RYA Scotland Impact Report 2022-23

RYA Scotland Onboard at Lochcarron in 2022 © RYA Scotland

RYA Scotland's impact across sailing, windsurfing, powerboating and the wider boating community in Scotland is varied. The principles are set out in a strategy based around the People, Places and Communities we support, and we are pleased to share a report on some of the differences we have made over the first year within our Impact Report.

People Places and Communities is our strategic plan for the three years from 2022 to 2025, and represented a substantial re-imagining of RYA Scotland, introducing an entirely new regional and local approach to how we support and develop the breadth of boating across Scotland today.

Brian Wilson, Chair, RYA Scotland:

"Our strategy iterates our intention to radically change the understanding of the positive impact boating has on Scotland's people, places and communities -including health and wellbeing, personal achievement, training and learning, employment, community spirit, environmental awareness and other wider societal benefits. And of course, the pure thrill of it.

"The strategy aims to reframe and target our work and activities closer to where boating happens, through a regional planning approach that facilitates engagement, support and training as close as possible to the point of need. To solidify this approach, we set out to grow our regional planning functions for the East, West and North and Islands regions.

"We set out to measure our progress not just in numbers and reaching narrow targets, but the difference we make to the lives of people, the places and communities - as told by their own stories. We would demonstrate meaningful impact across our activities through the narrative beside the numbers.

"Now, just over 12 months on, this report explores and celebrates progress in our first year of working to this fresh and re-imagined strategy. In keeping with our undertaking to make greater use of the narrative beside the numbers to demonstrate meaningful impact, we showcase inspiring people, places and communities around Scotland.

"Finally, it must be stressed that this is only year one - we have only just begun to reframe our work to this strategy, and much remains to be done. Yet we are confident we are on the right track, as the voices and stories in this report demonstrate."

Finlo Cottier, CEO, RYA Scotland:

"The support that RYA Scotland is providing to many clubs and organisations so they can develop wider relevance and engagement within their community was a key part of my motivation to take on the CEO role.

"But how do we measure impact - the difference we can all make? Quantitative metrics only give a fraction of the story and are very one-dimensional. Numbers don't tell us about the human impacts, the quality of experiences or the long-term benefits to individuals and communities. Numbers can sometimes just be a snapshot in time and don't describe the journey that our sport is going on - including the highs and the lows. This impact report is full of real stories from real people in real clubs who are changing the way that sailing and boating can support communities.

"The RYA is also on a journey and it is one of making our sport more appealing to more people. A refreshed RYA strategy sets out to positively impact peoples' lives by supporting them to enjoy the benefits of being on the water. Central to all of this is making sailing inclusive and bringing new people into our sport. Imagery has a role to play here, and so we also welcome a new visual identity for the RYA which we hope will resonate with many more people within our communities as it rolls out over the coming year.

"Impact is everywhere. I am looking forward to seeing the growing influence that our members and affiliates have on people, places and communities.

• Read the full Impact Report Year 1- 2022-23 People Places and Communities
• Download the Impact Report Year 1 as a PDF