{"id":3264,"date":"2026-08-27T20:16:27","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T18:16:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/?p=3264"},"modified":"2026-08-31T10:44:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T08:44:26","slug":"back-on-the-alster-inclusive-sailing-week-in-week-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/back-on-the-alster-inclusive-sailing-week-in-week-out\/","title":{"rendered":"Back on the Alster: Inclusive sailing, week in, week out"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The holidays are over \u2013 and everyday life has resumed on the Outer Alster. In the mornings, the children and young people from the Bugenhagen School in Alsterdorf go sailing; in the afternoons, it\u2019s the turn of the participants from the Werner Otto Institute. Two projects, one aim: not just to have a go, but to really learn to sail.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are those moments that reveal the very purpose of an entire project. For example, when a girl stands spontaneously at the jetty, steps on board for the first time in her life \u2013 and, once we\u2019ve moored, says she\u2019d like to come back. That\u2019s exactly what happened this week. But let\u2019s take it one step at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mornings: School lessons on the water<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Since this week, the children and young people from the Bugenhagen School in Alsterdorf have been back on the Alster. Every Wednesday and Thursday morning \u2013 not as an excursion, not as a project week, but as an integral part of their school lessons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2026, we will continue the established Level 3 course and expand our programme to include a new weekly course for Level 2. This was an explicit request from the teaching staff following the success of last season. As a result, over 100 children and young people from both Levels 2 and 3 will gain access to inclusive sailing \u2013 on J\/22 keelboats and on the accessible RS Venture Connect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A support concept that is second to none<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What underpins this project is collaboration on an equal footing. School management, teachers, carers, school support staff and personal assistants are all on board for every session. We at Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V., together with the Hamburg Sailing Club, are responsible for the sailing training and instruction \u2013 whilst a team that knows every child and young person personally is responsible for addressing individual needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This division of responsibilities is why the concept works: safety, well-being and professional support are thus ensured right from the start. Nobody has to improvise, and nobody has to take on responsibilities beyond their capabilities. Everyone does what they do best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even severe disabilities are not a barrier to participation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In many of our courses, children and young people with severe physical disabilities take part. This is made possible by our specialised RS Venture Connect boats: they are fully accessible and can be adapted to individual needs. This means that anyone who wants to come on board can do so \u2013 regardless of how mobile they are on land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Afternoons: the sailing course with the Werner Otto Institute<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

On Thursday afternoons, the crowd at the jetty of the Hamburg Sailing Club changes. That\u2019s when our sailing course with the Werner Otto Institute begins; they\u2019ve also returned from the holidays this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lilly\u2019s first sailing trip<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The trip got off to a special start. We had a surprise visit from Lilly and her mum, Sylvia. Lilly has trisomy 21 and is interested in sailing \u2013 we didn\u2019t need to think twice. Lifejackets on, and off we went.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her first sailing trip was a complete success. You could tell just how much she enjoyed it. And most importantly: Lilly wants to come back and sail some more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s exactly why we do this. Anyone who\u2019s curious should be allowed to give it a go \u2013 without barriers, without waiting, without long explanations. It\u2019s not for nothing that sailing is one of the most inclusive sports of all: out on the water, what counts is what a crew achieves together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also on board that afternoon was Dr Joachim Riedel, Director of the Werner Otto Institute, together with his daughter. A partner who doesn\u2019t just watch from the jetty, but sails along himself \u2013 a partnership could hardly look any better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the Werner Otto Institute?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Werner Otto Institute (WOI) is a socio-paediatric centre in Hamburg, specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of developmental delays and disabilities in children and young people, as well as in counselling for parents. Doctors, psychologists, therapists, nursing staff, practising paediatricians and child and adolescent psychiatrists work closely together there. The aim is to support children and young people in leading lives that are as independent and self-determined as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The course<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The course is aimed at children aged eight and over \u2013 some with, some without disabilities \u2013 who sail together. It is supervised by professional sailing instructors. Sailing takes place on keelboats, which offer a high degree of stability and therefore safety. The programme is complemented by a holiday sailing course run by the WOI under the motto \u2018Parents and children sail together\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project was launched in 2024, including an open day in June 2024 at the Hamburg Sailing Club. The course is now firmly established.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why regularity is more important to us than a single enjoyable day<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

A one-off taster session is lovely. A one-day event generates photos, attention and a good atmosphere. But the crucial question arises the day after: what happens next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why we structure our programmes to last throughout the season. Week after week, with the same faces, as skills improve. Only in this way can sport deliver what it is capable of for people with disabilities: self-efficacy, routine, a sense of belonging \u2013 and eventually the realisation that you\u2019re not just a guest here, but a crew member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s important to us to be able to offer both: ambitious regatta sailing, such as at the inclusive Heinz Kettler Cup \u2013 which we\u2019ve just organised together with the Germany SailGP Team alongside the ROCKWOOL Germany Sail Grand Prix in Sassnitz \u2013 and sustainable, regular, accessible sailing programmes on the Alster. One represents the pinnacle, the other the foundation. Without a foundation, there can be no pinnacle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teachers, carers and therapists repeatedly confirm to us that sailing also has therapeutic value for many participants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Figures from the past season:<\/strong> In 2025, over 150 children and young people with various disabilities benefited from our regular inclusive sailing courses on the Alster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you to our partners and sponsors<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Both projects rely on the people and organisations that make them possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

School sailing at Bugenhagen School, Alsterdorf:<\/strong> We would like to thank the Becker-Kerner Foundation, the Friends of Bugenhagen School Alsterdorf, Bildungsengel e.V., the Peter Jensen Foundation, BILD hilft e.V. \u2018Ein Herz f\u00fcr Kinder\u2019, the Ingeborg Gross Foundation and the Evangelical Foundation Alsterdorf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WOI sailing course:<\/strong> The course is organised by Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V. in cooperation with the Werner Otto Institute and the Hamburg Sailing Club. The project is funded by the Kroschke Children\u2019s Foundation and the G\u00fcnter and Vera Faasch Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And a huge thank you to the Bugenhagen School Alsterdorf and the Hamburg Sailing Club \u2013 for a partnership that supports these projects week in, week out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outlook: We aim to expand further in 2027<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

We are currently seeking additional funders and sponsors to enable the full implementation of both course levels at the Bugenhagen School in Alsterdorf in 2026. And for 2027, we have set ourselves the goal of further expanding our inclusive sailing programmes \u2013 particularly for children and young people with disabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every bit of support counts: for boat equipment, for coaching sessions, and for additional course places. Anyone wishing to be part of this is warmly invited to get in touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sven J\u00fcrgensen<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chairman, Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

sven.juergensen@wir-sind-wir.org<\/p>\n\n\n\n

www.wir-sind-wir.org<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The holidays are over \u2013 and everyday life has resumed on the Outer Alster. In the mornings, the children and young people from the Bugenhagen School in Alsterdorf go sailing; in the afternoons, it\u2019s the turn of the participants from the Werner Otto Institute. Two projects, one aim: not just to have a go, but […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3263,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3264","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news_en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3264","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3264"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3264\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3263"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3264"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3264"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3264"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}