/09/2026

One in four 16-25 year olds in the UK experience mental health problems, and statutory services can currently support only around 40% of those who need help.

This generation is more digitally connected than any before it, yet loneliness and isolation among young people continue to rise.

A residential adventure at sea strips all of this away. No phones, no distractions, just a crew relying on one another to get the job done. Strangers quickly become teammates, and that sense of connection and belonging often lasts well beyond the voyage itself.

In a world where safe spaces to connect are shrinking, this matters more than ever.

To explore the evidence behind this work and the difference it is making, please visit the ASTO website to download our Impact Review and accessible version here: www.asto.org.uk

"I led the cooking of dinner for the whole crew by giving everyone tasks and getting everyone involved."For one young pe...
26/08/2026

"I led the cooking of dinner for the whole crew by giving everyone tasks and getting everyone involved."

For one young person who joined Morvargh Sailing Projectt's ASPIRE Voyage anxious and unsure of themselves, that moment marked a turning point, from staying on the edge of the group to genuine leadership.

Stories like this are at the heart of what residential adventures at sea can create: giving young people the space and responsibility to discover who they can be.

To explore the evidence behind this work and the difference it is making, please visit the ASTO website to download our Impact Review and accessible version here: www.asto.org.uk

Young people need more than qualifications, they need confidence, communication and resilience.On residential adventures...
18/08/2026

Young people need more than qualifications, they need confidence, communication and resilience.

On residential adventures at sea, those skills aren't taught in theory, they're lived. Raising sails, keeping watch, navigating, cooking for the crew: every task is real and time-critical, and every person's contribution matters.

That's why so many young people step off a voyage with more than memories. They leave with self-belief, teamwork experience and a clearer sense of what they're capable of, skills that go on to shape their future in work and life.

To explore the evidence behind this work and the difference it is making, please visit the ASTO website to download our Impact Review and accessible version here: www.asto.org.uk

Image credit: Ocean Youth Trust Scotland

Persistent school absence is one of the most significant challenges facing education in the UK. For disadvantaged pupils...
13/08/2026

Persistent school absence is one of the most significant challenges facing education in the UK. For disadvantaged pupils, the barriers are even greater: they are twice as likely to be persistently absent from school and four times more likely to be suspended.

But we're seeing what happens when young people are given a different kind of classroom. At Kirkcaldy High School, students who hadn't engaged with mainstream education in years returned from a residential adventure at sea, exploring new career paths and presenting to a room of over 25 people.

To find out more, please visit the ASTO website to download our Impact Review and accessible version here: www.asto.org.uk

In 2025 alone, over 10,000 young people and disabled people took part in a residential adventure at sea across the UK, s...
04/08/2026

In 2025 alone, over 10,000 young people and disabled people took part in a residential adventure at sea across the UK, spending a combined 47,000+ days at sea with our 30 charitable member organisations.

Behind every one of those numbers is a story; a young person finding their confidence, a student re-engaging with school, someone discovering a strength they didn't know they had. The need has never been greater, and neither has the opportunity to grow this impact further.

To explore the evidence behind this work and the difference it is making, please visit the ASTO website to download our Impact Review and accessible version here: www.asto.org.uk

A great full-circle moment for the new (first female) Captain of Northlink ferries as a former Sail Training Shetland tr...
03/08/2026

A great full-circle moment for the new (first female) Captain of Northlink ferries as a former Sail Training Shetland trainee herself and current committee member to host current trainees returning from their own Tall Ships Races adventure.

03/08/2026

Ocean Youth Trust South Refit Volunteers

Engagement with education is a growing challenge across the UK, with rising absence and increasing disengagement from tr...
28/07/2026

Engagement with education is a growing challenge across the UK, with rising absence and increasing disengagement from traditional learning since the pandemic.

Residential adventures at sea offer young people the opportunity to build confidence, belonging and a sense of capability through real responsibility and teamwork.

This change in environment can be transformative, helping young people see themselves differently and re-engage with their education and wider lives.

To find out more, please visit the ASTO website to download our Impact Review and accessible version here: www.asto.org.uk

Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people is one of the most pressing challenges facing the UK today. M...
22/07/2026

Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people is one of the most pressing challenges facing the UK today. Many are experiencing increasing levels of anxiety, isolation and uncertainty, while statutory services remain under significant pressure.

Residential adventures at sea provide a powerful combination of experiences that support wellbeing, bringing together connection, physical activity, personal growth, a sense of purpose and time in nature.

Time and again, we've seen young people return from a voyage with greater self-confidence, resilience and a stronger sense of belonging - benefits that continue long after they step ashore

To find out more, please visit the ASTO website to download our Impact Review and accessible version here: www.asto.org.uk

A residential adventure at sea is unlike any other learning environment.At sea, young people step into a world where the...
14/07/2026

A residential adventure at sea is unlike any other learning environment.

At sea, young people step into a world where their contribution genuinely matters. They learn to steer the vessel, work as part of a team to raise sails, cook for one another, keep watch through the night, and take shared responsibility for the safety and success of the voyage.

These are not simulated tasks or theoretical exercises. They are real, time-critical responsibilities that require communication, trust and collaboration.
Living and working together in this way creates a strong sense of community, while the challenges of the environment encourage individuals to discover strengths they may not have recognised before.

It is this combination of authenticity, responsibility and shared purpose that makes sail training such a powerful experience for personal development.

To explore the evidence behind this work and the difference it is making, please visit the ASTO website to download our Impact Review and accessible version here: www.asto.org.uk

Address

Gosport

Telephone

+442392503222

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when ASTO posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share