Called SailSmart, it is targeted at educating children between the ages of seven and 12 on the environment, the sea, the weather, and various aspects of the sport of sailing.

The four-day programme of interactive and hands-on activities took two years to develop. Time also went into purchasing the equipment required and acquiring of new facilities and staff to run it. The programme activities will be conducted in the SailSmart Centre, located in the National Sailing Centre, which will be launched with the programme.

President of the SSF, Mr Low Teo Ping commented, 'Singapore Sailing Federation has taken on the SailSmart project with a business-minded approach. We have focused on combining considerations in four distinct aspects, Entrepreneurship, Enterprise, Education and Sports. As a National Sports Association, we are constantly trying to evolve and this programme is a way in which we are trying to develop a business that will be mutually beneficial to the Federation, the sailing community and the participants.'

The SailSmart programme sets an example of how it is possible to bring an element of business into sports in a way that will benefit all parties.

The SSF took the initiative to invest in the research and development of this comprehensive package which can also be operated by external parties and activated outside of the National Sailing Centre.

This will in turn help to develop and grow the sport of sailing in Singapore and children who may not have the opportunity to get into the sport will be able to get a taste of the sport through the programme and learn about the environment around them.

This is also an avenue for the sailing fraternity to have a revenue sustaining system which will in turn help to improve the facilities and training programmes for all sailors and to then raise the level of the sport of sailing here in Singapore.

With the launch of the SailSmart programme, there are jobs created with openings for instructors and administrators to facilitate the running of the programme.

SSF has recruited fresh graduates who are then trained to be instructors for the SailSmart programme. These instructors will then run the programme with the participants and ensure that they are under supervision at all times. The SailSmart instructors are all trained in administering first aid and/or first responders trained. The instructor to participant ratio is low, with one instructor to a maximum of five participants.

Also, the SailSmart programme can be operated at other clubs in Singapore who will be able generate revenue from running the programme in their own premises. SSF is also looking to market the programme internationally.