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Mental Health Awareness Week: A Call to Action for Superyacht CrewsMental Health Awareness Week:

Mental Health Awareness Week is a vital moment to evaluate our mental well-being and extend this empathy to our colleagues. For yacht crew members, our unique lifestyle can substantially influence our mental state. As such, integrating comprehensive background checks via CrewPass can be instrumental in fostering a healthy environment on board.

According to recent data from Yacht Crew Help, 63% of crew members have encountered episodes of work-related stress, 82% have dealt with low morale, and a staggering number of crew members (57% of women and 39% of men) have experienced social isolation or loneliness while on board. 

The link to this research is available here: https://www.yachtcrewhelp.org/our-research

(Accessed: May 5, 2023).

The rigours of yachting can make mental health considerations a secondary concern, yet they are integral to our overall well-being and performance. We endure long hours away from our loved ones, often leading to feelings of isolation and loneliness, adversely affecting our mental health.

Our profession demands the best service for our guests under high-pressure circumstances, which can trigger stress, anxiety, and burnout. The unpredictable nature of yachting can further compound these issues, as can the unique dynamics of living in close quarters with fellow crew members.

Mental health should never be an afterthought—it directly impacts crew well-being and the quality of service delivered to guests. As such, implementing a system like CrewPass to conduct thorough criminal background checks can contribute to a safer, more secure environment, which in turn can alleviate some of these mental health concerns.

To promote mental health awareness and ensure self-care, consider the following strategies:

Foster Open Communication:

Create an environment where mental health conversations are encouraged. Normalising the sentiment that it’s okay not to be okay and seeking help is a sign of strength. 

Prioritise Self-Care:

Allocate at least 20 minutes daily to focus on your well-being. This could involve exercise, meditation, or simply relaxing and recharging.

Nurture Relationships:

Establish robust connections with your crewmates. Develop a support system on board, frequently check in with each other, and offer and accept assistance when necessary.

Seek Professional Assistance :

If you or a crew member are struggling with mental health issues, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. Organisations like Yacht Crew Help provide 24-hour support for those in need. 

Take Regular Breaks:

Given the high-stress nature of yachting, taking breaks and prioritising relaxation is essential. Utilise your time off to explore and engage in activities that bring you joy.

Incorporating these strategies and using services like CrewPass for comprehensive background checks can foster a more supportive and mentally healthy work environment onboard. In doing so, we create a safer, more secure space for all crew members, allowing us to deliver the highest quality of service to our guests.

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VIP Yacht Crew now integrated with CrewPass

VIP Yacht Crew are now the latest company to integrate our services onto their platform. This one, however, is a very unique one indeed…

This new integration will combine both our resources to provide a talent pool that is background checked and assessed psychologically.

Understanding The Candidate.

VIP Yacht Crew’s approach to hiring practices is very endearing. They are dedicated to finding the perfect yacht crew for their clients, and their methods do speak for themselves. With a focus on providing crew that works well in a harmonious environment, they have created a bespoke process to understand how a candidate operates as a human being. Now, a very basic process like this is used in job interviews across many different industries.

But not like this.

VIP Yacht Crew was founded by Karine Rayson and Giovanni Napoli, both experienced seafarers with a deep understanding of the yachting industry and its practices. What sets them apart from normal recruitment founders are the other feathers that they have in their sailor caps. Karine is an accredited profile assessor, thanks to her background in counselling – psychology and organisational psychology. Giovanni is a mental health advocate and the founder of the Happy Crew App. This pairing forms the ingredients for the hiring formula the VIP Yacht Crew uses to find the best candidates. Through a mixture of interviews and relationship development between recruiter and talent, this interesting exercise of understanding human behaviour allows VIP Yacht Crew to handpick the best crew that comes their way when it comes to vessels looking to fill the ship’s ranks.

Increased crew retention and their interpersonal dynamics are top of the menu here, and we at CrewPass are ready to help to ensure that the recruitment process is smooth sailing for the end-user, from the application process to boarding the yacht.

CrewPass' Role in this Process

Background checks and profiling are two sides of the same coin. The methods that VIP Yacht Crew use to find talent are very good at spotting behaviours that would cause great concern for the rest of the crew. But being extra careful with candidates is always the best way to go, especially when some bad actors slip through the cracks, who not only are a negative presence onboard but could also potentially create a serious security risk. Because of this, CrewPass will provide extra support to VIP Yacht Crew in their vetting process by integrating our own bespoke background-checking service to help facilitate the shortlisting process. By getting CrewPass Approved on VIP Yacht Crew, it shows them that the candidate has passed all the criminal and background checks, allowing the VIP team to focus on developing further their vetting process to operate with the knowledge that the candidate is legitimate in their credentials.

"Well-being of the crew is something very important to me"

The well-being of crew is very paramount in the eyes of both VIP Yacht Crew and CrewPass, and Conrad is ready to see what the future hold for this partnership.

“Being former crew myself, the well-being of crew is something very important to me,” he explained, “I have first-hand experience in what it is like when the dynamic is off amongst the crew, and I have seen people leave yachting behind them due to the bad experiences that they have had. Yachting should be a positive experience for everyone. Myself and the rest of the CrewPass team advocate for mental health and well-being in the yachting industry and we fully support the methods that VIP Yacht Crew use to support these issues.”

“Whilst I have absolutely no doubt that VIP Yacht Crew will identify candidates that are not fit for the role, our background checking services would most certainly help streamline this process, as a background check would provide a good baseline for the shortlisting process as not being truthful about your credentials is not only a good indicator about what kind of individual the candidate is but will also ensure the safety of everybody onboard by eliminating the possibility of criminal behaviour.”

What VIP Yacht Crew do is truly fascinating. As demand continues to grow for more rigid background checks in the yachting industry, it’s incredible to get into a partnership with an agency with such a unique way in how they operate. This writer would certainly love an opportunity to pick the brains of the founders in the future about their methods, and all of us at CrewPass cannot wait to see what the future will bring as the partnership further develops.

Sign up for VIP Yacht Crew by filling out the form here.

If you haven’t yet, get CrewPass Approved today by clicking here.

The Hidden Dangers of the Yachting Industry: Why Comprehensive Background Checks Are Essential

The yachting industry is built on trust, professionalism, and the ability to work seamlessly as a team. Unfortunately, not everyone comes onboard with the best intentions, and it can be challenging to identify the risks some crew members might pose to others. A recent experience I had while giving a talk on the benefits of CrewPass highlighted the urgent need for comprehensive background checks in the yachting industry.

A Chilling Question

During one of my regular talks with yacht crew members about CrewPass, I was confronted with a disturbing question: would a serious crime show up on their CrewPass report? This individual had multiple offenses on their record, posing a genuine risk to their potential crew-mates, yacht owners, and families. As a result, we declined their application.

The Hidden Threat

Unfortunately, this person has now entered the industry and will work on a yacht that doesn’t conduct our checks, putting everyone onboard at genuine risk. This situation has made me wonder about the number of people with criminal histories hiding within this industry. If someone with such serious crimes had the confidence to ask me this question, there are undoubtedly many others who wouldn’t.

The Solution: Comprehensive Background Checks

This experience underscores the importance of including simple yet thorough background checks in your recruitment process. Relying solely on the references provided by crew members themselves or recruitment companies is insufficient – these references are often handpicked by the crew members, showcasing only their most favourable experiences. Moreover, recruitment companies often focus on work experience and recommendations without delving into criminal backgrounds. A comprehensive criminal background check and qualification validation are necessary to ensure the safety and professionalism of your yacht crew.

At CrewPass, we’re committed to making these checks accessible for every yacht, streamlining the process and providing yacht owners, families, and fellow crew members with peace of mind. In light of this eye-opening encounter, we’ve introduced a crucial new feature that allows yachts to access quick and easy checks without the need to create a CrewPass account.

The safety and security of everyone onboard a yacht should always be the top priority. By incorporating comprehensive background checks and qualification validation into your recruitment process, you’ll be taking a significant step toward creating a safe and trustworthy environment for all. Don’t let someone with a hidden criminal past put your crew at risk. Prioritize safety, and sail with confidence.