By Grace | Member of the 2023-2026 Young Persons Sport Panel
This past weekend (10th – 11th February) was the first residential for the 2023-2026 YPSP (Young Persons Sport Panel) cohort. In this day and age, with so many online meetings, it was also one of the first times many of us had met in-person.
The first thing we did when we all arrived to Inverclyde was a SAMH workshop with Kirsty and Robert. This got a lot of interesting conversations going; our panel is really good at being open and honest, which is such a valuable skill for us all to have.
The peer mentors then ran their icebreaker – based off the TV gameshow, The Cube. This was our first real chance to mingle and have a laugh with our fellow panel members. Thankfully there were no arguments over the ridiculously hard tasks, though we did all enjoy with SDS staff struggling more than us! Later on, the peer mentors also talked to us about their experiences of being on the previous panels. I found this really beneficial, and it made me excited for the next 2 years. We heard all about the opportunities we will be given, and the changes we can make to our communities.
We then went around in groups and reviewed Inverclyde National Sports Centre for Euan’s Guide. Whilst we had our evaluating hats on, it was also good to get moving and get a sense of where we will be staying. Most of us had a very positive first impression of Inverclyde. From welcoming staff to smooth floors and lift access (great for wheelchair users) and floor to ceiling windows creating a spacious atmosphere, with lovely views to the surrounding Largs nature, Inverclyde earned a full five stars from us!
From there we had a wee break to play Boccia. Being the most inclusive sport, this was the perfect choice for the YPSP.
It was then time to venture out to the beach and (more importantly) Tony Macaroni’s and ice cream at Nardini’s. A residential tradition for SDS, this provided yet another opportunity to chat to some new friends and to refuel after our busy day.
Then came this most exciting activity – trampolining! If asked, majority would say this was be the highlight of the residential! There was lots of jumping, leaping and relaxing. Also a lot of falling over and flailing about in foam pits; not the best for our athletes with competition season coming up!
After some rest and recuperation in our rooms for the night, it was time for day two. After catching up over breakfast, we split into our sub-groups and brainstormed some ideas for 2024. I am really excited about our upcoming plans and seeing just how far we can go.
After a short break, William and Emma delivered some social media and content training. With social media being such a big deal these days, it was great to learn about this useful tool. It was especially helpful to learn about how you can make social media more accessible through alt (alternative) text and other practices.
We finished off the day with some First Aid training from Kevin. We covered CPR, defibrillators, recovery position, bandaging wounds and epi pens. Everybody got stuck in and enjoyed themselves. What great skills these are for us to take into the future, especially in a sporting environment.