A “Boat of Youth” with the Change of Course project
The “Change of Course” project has started, an initiative born from the collaboration between the Fondazione Isola d’Elba, the Fondazione Exodus la Mammoletta, the Lega Navale Italiana of Portoferraio with the support of the Port Authority of Portoferraio and numerous other volunteer associations present in the area.
The Change of Course project that won the “You Are Present” call
The project that won the “Siete Presente” 2025 call promoted by CESVOT and financed by Regione Toscana-GiovaniSì in agreement with the Department for Youth Policies and Universal Civil Service with the contribution of Fondazione Livorno is aimed at young people from Elba to create opportunities for sharing, aggregation and open-air activities, discovering the island from a different point of view and bringing them closer to the professions of the sea.
In addition to the Elba Island Foundation, the Port of Marina di Campo, the Circolo della Vela of Marciana Marina, the magazine Enjoy Elba and the Tuscan Archipelago, Locman and Infoelba.it have contributed financially to its realization. Partners and supporters are the Dialogo odv Association, the Incontriamoci in diversi aps Association, Auser odv, Arca coop soc, ASD Vela Tradizionale, Elba Astrophiles Association, Portoferraio Artists’ Circle, Club del Mare asd, Elba del Vicino, Elba Officinale ets, Linc soc coop, Pro Loco di Capoliveri aps, Pro Loco Porto Azzurro, Pro Loco Portoferraio, Tip Tap One asd.
The sea, between discovery, culture and environmental respect, is at the center of the project together with the boat used for sports activities but also as a gym for experiences and inner research.
The intentions of the project Change of Course
The intention is to offer young people, both from schools and associations, the opportunity to have an experience by organizing sailing trips to observe the Island with a different perspective, with tutors and volunteers who tell about it from various aspects: environmental, scientific, historical, artistic. An opportunity to encourage intergenerational dialogue and a way to get to know their territory better, to use a different learning method, to encourage a first approach to sailing and its countless professions.
“Maria Teresa” boat made available by the Exodus Foundation
On the vessel “Maria Teresa” made available by the Exodus Foundation, the protagonists were some young people from the Association “Incontriamoci in diversi aps” accompanied by the president Renzo Mazzei and educators who were able to experience the emotion of a pleasant maritime excursion.
Probably the most emotional moment was when the skipper Francesco Busalacchi, once out of the port of the capital of Elba, unfurled the sails and turned off the engines, the sudden silence broken only by the flapping of the sails and the cries of the seagulls aroused in the participants a moment of great participation.
Thanks to the favourable weather conditions and a mistral breeze, Riccardo, Lorenzo, Simone, Aron and Elena were even able to take turns at the helm and, under the careful guidance of the skipper, personally steered the vessel.
The project will now continue, in the next few months, hosting other kids and volunteers from the partner associations, who will have the opportunity to enjoy a different panoramic point of view of our island but above all to share a collective and inclusive experience that is certainly interesting and stimulating.
For information: fondazioneisoladelba@gmail.com – cell 3396974753