LITHUANIAN SEA CADET CREW

OPERATING IN THE SEA SCOUT ORGANIZATION

,,DIVYTIS”

ANNUAL REPORT 2019

OVERALL ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION AND SEA CADET CREW

Our national organization of sea scouts provides the members an opportunity to get acquainted

with sea cadet movement and, after the selection, join for additional enhanced sea cadets’ activities.

Organization, including Sea Cadet Crew, was strengthening its own abilities to upgrade and

become stronger during the period of reporting: Statute was changed during the annual meeting and was

registered, the organization achieved to be one of 12 National youth organizations, youth of organization

and community was involved in the activity, while the financial support was received.

In the beginning, the organization consisted of people, who rebuilt this movement in Lithuania in

1989. Nowadays, the organization is mostly driven by young people. Anyway, the lack of influence in

society of these people is our partial vulnerability. The chairwomen of organization is a student Evelina

Prunskienė. The Board consists of five people, also, there is a newly established executive command –

Staff. The whole structural units of organization, including the new ones as well, in total 12, have exactly

chosen a sea cadet crew educational program, even though it is only one of such units. More specifically,

Liutauras Kušlys was the one, who has mostly contributed to the maintenance of the Sea Cadet activities

in the organization.

Chairwomen of the Organisation The soul of Sea Cadets Crew Head of Sea Cadets Crew

Evelina Prunskienė Liutauras Kušlys Algimantas Malkevičius

The situation is complicated by the fact that there are no high demands for our Sea Cadet Crew to

join the Navy. It no longer has conscripts, is relatively small in size, receive comparingly modest funding,

and service positions are fully – filled. Relations with the Navy command are currently being restored and

are normal. However, no matter how much we aspire to, our Navy can barely help us in any way.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR

During the academic year, our Sea Cadet Crew works essentially in two directions: The Sea Cadet Course

program educates youth under the age of 14, and, especially in 2019, with a lot of extra emphasis, activities

for seniors above the age of 14.

The organization is aimed specifically at its junior cadets who are interested in pursuing it during their

senior school years. Thus, during the regular monthly sessions during the school year - weekend camps, the

junior students had practical training on changing topics, depending on the season: survival, tactics, hiking,

competitions, and various other training.

Reflections of our junior activities

There was a lot of work to be done with the elders in addition to the regular monthly training activities

for everyone. First of all, during the 2019 they were trained in a variety of organizational work, enabling

them to take on real challenges, real responsibilities, not only as junior instructors, but also strengthening

their organization and presenting it. The development of our organization is topical and the youth have

practically learned these activities as well. Not everyone showed up the same. But new leaders emerged.

The other direction was the direct involvement of the elders in the management, repair and maintenance

of marine inventory. When the organization was able to obtain project funds from the Department of Youth

Affairs, 1 sea boat was repaired manually by the youth. The youth also contributed a lot to the community

by repairing the existing marina: it was raised, reinforced structures, welded cracks, scrubbed and rusted,

repainted several times. It is currently undergoing repairs and is expected to be lowered by the end of

navigation. With the help of the youth, the other inventory of the organization was maintained.

Seniors of organization had the Young Scout practical course during the autumn and spring, conducted

by instructor Liutauras Kušlys. Here they can, in difficult circumstances, prove and convince themselves

of what they have learned, what they can claim from themselves when it is difficult. A separate weekend

training was conducted in 2019 to prepare for this course.

Senior participation was encouraged by the fact that members over the age of 14 are covered for travel

expenses to and from activities in 2019.

SUMMER CAMPS

The elders helped to conduct not only monthly training for the younger ones, but also a summer camp in

Rumšiškės, near the Kaunas Lagoon. This year, due to financial problems, swimming training was limited

to a summer camp in Kaunas Lagoon. Sea cadets were introduced to the cater and sailed, also having an

opportunity to try rowing and sailing other boats. This was as an introduction how to carry out rescue work

to ensure safety during navigation. The second smaller camp was held in Paaluonys. Over two summer

camps there were over 100 Sea Scouts who were introduced into Cadet Activities.

From senior activities

Organizing a March 11 hike for the community

INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE

In 2019, it was decided that we were not yet able to participate in the international exchange of Sea cadets

because we had failed to have funding and receive the uniforms promised by the marine for Sea cadets.

Maritime training of candidates is also questioned. The guests, because of the modest base which is under

construction, were also decided not to be invited. In the summer, a group of about 21 people took part in a

visit to the Finnish Scouts, the expense were being covered by a Finnish project. However, the expectations

of our young people, who are fond of maritime cadets, were not met. Therefore, in 2020, we will be more

active in preparing for and seeking to participate in ISCA international exchanges.

International exchange group in Finland

INSTRUCTORS

The organization has developed its adult experienced young executives, some of whom are or had chosen

military, including the Naval Force, proffesion, chose to be active in sailing or other maritime activities.

However, most of them may be less active nowadays as they are young parents seeking to establish

themselves in life. Support for the instructors is being requested episodically from the Lithuanian Armed

Forces, but our Navy can do nothing to help. We pay for the instructor services to the lecturers of the

Maritime School, the staff of the Maritime Museum and for the leasing of the sailing ships owned by the

University of Klaipeda, if we have the funds, as regular business clients. Therefore, it is strategically

expedient and we strive to raise the direct qualifications of our group leaders and look for social partners

who can help more. It is true that the Maritime School is again finding it more difficult to attract the required

number of students, which may be a space for closer cooperation.

Our young instructors, who are in the process of being trained in informal activities, are of great help,

and they are increasingly complementing the adult instructors. Some of them choose direct specialties

useful for sea cadets: for example, a young sailing instructor, Liutauras Grybauskas, enrolled at the

Maritime College this year, choosing the specialty of a sailor, and became head of the Marine Scout /

Marine Cadet Group.

Therefore, it is strategically expedient and we strive to improve the skills of our immediate managers,

actively seeking new leaders and useful social partners who can help us more. The Maritime School is again

finding it more difficult to attract the required number of students, which is likely to be a space for closer

cooperation.

Senior and junior instructors

EDUCATION BASE

At the moment, it is being restored only at our own expense and with the strength of the community.

Thus, 1) we repair the dock at Kaunas Lagoon, 2,3) we have a rebuilt sea six-oar/sailboat, 4) we have

sailboats and kayaks. Recently one of the organizers and one of the first former Sea Scouts, Robertas

Urbonas, donated 5) a sports sailing boat. Other inventory for activities is being rent.

OBJECTIVES

It is hoped that as we get stronger every year, we will train sea spirit for increasing number of sea cadets

and, above all, the training will get increasingly professional, by participating more actively in ISCA

activities. This will allow more of our members to choose their maritime, including military professions,

and to acquaint their lives with marine, ship, and sailing. It will also contribute to the strengthening of

Lithuania as a maritime state.

The sea starts with small streams… First on the left – Charwomen of the organization Evelina Prunskienė

Crew captain Algimantas Malkevičius

Crew captain assistant Liutauras Kušlys