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“Off the Water” gives a voice to Scottish recreational water users, bringing all aspects of boating together from the National Governing Body, RYA Scotland. In our podcast we will cover a wide range of topics that will be aimed at keeping everyone up to date and connected, while discussing the key hot topics for sailing and boating around Scotland.
Episodes
Saturday Jun 25, 2022
Saturday Jun 25, 2022
Why is lack of volunteers one of the biggest barriers to the growth of sailing clubs today? What needs to change?
In this episode of Off The Water we return to the topic of volunteers and volunteering. As we emerge from the lack of formal activities brought about by the pandemic, alongside many other aspects of social change, finding, retaining and supporting volunteers has been brought into sharp focus.
The recent launch of RYA Scotland’s Volunteer Development Framework also provides a perfect opportunity to reflect on the overall impact people who volunteer have on the boating community.
Our guest this episode include the Head of Volunteering for Marie Curie UK, Helen Keenan; Robyn Francis of Scottish Student Sailing and a volunteer as part of the Pioneer Project; and Liza Linton RYA Scotland’s Development Manager.
Bringing a depth of knowledge to the conversation around the motivations of volunteers, rewards and the massive impact they make all form part of the discussion that aims to help you, or your organisation reflect on your volunteering practices and ethos.
Here are some of the Links discussed below:
Volunteer Development Framework
Finally you can stay in touch with all the latest news from RYA Scotland via our website, http://www.rya.org.uk/scotland and of course, across our social media channels @ryascotland
Friday Apr 15, 2022
Friday Apr 15, 2022
The Off The Water podcast aims to provide some insights from people involved at all levels of recreational boating in Scotland.
In this episode Marc Turner catches up with new Regional Development officer for the West of Scotland, Laura Cowan. We discuss her experiences of RYA Sailability in her previous role with Prestwick Sailing Club, before hearing from Rory McKinna on his para sports journey in sailing so far.
Rory has enjoyed sailing a Hansa 303 at various locations around Scotland, the UK and Europe, enabled by his family, alongside volunteers from class associations, clubs and centres, that have all aided his passion and success within competitive sailing. He has taken on many responsibilities in raising funds and finding solutions along the way and is a keen advocate for getting sailing reinstated in the Para-Olympics, as part of the #SailToLA campaign.
Further links below:
Friday Jan 28, 2022
Friday Jan 28, 2022
Marc Turner met up with Lorraine Dodge and a group of visually impaired sailors at the end of a week’s sailing on the Clyde last year and thought it a great idea to share the story of their trip and the organisation.
To find out more about this charity, ran by visually impaired sailors, we caught up with Lorraine Dodge, a trustee with VISA-GB, who, alongside volunteer skipper Steve Benn and sailors Liza Marsden from Ayr and Robert Smith from Ayr, joined us in our latest podcast.
Before we recorded the podcast Lorraine briefly told us a little about the group.
“It was Visa-GB second sailing trip In Scotland. Covid 19 had delayed our return. Around 40 members of the visually impaired sailing association we’re meeting in Largs, to spend a week sailing in the area. Visa -GB is a charity and our aim is to encourage and support blind and visually impaired people to take part in sailing.”
“We offer opportunities for racing, long and short voyages cruises abroad. Our commitment to the membership is that we will encourage and support skippers and volunteers to be at the heart of the visa -gb Sailing experience. Taking part in the activities that makes the boat run smoothly. This includes, checking engines , hauling up and taking down sails, Putting fenders in and out. navigating in and out of ports, cleaning and cooking, and generally having a lot of fun, with other people . It’s all hands on deck-when you sail with us, with Visa-gb.”
The podcast hears from those involved, how they manage the voyages and why they came to Scotland to go sailing. For us it really demonstrates the diversity and inclusion that activities afloat enable and it was so great to meet Lorraine and the sailors with VISA-GB.
If you would like to find out more about membership, volunteering and more about VISA-GB, then please go to their website at https://visa-gb.org.uk/
Friday Dec 17, 2021
Friday Dec 17, 2021
Off the water is back on the airwaves as most of the team were back on the real waves over the summer. However as the longer nights set in we are excited to be able to share some of the inspiring stories from 2021.
Robyn Phillips joins Marc Turner as the host of this episode, as Robyn has probably done the most sailing this summer, from cruising, instruction, coaching and racing, both keelboats and dinghies, however she caught wind of an adventure that some of the young people at Aberdeen and Stonehaven Yacht Club (ASYC) undertook in dinghy cruising and went to find out more.
“As an instructor it’s great to see young people challenge themselves to experience new things and this story resonated with me for that reason. Personally I also have always liked a good adventure, camping and the great outdoors as well and linking this to sailing is the cherry on top for an adventure!”
This adventure was a collaboration between ASYC, Dundee SC and Perth SC; a unique Duke of Edinburgh expedition; and the chance for young people to experience the challenge of a dinghy trip up the River Tay.
Shona Coull, Sam Carroll, Daniel Clarkson, Lyall Webster and Ditta Neuman joined Robyn to look back at the expedition in conversation and what the adventure it meant to them. This success with developing junior and family membership has been a big part of what has seen Aberdeen and Stonehaven Yacht Club shortlisted for club of the year. It is clear young people matter to the club and that there are multiple pathways to allow them to participate and contribute.
Please vote in the RYA Yachts and yachting Club of the Year 2022 here.
To find out more about activities at Aberdeen and Stonehaven YC visit here.
More information can be found about the Duke of Edinburgh Award here.
Monday Jul 05, 2021
Monday Jul 05, 2021
The RYA Scotland podcast catches up with sail based charity the Ellen Macarthur Cancer Trust who have a base in Scotland. We find out a little more about how they use sailing to help rebuild the confidence of young people in recovery from cancer along with the plans for restarting activities this summer.
Since starting activities at Largs in 2013, Ellen Macarthur Cancer Trust has welcomed hundreds of young people to Largs with support from the Peoples Postcode Lottery. The impact of the trust has been immense not just for the young people, but also for the volunteer, medics and skippers.
James Hall and Scott Wilson of EMCT join Marc Turner, who has also been a skipper with the trust, to discuss what the trust does and how they have managed to build confidence in young people using the Trust trips.
To find out more about the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust visit:
https://www.ellenmacarthurcancertrust.org/