Hr. Ms. Sittard [dutch]

The Dutch Sea Cadet Corps is an organization involved in getting boys and girls, aging 11 through 18, familiar with the dutch merchant shipping and navy. To do this, the seacadets meet every saturday on their unit's own ship. In our case, a former Naval Minesweeper built in 1956. The organization maintains close contacts with the Nautical world, as well the Royal Dutch Navy, Merchant Shipping, Shipping yards, etc. Our Cadets learn the work aboard a ship under expert guidance, how to work in a team, and after a while they will be familiar with all sorts of nautical terms and they will have developed skills in the fields of their own interests, e.g. the Engine Room, on the Bridge, on Deck, in the Radio Operating Room, or in the Galley. Whenever we can, the "Sittard" casts off, offering our cadets the chance to learn everything in practice, which is fun of course, ut also a lot of hard work. One condition for safety aboard is to feel yourself responsible, and a good sense of responsability is grown in the seacadetcorps. In a four year period the cadet is learning a lot of ships knowledge, which may show very valuable if they are going to study on a Nautical College or work in a 'Nautical job ashore, later in there life. Many went on ahead and chose a carreer on sea.