This is an independent QBE Education Project
Founded by Will Sutherland and Aiglon Alumni
MISSION STATEMENT
OUR COURSES
ETHOS MATTERS
THE PROJECT
FINANCE
BUSINESS STRUCTURE
THE FOUNDATION
JOIN THE FOUNDATION
HOW TO HELP
ALUMNI
ETHOS & DNA
CONTACT
EXIT
FINANCING THE PROJECT
“If we all try we can..."
Funds to finance the project are being sort now from investors, friends, ex-students and friends of the founder and their contacts. The project can only be successful if it is fully funded.
This is a business, with investors and share holders, not a charity. It will own the assets and lease them out to our operating foundation in order to protect the investor’s interests.
Current Situation: Our immediate need is to raise funds, in the form of loans, in the next two weeks, and we are asking ex-students and all our contacts to help achieve this fund raising task.
We have identified two identical boats which are unique in that they are the only two in existence. They are ideal for our needs, being the right size for young skippers and crews to sail, and very safe and seaworthy.
The catch is that by paying the 15% deposits, we have managed to secure a short duration first option to buy from the owners because they like the concept of the QBE Education Study At Sea Project, but they have other offers and if we do not complete the purchase process in the next two weeks they will sell the boats to others who have already declared their interest to buy.
Our question is can you help financially and who else do you know who could help by providing us with the loans?
We need £170,000 that is still to be paid on one of the boats and £120,000 for the other one. I have received a lot of interest and encouragement from the Alumni who know about this project and would like their children to have the opportunity to take part in it. Hence, I am sure we will eventually break these amounts down into smaller sums so we have 18 to 20 Founder investors involved.
We have over £40,000 worth of pre-bookings for courses this summer already.
Right now we need to find the totals for each boat to secure the purchases, and then to split those loans as the funds come in from the other investors.
We will pay 7% fixed rate annual interest on any business loan investment made.
Repayments on all loan investments are guaranteed by our loan guarantor who invested in the project from the outset to bring it thus far, and has put aside $600,000 US for the purpose of loan guarantees.
If you can help in any way with the acquisition of loans, however small, or you know someone who can, please contact ws@qbeglobal.net
Questions Asked
“These are questions recently asked by Aiglon Alumni and our answers..."
YOU ASKED: It seems to me that if you really want to draw substantial financial support from the Aiglon crowd, you should have a more detailed program that demonstrates how this business will offer the experiences and values that we all took from the school.
Financial support from the Aiglon crowd is already flowing into the Foundation via the website. For a start, I have six Aiglon Alumni willing to be Patrons of the project and help me develop the Ethos of the Aiglon community within it. I have Eric Gibson’s definition of the Aiglon DNA in mind and will bring the three main elements into our courses. The first: by use of the boats for voyages of different duration to different destinations. Sea expeditions, where the students are driving the boat, doing the navigation, taking watches day and night, cooking to feed themselves, working as a team and living onboard to work the boat, sailing in all weathers, getting wet, as well as soaking up the wind and sun. It is going to be a privilege for these students to participate in the project within safe cruising grounds with such a huge mixture of important and interesting destinations. The second: by choosing the right staff/trainers/teachers and training them in the ways we want the courses delivered and the ETHOS behind our courses and the whole programme. It is important that the staff are people people, by which I mean they are able to relate to and communicate with young people. Each student will have to complete a short CV/Life story questionnaire before participating in their course in order to give the teacher the information need to start discussions and mentoring. The third: is more difficult but can be done. There will be nothing to stop us starting the day with a meditation type meeting on deck, a thought for the day, and having discussions on the mediation topics at the end of the day. I feel this is the MOST IMPORTANT part of the programme. Teaching the students how to think for themselves and “learning how to learn.” I often thought it would have been good at Aiglon if we had finished the day with a short reflection on the day’s morning meditation. I WILL HAVE TO TRAIN THE STAFF with the aid of a number of Alumni to get the results we are looking for in this exercise.
YOU ASKED: What courses will be offered?
For the Aiglon Ethos effect to be appreciated fully the students need to be immersed in the programme for the maximum amount of time possible. This is why I have structured the programme to provide study/travel terms/semesters at sea. The first type of course I refer to as Course 1 in the budget - refers to the 3 month term/semester afloat course for senior school and college students - studying whilst sailing to their chosen destinations. Planning the route and ports of call will all be part of the pre-course exercise. Ports of call must allow access to people, experts, experiences, and encounters which are relevant to their studies. This will take place in March, April, and May each year. The second 3 month term/semester afloat course, Course 2 - is the same format as Course 1 - but will take place in September, October, and November each year. N.B. We already have 4 enquiries for bookings on these courses in September 2010 and March 2011, and 15 expressions of interest. Summer Season /courses - refers to short, 1 week or 2 week courses, run in June, July, and August. I envisage using these as training courses for teachers from other schools, colleges, and universities as well as for students. Some of these courses will be shorter voyages for youngsters aimed at introducing them to our education system whilst they have a holiday afloat and learn a bit about sailing and navigation. It is intended to use these trips to motivate more students into signing up for the “Term Afloat” courses.
YOU ASKED: Who will lead them?
At the outset I will lead them and to train the staff. The requirements are demanding but we will have the right people leading.
YOU ASKED: Will you (Will) be the skipper/mentor or just the managing director?
I expect to be very hands on – this is an opportunity for me to do what I am good at. If we are going to build it into something that propagates the Aiglon Ethos we have to train teachers and franchise out the methodology.
YOU ASKED: Who else will be involved at the sharp end -- ie with the kids?
I have a number of qualified Yachtmasters in mind, some of whom have been to Aiglon, and the others think very much in the same way, who can assist, guide/mentor the teachers and skippers. There are a number of Aiglon Alumni who could mentor the staff and ensure the message gets through. For example there is Jeremy McWilliam who was a professional charter skipper on large yachts, and Amanda who has crossed oceans, and Simon Rogers who is an excellent skipper and yacht designer, to name but a few. I see young skippers in the role you had as the House Captain or Prefect, looking after and guiding the younger members of the house and running the everyday activities and systems required.
YOU ASKED: Where will the students come from?
“Get the boats Will and I will join the Foundation and send my Boys or Girls,” is the statement made by a large number of the Alumni that I have spoken to. There is definitely a market there as you suggest below. Facebook has already demonstrated we will get the word out on the internet and we have already had an astonishing response from Alumni that want to be connected and know about the project. I was closely associated with about 4,000 Aiglon Students. Although we will target the children of Alumni at the outset, the doors are open to offer courses to other schools and colleges. When the word gets out to the other Round Square Schools we will have combined projects set up and major marketing opportunities around the world. There are also opportunities to franchise the concept and set similar projects up in other parts of the world.
YOU ASKED: How does it fit into their regular academic program -- is it just a summer program or will you work with schools to provide a "semester at sea" for children enrolled in other schools?
The idea is that students will have a “semester at sea” but will continue their college/school work or projects. More and more curriculum work is project and research based. With connections to the internet, video conferencing and websites it is now possible for these students to be in daily contact with teachers, lecturers, and professors back at base in their schools, colleges, or universities.
YOU ASKED: Lots of those questions need some form of answer.
The concept for this project was first formed back in August 2009. Since then I have been researching the market and education systems to ascertain whether the project was sound and adjusting different aspects to improve the fit with the demand we were being asked to meet.
YOU ASKED: Another thing you might want to explore is offering sailing courses/programs to ex-Aiglon alumni and their children. I expect there would be a fair number of people who would enjoy getting together to sail around Ireland or wherever with old friends from Aiglon and their families.
This is another income stream that is certainly worth exploring as I have several conversations where Alumni have asked if they can come on a course/cruise with their families. This is another product for us to sell and fit into the programme.
YOU ASKED: My university alumni groups offer lots of trips around the world for groups of alumni, and these are heavily subscribed by people who want to spend time with others with whom they have something important in common. The Aiglon alumni are fewer in number but would probably be interested in a similar program.
I am sure you are right and this is another possible revenue stream.
Other ideas we have for a continuing income stream include the participants becoming Friends of the Foundation, and paying a club type subscription, to participate in the after course programme of meetings, seminars, and the occasional voyage.