Welcome!

We’re thrilled that you’re interested in becoming a mentor on a Windseeker Sail Training voyage! Mentors are central to the Sail Training experience, helping participants navigate challenges and make the most of their time at sea. The role calls for social skills, an open mind, plenty of energy, and a desire to learn. In return, you’ll experience the joy of seeing happy faces and knowing you’ve contributed to what for many is a life-changing journey.

As a mentor, you’ll spend 7-14 days on board a sail training vessel during the summer. Your role will include communicating with participants before the journey and helping to prepare the on-board programme. You’ll represent the Windseeker Foundation, helping us to create the best possible experience for each trainee. To support you in this role, we provide online training, coaching, and a certificate of participation. Everything you’ll need on board is taken care of, just come ready for the adventure!

There’s no one-size-fits-all mentor. Each one of you brings a unique background, experience, and personality to the role, so we carefully match mentors to ships, projects, and each other to create the best possible fit.

If you have any questions, we’re here to help. But first, please read the information below, and fill out the application form (in English).

1. Mentoring is a voluntary position. You will not receive payment for your time on board, but Windseeker will cover the cost of your sailing journey. You will generally need to arrange and pay for your own travel to and from the ports (unless stated otherwise), as well as your own insurance.

2. You will need to provide an official Certificate of Conduct. This is a document, usually issued by the police or the Ministry of Internal Affairs, confirming that you do not have a criminal record. Obtaining one is often free of charge, but if there is a cost, Windseeker will reimburse you.

3. You may encounter content creators on board. To help promote Sail Training, Windseeker, the ship, Sail Training International or another organisation may invite a content creator to join your journey. This could be a professional filmmaker, photographer or videographer, influencer, or host port ambassador, who will showcase life on board to future trainees. They will never include anyone in their content against their wishes, and as a mentor, you will always have the right to decline being featured. We simply want to make you aware that this is something you may encounter during your journey, since it’s becoming increasingly common.

4. Please keep this application page private. We take great care when selecting mentors for our journeys, so if you received a link to this page, please do not forward it to anyone else. If you know someone who you think would make a great mentor, please contact Janine first at janine@windseeker.org.

5. We cannot always offer a place to everyone who applies. Some years, we need more mentors than others, and sometimes we are specifically looking for mentors of certain nationalities due to the way an event is structured. We also carefully consider the balance of nationalities and experience on each journey. This means that we may not always be able to offer a place to everyone who applies. However, we keep all applications on file and will contact you if a suitable opportunity becomes available in the future.