Enterprise Sailing
Charity 1167252
http://www.enterprisesailing.org/
Overview
Summary
Enterprise Sailing appears to use sailing not chiefly as a sporting end in itself, but as a practical setting for youth development, inclusion and community connection. Its stated role combines direct learning opportunities with broader enabling functions: training volunteers, providing facilities and resources, and making grants. This suggests an organisation positioned between a youth-development provider and local sailing infrastructure, using access to water-based activity to build confidence, capability and social participation.
Operational geography
Coverage: Regional
Operational areas:
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Remaining uncertainties
- Direct evidence confirms that Enterprise Sailing provides or funds dinghy-sailing opportunities within Birmingham through schools and youth groups, and the Charity Commission lists Birmingham City, Staffordshire and Worcestershire as areas where it operates. However, none of the current evidence identifies a Birmingham service location that can be reliably matched to one of the supplied wards or to the City Centre place identifier.
- A 2026 account says the charity has recently focused on schools in central Birmingham. This supports an interpretation that its current Birmingham activity is concentrated in central parts of the city, but 'central Birmingham' cannot safely be translated into the supplied City Centre identifier or specific wards.
- The current Charity Commission contact address and the RYA directory's care-of address do not establish that either is a current delivery site or sailing venue.
- The organisation's latest available trustees' report covers the year ended 30 September 2024. It describes grants to schools and youth groups for dinghy sailing within Birmingham, but does not name participating schools, venues, partner clubs or wards.
Additional evidence needed
- A current programme, annual report or official website page naming the Birmingham schools, youth groups and water-based venues used for delivery.
- Confirmation from Enterprise Sailing or its delivery partners of whether the contact or care-of addresses are operational bases, rather than correspondence addresses.
- Current evidence identifying any sailing-club, school or youth-service partnerships that provide regular Birmingham delivery.
Areas of work
- Amateur Sport
- Education/training
- Recreation
Who they help
- Children/young People
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Acts As An Umbrella Or Resource Body
- Makes Grants To Individuals
- Makes Grants To Organisations
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
- Provides Human Resources
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
Sailing is a developmental method, not just the service
The available evidence suggests that sailing is used as a structured way to develop young people's confidence, character and wider life skills, particularly for those vulnerable to exclusion.
Why it matters
This distinguishes Enterprise Sailing from a conventional sports club. Its potential contribution is likely to sit across youth support, informal education and recreation, making relationships with schools, youth services and inclusion-focused organisations potentially important.
Show evidence
“To use sailing to develop life skills, confidence and character among young people, especially those at risk of exclusion.”
Source:Organisation“To advance young people in life through leisure time activities so as to develop their physical, mental and spiritual capacities.”
Source:Charity Commission
The organisation may operate through an enabling model
Enterprise Sailing appears to combine direct provision with support to others through grants, volunteer development, facilities and resource-body functions.
Why it matters
Its influence may extend beyond the people attending activities directly. Understanding who receives grants, uses its facilities or draws on its volunteer capacity would reveal whether it acts as a connector within a wider local sailing or youth-support network.
Show evidence
“To recruit and train volunteers to support inclusive and youth-friendly sailing.”
Source:Organisation“Makes Grants To Individuals, Makes Grants To Organisations, Provides Human Resources, Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space, Provides Services, Acts As An Umbrella Or Resource Body.”
Source:Charity Commission
Inclusion and cohesion are explicit strategic aims
The organisation appears to see access to sailing as a route to reducing exclusion and strengthening relationships across a community, rather than only widening participation in a sport.
Why it matters
This creates a potentially distinctive role: a specialised activity provider seeking wider social outcomes. It would be worth exploring which communities are currently reached and whether the cohesion aim is reflected in partnerships or programme design.
Show evidence
“To increase access to sailing by giving opportunities to young people to try the sport and to progress through instruction.”
Source:Organisation“To use sailing to promote community cohesion.”
Source:Organisation
- Which young people and communities are reached, and whether those at risk of exclusion are a substantial proportion of participants.
- Whether grants, facilities and umbrella support are central activities or limited ancillary functions.
- Which local organisations, schools or youth services Enterprise Sailing works with.
Remaining uncertainties
- Programme data showing participant demographics, progression, outcomes and barriers to access.
- Information on grant recipients, volunteer numbers, facilities and delivery partnerships.
- Annual reports or evaluations describing how confidence, inclusion and community cohesion are evidenced.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
To increase access to sailing by giving opportunities to young people to try the sport and to progress through instruction. To use sailing to develop life skills, confidence and character among young people, especially those at risk of exclusion. To use sailing to promote community cohesion. To recruit and train volunteers to support inclusive and youth-friendly sailing.
Charity objects
THE FOLLOWING OBJECTS SHALL BE UNDERTAKEN FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT:- 4.1 TO ADVANCE YOUNG PEOPLE IN LIFE THROUGH LEISURE TIME ACTIVITIES SO AS TO DEVELOP THEIR PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL CAPACITIES SO AS TO DEVELOP THEIR CAPABILITIES SO THAT THEY MAY GROW TO FULL MATURING AS INDIVIDUALS AND MEMBERS OF SOCIETY; AND 4.2 TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC BY THE PROVISION OF TRAINING IN SEAMANSHIP, NAVIGATION, GEOGRAPHY, OCEANOGRAPHY, MARITIME LAW AND IN PARTICULAR BY THE PROVISION OF ACTIVITIES, COURSES AND PROGRAMMES DESIGNED TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO USE THE SEA AND INLAND WATERS FOR SAIL TRAINING.