Living in Malta it is obvious that our lives centre more or less on the sea. Many love swiming or doing other water activities not just in summer but throughout the year. The potential of training Maltese youngsters in sea and naval related activities was recognised way back in the 1960s when Malta served as a naval base for the British Fleet. The training ship St Paul was commissioned on February 8, 1962, at HMS Phoenicia, Manoel Island, where the Royal Navy had a large establishment. The mission statement of the Sea Cadet Corps (SCC) is ‘To give young people the best possible head start in life through nautical adventure and fun based on the customs and traditions of the Royal Navy.’ 

Over the years the unit moved to different places in Malta including Fort St Angelo, until the current place which is the Gun Powder Magazine, Kalkara.

The TS St Paul Sea Cadets Corps Malta GC (SCC Malta) forms part UK Sea Cadet Corps (SCC) and follows on the mission of the SCC. The purpose of the SCC is to promote the development of young people in achieving their physical, intellectual and social potential as individuals and as responsible citizens by the provision of education and leisure time activities using a nautical theme. 

The Sea Cadets offers young people a structured environment in which to develop, providing access for young people to education and training in a wide range of areas which may include but not exclusively: sailing (inshore and offshore), rowing, paddle sports, power boating, seamanship, navigation, marine engineering, cooking, music, first aid, drill, piping and public services. Cadets have various opportunities to obtain a range of qualifications some of which are nationally accredited and recognised and last but not least we promote good citizenship through community involvement. 

When asked to describe their experience in the SCC OC Chanel (14yrs) said: “I have been in the Sea Cadets for more than three years. During Covid though we had virtual parade nights my experience was very positive since this allowed me to stay connected with my friends, learn new things and have fun despite the restrictions of that time. After Covid, normal parade nights resumed and I was able to engage in activities such as ropework, drill, rowing, and sailing. In 2022 I had the opportunity to attend the 2022 Cadet Conference, where I met new people from various places across the UK, which allowed me to expand my knowledge and open my eyes to many things.”

Cdt 1st Jack (13yrs) explained: “During Covid it was very boring because I had to attend to cadets via a Zoom meeting, but I fought through the pain. After Covid we were able to return to the unit and things started getting better and ever since then we made a huge comeback. We also started doing much more activities such as camps, sailing and rowing and we have attended to quite a few ceremonial parades. Recently the Captain of the Sea Cadets came to visit us, it was an amazing experience and a great pleasure to meet him! And finally some things that I have learnt during my time at the Sea Cadets are, self-discipline, confidence and integrity.”

The SCC engages young people aged 10 to 18 years from all backgrounds. It is an ideal and safe environment for youngsters to come together to socialise and build friendships while learning meaningful skills which they can carry through life. The SCC is an all-inclusive environment, and it is a very welcoming place for young people who are new to the island as well as for Maltese children. We aim to help young people achieve in education, employment and in longer-term mental and physical wellbeing and community engagement. We aim to address these challenges by giving young people ‘adventure that launches young people for life today’, with the aim of helping teenagers ‘develop into resilient, confident young people who can launch well in today’s complex and sometimes overwhelming world and thrive in it’. The Unit of the SCC is formed solely by volunteers which include uniformed and non-uniformed staff from the age of 18 years onwards. Anyone interested in volunteering is welcome to contact us too.

The SCC is an ideal and safe environment for youngsters to come together to socialise and build friendships while learning meaningful skills.

Activities offered include:

• Corps knowledge: this covers the history and the customs and traditions of the Sea Cadet Corps, the Royal Navy, the Merchant Navy, and other sea services.
• Drill: experience has shown that Drill is one of the best methods of teaching discipline and smartness within the SCC.
• Basic seamanship, recreational activities: these are an informal way of learning team building and leadership.
• First aid, basic principles of health and safety, adventure training, waterborne activities and meteorology.

The Royal Marines detechment within the SCC Malta is re-opening.

The Royal Marines detechment within the SCC Malta is re-opening. This will compliment the unit with opportunities for of adventure, trekking, and activities to build courage, determination and unselfishness. The ethos of the Royal Marines, and what sets them apart from anything else accompanies one from the scorching heat, biting cold or dense jungles. This is an elite force, and it’s one that will need one to aim higher than just rising to the challenge. And once one has found his/her physical and mental limits, they can go beyond them, pushing oneself further, and showing a type of strength one never experienced before.

The Malta G C Sea Cadets meet for parade nights every Wednesday and Friday between 6:30pm and 8:30pm throughout the year. It is growing fairly strongly thanks to the enthusiasm of Cadets, commitment of volunteers and the support of various entities including Aġenzija Żgħażagħ such as through various funding programms including the BeActive Fund and Reboot Fund. More details can be sought through www.sea-cadets.org/malta or Facebook page Malta Sea Cadets and Royal Marines Cadets.