News

Posted: 18 September 2025

Written by Kate and Naomi of the YPP.

For the first time in history, Scottish Rowing has introduced a Young People’s Panel (YPP) to bring younger voices to the heart of what we do. In early September, the panel, composed of 10 individuals from 4 different clubs across Scotland, got together to brainstorm ideas and get to know each other at the sportscotland National Training Centre Inverclyde, Largs.

Image: Scottish Rowing. YPP group photo at Inverclyde standing under the words  "Sport has the power to change the world."

This is an amazing opportunity for the future of our sport to not only be shaped by the Board of Scottish Rowing, but also a generation of young voices coming together on the Young People’s Panel. From the outset, the panel members proved a genuine passion for shaping the future of Scottish Rowing, not just for themselves but for their wider club and junior community. Their commitment to making the sport more inclusive, engaging, and accessible was clear in all of our young people.

On Saturday morning, we had a special visit from Scottish Rowing Chief Executive Officer, Lee Boucher, who gave an insightful presentation about the future for Scottish Rowing, inspiring lots of new initiatives from the young people.

After an interesting morning, we then did some team building with some orienteering and an intense game of rounders! The energy and enthusiasm throughout the weekend from everyone involved was amazing, and it was remarkable to see how quickly the Young People’s Panel got to know each other and began working collaboratively. Highlight of the weekend for everyone was definitely the trip into Largs for Nardini’s ice cream and watching the Fire Walk at the Largs Viking Festival.

Image: Scottish Rowing. YPP group photo up the hill behind the centre overlooking the Firth of Clyde.

On Sunday morning, our YPP split up into three groups, each focusing on a different area for improvement: Inclusion, Events, and Communications. The smaller focus groups allowed for deeper discussion and more targeted brainstorming, helping the YPP interlink their ideas from the strategic consultation with Lee the day before.

• The Inclusion Team focuses on making sure everyone has equal access to rowing and providing people with adequate support to help them succeed and enjoy the sport. A key part of this is breaking down barriers to entering the sport and ensuring rowing is welcoming and accessible to all. This team works on projects to promote diversity in the sport and raise awareness of the challenges faced by young people from different backgrounds.
• The Events Team concentrates on creating fun, inclusive opportunities to introduce people to rowing and build community spirit. This team designs events to attract newcomers to the sport and strengthen connections between clubs and athletes. Their goal is to give the largest amount of people possible the opportunity to try rowing. The ideas ranged from new event formats to forming better bonds between junior athletes from different clubs.
• The Communications Team works with both the other teams to promote their projects and make the Scottish Rowing community aware of them, to ensure a maximum amount of support. They also help improve how Scottish Rowing engages with young audiences, amplifying the voices of young people in Scotland. Inclusivity awareness was a key theme, ensuring every young person feels welcome and valued in our sport.

Each group was tasked with coming up with a variety of ideas which would help improve the future of the sport in each respective category. With each group producing great ideas, we cannot wait for the Scottish rowing community to see all their amazing work. The final presentation session gave each group a chance to share their vision and proposed initiatives with the rest of the YPP. The quality of thought, creativity, and strategic thinking shown was amazing—everyone left Largs feeling optimistic and excited about the future of YPP.

The groups worked seamlessly alongside members of the Scottish Rowing staff and representatives from our Board of Directors; Cara O'Donnell, Fiona Rennie, and Mark Senter. It was amazing to see such mutual respect and collaboration, with the young panellists bringing fresh perspectives and the staff and board offering guidance and support.

We were also lucky enough to meet Lora Burgess, a representative from Children First's Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport unit who have great insight on Safety in Sport. This further helped our panel discuss initiatives that would be beneficial for all children and young people across Scottish Rowing.

Image: Scottish Rowing. Back of the YPP branded purple hoodie that says Young People's Panel.

With such a passionate group of young people at the centre of this panel, it has unbelievable potential to open the doors for a more inclusive, engaging and community-focused sport. The work being done in each subgroup shows just how much energy and creativity this panel brings and how committed they are to making rowing a sport that truly welcomes everyone.

At Scottish Rowing, we are incredibly proud to have launched this panel and to be actively listening to the voices of our younger members. Their input is not only valuable but essential for moving forward. The Young People’s Panel has already begun to shape the future of Scottish Rowing, and we are thrilled to continue supporting their journey as they help us build a more vibrant, inclusive, and forward-thinking rowing community across Scotland.

Learn more about the YPP here

If you are a young person and have any ideas you would like to pass on or any issue's you think our YPP can help with please reach out to us at YPP@scottish-rowing.org.uk