This summer (2018) Ocean Turtle Diving organised a Dive Camp for young people to attend to learn to dive over an intensive week of training. After three tough days completing their theory, exams and in the water, we gave them the option of learning about projectAWARE and they were all really enthusiastic about doing this.

I have previously run several instances of the project AWARE course but never for young people so it was a case of stepping into the unknown.

I have written my own introduction to the course that highlights the specific issues that are most relevant and relatable to the audience and during this, the whole group were really engaged and made this section of the course a really interesting discussion rather than a lecture.  

I came up with a couple of interactive tasks for them to get stuck into once the theory section had been completed and I also incorporated a short workshop devised by the Marine Conservation Society as I am a Sea Champion for them which they all really enjoyed too.

The first task that they had to do was to design and make a poster based on one of the 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean and then present back why they had chosen that particular tip and what they thought is most important about it and how you can use it to make a difference.

All of the presentations on this were absolutely brilliant and the whole group were fully engaged and passionate about the subject they had chosen. They stood up and explained their posters and choices with a lot of confidence and I think that we all learned something from each and every one of the students in the room.

The second task was again, really hands on. As September 2018 is the month when Project AWARE week will be taking place, we asked them to come up with a display for the shop floor within Ocean Turtle Diving to promote all of the activities that will be taking place. The results were awesome and I think that it will really grab the attention of everyone that comes into the Dive Centre over the coming month.

All in all it was one of the most fun and interactive project AWARE courses that I have run and I am now really looking forward to running the next course during AWARE week!