Gourock Sailor Commended For Transforming Youth Programme
by RYA Scotland 27 Jan 2024 13:11 PST
Graeme Galbraith with his RYA Scotland Impact Award © RYA Scotland
Inspirational individuals, tireless team players, and valued volunteers - these are the people that make boating happen here in Scotland.
As the governing body for sailing in all its forms, RYA Scotland is celebrating the impact these efforts make.
Launched last year, the RYA Scotland Impact Awards are designed to reward and highlight some of the hard work being put in.
And, it's Graeme Galbraith of Royal Gourock Yacht Club (RGYC) who's currently in the spotlight, as the most recent RYAS Impact Award recipient.
Nominated for his involvement in the Cadet programme at RGYC, Graeme is commended by his fellow club members for transforming club provision, and bringing needed leadership to the table.
After putting himself forward for the role of Cadet Convener back in 2019, Graeme quickly built a team of former cadets to help deliver weekly activities including water sessions, theory during winter, and coached racing - not to mention the annual Cadet Regatta.
Testament to the hard work to get things back on track, the Cadet Programme is consistently oversubscribed each year, with over 45 Cadets - more than doubling previous numbers.
Taking over the role just before Covid hit, Graeme says the return to normality wasn't easy to navigate:
"Really from early 2021 we started to look at getting the kids afloat again, which was a bit tricky considering quite a lot of people had moved away during the Covid period, getting them back was always going to be difficult.
"So, rather than the programme that's existed at Royal Gourock for probably decades now, we decided we would mix it up a wee bit with more activities on offer rather than just the sailing.
"I think certainly the kids are a more active part of the club now."
With an eye for detail, Graeme has also made sure the Executive Committee are equipped to deal with various child protection aspects of the programme, and that policies, training, and nominated individuals to lead on different matters are identified.
Eager to ensure continuity, Graeme also made time to train up other adult club members, who have now taken over the Cadet Convener position.
Commending Graeme on his hard work, Royal Gourock's Water Sport Secretary Colin MacDonald said:
"Graeme inherited a group of approximately 20 cadets, and we're now actually at our maximum, and we have been for the last two years.
"Probably the key to it was getting the senior cadets, the people who have been through the programme, getting them involved.
"Graeme was very inspirational in getting 5 or 6 young leaders involved and having them lead the Cadets."
Hailing the growth of the Cadet Programme as nothing short of transformative, Graeme has certainly put a smile on plenty faces around the club.