Building a sense of community at sea is a major part of the mental health challenge.<\/p>\n
A community is dependent on the quality of relationships and most have common interests and perspectives. There can be few interests more common than being on a ship together, so what are the answers to ensure that seafarers see themselves as a team who act jointly to make life better?<\/p>\n
Try to find a time and place for people to be able to regularly drop by. If others know that someone is likely to be in the lounge, saloon, tv room, or wherever, then others will go visit.<\/p>\n
So, try and make it a social hub, even if it\u2019s only for half an hour a day.<\/p>\n
Connect online to connect offline.<\/p>\n
It may seem counterintuitive, but people are shy and are increasingly used to connecting online.<\/p>\n
So, let them. Even if it is within a small shipboard community, if we can have a social intranet onboard, then people could be encouraged to interact, which will likely mean positives for the group, not just virtually.<\/p>\n
There is one old staple of shipboard life that has been sustained, and that is often the dear old BBQ.<\/p>\n
It works and is a great focal point to try and get people together.<\/p>\n
If you haven\u2019t had one for a while, pick the best day and get started. People love bonding over burnt meat \u2013 fact.<\/p>\n
Make time for movies, make it something to look forward to.<\/p>\n
Move them around so that different watchkeepers can take advantage.<\/p>\n
Encourage people to talk about the films, and use them to bring people together.<\/p>\n
Games are great to bring people together.<\/p>\n
So, get some onboard, and use these as an opportunity to even have competitions and championships.<\/p>\n
Where seafarers are tending to simply play Xbox or PlayStation alone, perhaps try and see what games are being played and post winning scores on a notice board\u2026Gran Turismo lap times and the like, so that people can begin to compete.<\/p>\n
Perhaps also explore ways of connecting machines onboard through a local area network.<\/p>\n
So, people can game together, even from their cabins and without the need for being online.<\/p>\n
This is another long standing shipboard favourite.<\/p>\n
Though it can be difficult finding the songs choices which appeal to all across ages and cultural divides.<\/p>\n
Perhaps some kind of Eurovision song contest can be introduced, with different nations putting their chosen songs through?<\/p>\n
There must be some added elements which can make karaoke welcoming for all.<\/p>\n
Sports<\/h4>\n
Increasingly ships do have good gym equipment, and that is great. However, often seafarers feel it hard to be motivated to use it or to find the time.<\/p>\n
Having sports competitions, exercise regimes, and ideas to get people exercising can be a boost to the community. A sense of competition can get people wanting to be involved, and competition can be expanded to include fleets or even other companies.<\/p>\n
It may sound ridiculous in our modern computer age but having a real noticeboard onboard can be hugely beneficial. Not just one which is full of safety information, but a social one.<\/p>\n
Explaining what is happening on the ship and encouraging sharing and involvement. Pin up good news, and things to get people talking.<\/p>\n
Whether this is to do with professional skills or ones outside of shipboard roles.<\/p>\n
It can be amazing to go to sea and learn a new skill.<\/p>\n
Someone might want to learn to weld or some form of woodworking.<\/p>\n
Others may want to learn navigation or how to service outboard engines.<\/p>\n
Onboard each ship are real experts in so many fields, if we can bring those who would like to learn together with those who can teach, that will help the sense of camaraderie.<\/p>\n
Skills for life, not just the ship.<\/p>\n
Encouraging seafarers to talk and share their tales and experiences is handy.<\/p>\n
We often think about turning to Google for information, but if it was where to get a bus from a terminal to the Mission, or where to get bargains in a particular port, even the internet may be lacking.<\/p>\n
Encouraging seafarers to develop \u201cGuides to Ports\u201d and assisting each other with getting ashore, can be a real community-building exercises.<\/p>\n
Company magazines \u2013 All too often company in-house magazines are either focused too much on safety or dry subjects such as work issues or feature the wonderful goings on in the office ashore. They are not very good at capturing the good things which might be going on, onboard. So, editorial teams should be encouraged to interact with crews and make sure their stories are told.<\/p>\n
If seafarers have found something that works, and which improves the sense of community onboard, then they should be encouraged to share it with the company, or even with other seafarers. The issue of community and the benefits it brings to mental well-being cannot be ignored, but shipping needs to know what it should be doing and what is likely to make a difference onboard.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Building a sense of community at sea is a major part of the mental health challenge. A community is dependent on the quality of relationships and most have common interests and perspectives. There can be few interests more common than being on a ship together, so what are the answers to ensure that seafarers see […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1663,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1662","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-articles"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n