Babbel and Sea-Watch create language courses for maritime rescue
Specific courses for civilian sea rescue now available in the Babbel app
Courses successfully used by Sea-Watch are available to other NGOs
Free access to Babbel for NGOs is available on request
Berlin, 25 July 2024: Babbel, the market-leading platform for online language learning, and Sea-Watch e.V., the initiative for civilian sea rescue in the Mediterranean, announce the release of a special Babbel language course on sea rescue. Created in direct collaboration with the Sea-Watch team and language experts from Babbel, the course comprises nine lessons in the target language English, focussing on communication among the multinational teams on board rescue vessels. The smoothest possible understanding of procedures on board increases the safety of both helpers and refugees, especially during rescue operations at sea. Topics covered include responsibilities within the rescue team, naming parts of the ship, and understanding maritime commands.
"Babbel has been committed to helping refugees for more than a decade. The cooperation with Sea-Watch is particularly important to us because we see how we can make a direct contribution to humanitarian rescue at sea as a language learning platform," says Arne Schepker, CEO of Babbel. "The language courses are based on the specific needs of Sea-Watch and are therefore very practical in order to provide the most effective support in an emergency. I am very proud of our team, whose initiative led to this cooperation".
The new courses are already being used by Sea-Watch and are also available to other NGOs for use in maritime rescue operations. In addition to the course content, Babbel is providing the Sea-Watch team with unlimited, free access to its language learning platform to promote general language skills beyond day-to-day rescue operations.
"Our crew come from different countries and need to communicate quickly and accurately in rescue situations. Babbel's specially developed language learning programme supports our work immensely. It helps us to quickly integrate new crew members, makes our cooperation more effective and thus increases the safety of the crew and people in distress at sea," says Joshua Krüger, CEO of Sea-Watch.
Babbel's ongoing commitment to refugees and improving their living conditions dates back to the migration movement caused by the war in Syria in 2014. In 2022, the company launched special courses for refugees from Ukraine, which are now used by more than 700,000 people. Relevant initiatives and social organisations can contact Babbel for support and free access at impact@babbel.com .
About Sea-Watch
Sea-Watch was founded at the end of 2014 by volunteers dedicated to sea rescue in order to protect the lives of people on the move. Sea-Watch is committed to ensuring that this humanitarian duty does not rest on private organisations, but that an international, institutionalised sea rescue service and legal, safe entry routes for people seeking protection are created.
Since 2015, the organisation has been made up of dedicated volunteers and full-time staff from all over Europe and is financed exclusively by donations. Sea-Watch has rescued over 45,000 people to date.
More information: https://sea-watch.org/
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About Babbel: https://www.babbel.com/press/en-us
