The Professional Yachting Association (PYA) is seeking experienced senior captains and crew to support its Member Assistance Service (MAS). The MAS includes seasoned yachting professionals who provide guidance and independent advice to crew.
Demand for the service continues to grow. Since 2020, the PYA has assisted 1,248 individuals, including 65 in the past four months alone. In fact, the MAS team has helped recover €134,000 in unpaid salaries for 10 crewmembers.
However, they need more help and are looking for experienced senior yachting professionals to volunteer. MAS advises crew on contract disputes, unpaid wages, workplace welfare concerns such as bullying and harassment, and career-related issues ranging from job scams to dismissals.
The PYA is seeking volunteers with a strong understanding of maritime custom and law, contract law, the Maritime Labour Convention, and onboard chain of command.
The organization is particularly interested in hearing from retired or semi-retired masters, chief officers and pursers, as well as those in shore-based roles with time to contribute.
For these reasons, they are attempting to reach masters, chief officers, or pursers who are in or nearing retirement, or who hold a position ashore with time to spare, to assist. The PYA stressed that they are seeking empathetic people who can communicate well in writing.
“They should have an instinctive awareness of the responsibility they would be taking on,” said PYA CEO Christophe Bourillon. “Sometimes our cases are very straightforward, and the answers are simple. But sometimes the individuals requesting assistance are genuinely upset or worried about the situation in which they find themselves and our advice needs to be well thought through and nuanced.”
Bourillon said discretion and confidentiality are essential to the role.
The PYA emphasized that MAS assists crew regardless of membership status. Experienced professionals interested in volunteering can contact Bourillon at ceo@pya.org.
