Celebrating Six Weeks of Excitement: The Largs OnBoard Adventure
In the aftermath of the global pandemic, the importance of outdoor learning for young people has become increasingly evident. This is exemplified by the RYA's OnBoard programme at the Largs Sail Training Association (LSTA), which celebrated its 20th year in 2025.
The OnBoard programme, a grassroots sailing and windsurfing initiative for children, focuses on building character and life skills. Over a six-week period from May to June 2023, 12 young participants embarked on a journey of learning, not just how to handle a boat and read the wind, but also how to persist through difficulty, make independent decisions, and grow in confidence.
The programme, a collaborative effort between LSTA, Ayrshire Outdoor Partnership, Active Schools North Ayrshire, and RYA Scotland, aimed to provide children with the opportunity to try watersports in a safe, fun, and structured environment. Participants made new friends, learned water safety skills, explored wind and weather science, and earned RYA sailing qualifications.
Instructor Eva Farnell noted an increase in the participants' confidence and improvement in their problem-solving skills. Senior Instructor Yuan Wong agreed with Eva's assessment, praising the programme's impact on the young people. The participants themselves expressed a desire to continue with the cadet club and learn more skills.
The benefits of outdoor learning for young people, especially in post-COVID times, are substantial. Outdoor learning allows young people to unplug from screens and digital pressures, replacing passive social media use with active engagement in nature and real human connections. This contributes to alleviating anxiety and depression, which have been exacerbated by the social isolation of the pandemic.
Engaging with challenging outdoor activities helps youth develop resilience that is hard to replicate in indoor settings. The intense nature of outdoor experiences builds emotional fortitude and self-confidence that persist well beyond the activity itself. This is crucial in supporting young people’s mental health recovery after COVID-19 lockdowns.
Outdoor programs foster empathy, teamwork, and a sense of purpose by encouraging participants to contribute meaningfully to their communities. Many young people continue community involvement after program completion, underpinning a longer-term connection to societal wellbeing and leadership development.
Nature exposure supports physical health and cognitive capacities such as concentration, creativity, and problem-solving. Outdoor environments stimulate sensory and brain development in ways indoor classrooms cannot, benefiting childhood development holistically.
Programmes like the Outdoor Youth Corps illustrate how outdoor learning can inspire career pathways in environmental and green sectors. Participants gain professional skills, self-advocacy, and confidence that support future work and life success.
The OnBoard programme at LSTA embodies these benefits by providing young people with hands-on sailing experiences in an outdoor environment that promote emotional health, resilience, and community connectedness. Such immersive outdoor learning not only aids post-pandemic recovery but also nurtures lifelong wellbeing and skills.
The success of the OnBoard programme at LSTA is a testament to the power of outdoor learning for young people. Clubs, schools, or organizations interested in embarking on a similar journey can reach out to their RYA Scotland Regional Development Officer for support, to become an OnBoard centre, access funding, and be part of the growing OnBoard legacy.
[1] White, P., & Stoecklin, S. (2020). The Impact of COVID-19 on Young People's Mental Health: A Systematic Review. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 14(1), 1-14. [2] Outdoor Youth Corps. (2021). Impact Report. Retrieved from https://outdooryouthcorps.org/impact-report/ [3] Louv, R. (2008). Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder. Algonquin Books. [4] Welles, N. W., & Evans, G. W. (2019). The Impact of Green Space on Cognitive Function and Academic Achievement: A Systematic Review. Environmental Health, 18(1), 1-19.
The OnBoard programme, a collaborative effort between various organizations, not only teaches young participants windsurfing and sailing skills but also nurtures life skills such as persistence, problem-solving, and confidence. This immersive outdoor learning experience, embodying the benefits of education-and-self-development and sports, aims to support post-pandemic mental health recovery and foster lifelong wellbeing.
By participating in programs like the OnBoard programme, young people can develop resilience, empathy, teamwork, and a sense of purpose, which not only benefits their post-pandemic recovery but also contributes to future career pathways in the environmental and green sectors.
