Impact | Community Boating Center, Inc.

Community Boating Center of New Bedford

Impact

Learn By Doing

CBC engages kids in learning positive and practical life skills that will allow them to steer toward a successful future, whether in college, the workforce, or as leaders in their community.

What We Do

CBC connects thousands of Greater New Bedford youth, ages 5 to 24, to the water through a wide range of programs year-round, providing youth development, education, mentorship, and access to a network of community partners.

Youth Development

Each time CBC students step into a boat, pull the tiller, or trim a sail, they are learning a meaningful lesson. Sailing encourages individuals to come together as a team and collectively overcome challenges. CBC’s flagship program, Summer Youth Sailing, is designed to instill positive life values, such as trust, integrity, sound judgment, and teamwork. The program is accessible to all, with financial aid for those who qualify. Last year 70% of participants received financial aid.

Mentorship

CBC’s goal is to mentor all youth from the first time they enter a program until they graduate high school and beyond. CBC’s staff, from executive director to junior instructors, continuously act as positive role models for children. Studies have shown that youth with mentors are more likely to graduate from high school, participate in extracurricular activities, and become civically engaged.

Education

CBC’s year-round education programs, both in school and out of school, provide youth with hands-on learning opportunities that emphasize math, engineering, creativity, and problem-solving. CBC’s approach to STEM learning places students at the helm of the process as they learn to build a boat or design and build a model wind turbine or a remote-controlled sailboat.

Network

The success of CBC’s programs involves collaboration with schools, other organizations engaged in youth development, and marine-related businesses. These provide subject matter expertise as well as connections in the community for future opportunities for youth, such as internships and jobs.

Our Goals and Objectives

junior sailors and an instructors waving from a capsized boat

Provide a safe, quality and affordable introduction to water safety and sail training for local youth, with particular emphasis on youth who would not otherwise have the opportunity and those referred through other social service agencies and school adjustment counselors.
Reinforce the value of self-esteem and confidence through an introduction to sailing.
Develop job skills and a training component for youth to help prepare them for college and careers.
Expand community access to boating activities and continue to increase our program participation numbers.
Integrate recreational and educational boating with existing waterfront activities.
Expand year-round STEM educational programs accessible through local schools, with particular emphasis on New Bedford Public Schools.
Expand year-round STEM educational programs to enhance what is being taught in schools and is current to today’s world and job market.
Expand after-school sailing programs for local middle and high schools.
Provide a college sailing program with University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
Participate in ongoing environmental quality activities.
Increase collaborative programming with other local youth-serving organizations.
Increase partnerships with local businesses to provide subject matter expertise and create opportunities for internships and jobs in marine-related fields.
Increase CBC’s visibility within the Greater New Bedford community and continue to educate constituents as to the scope of our work.
Develop alternate revenue streams to ensure the longevity of our outreach programs.
Develop and sustain our facility to support the above goals.

CBC has been a huge confidence boost for me in the past four years. Sailing makes me feel more free and like I can overcome obstacles. I would love to share this feeling with others.

Carlyn

CBC JUNIOR INSTRUCTOR

Participant Surveys

Summer Youth Sailing Program

Each student is given a simple, 5-question survey to ask how much they feel their time in our SYSP has helped them with the following skills. 2021 results are below.

A survey is also sent to parents after each summer. In 2021, 100% of respondents would recommend our program to friends and family and plan on enrolling their children again next summer.