Our Impact

RYA Scotland supports wide ranging impact across the Scottish sailing and boating community, guided by the priorities and messages outlined in our strategy People, Places and Communities.

Since 2022, we have been guided by the community-focused principles of People Places and Communities as our strategy. We now look forward to implementing a refreshed iteration of People, Places and Communities for 2025 onward, building on the success of the current version.

We invite you to explore our refreshed edition, which we are making available for the Scottish boating community to read and consider prior to us adopting it as of April 2025

You can read our latest iteration of People, Places and Communities as a flipbook on Issu, or download it as a PDF.

Speaking on the refreshed iteration of People, Places and Communities, RYA Scotland CEO Finlo Cottier commented:

“I am really excited by this update of our strategic plan.

“The refreshed strategy draws on the interactions and conversations we've enjoyed with the Scottish boating community over the last few years when communities have been readjusting to significant societal change. I feel the strategy is fresher and with clearer intentions, which will help us prioritise our actions in the future.

“Some might say that a strategy is 'just words' but, I would point to our Impact Reports which describe the positive impact that our previous strategy has had.

“I am very eager that People, Places and Communities is not just a document full of dry ideas, but it becomes a way of thinking and working which gives most benefit to those who want to enjoy being on the water.”

We look forward to formally adopting this refreshed iteration of People, Places and Communities next spring.

A bit of background

When we first introduced the concept of People, Places and Communities in 2022, it 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.

You can view our 2022-2025 iteration of People, Places and Communities as a PDF online now.

To reflect on the impact we make, with reference to our strategic priorities, we publish a yearly Impact Report which highlights just some of our influence and endeavours.

We are pleased to share our most recent 2023-24 Impact Report, reflecting on a second year guided by People, Places and Communities:

Read the full Impact Report Year 2 - 2023-24 People Places and Communities

Download the Impact Report Year 2 as a PDF.

And for more on what we’ve been up to, you can check out our 2022-23 Impact Report:

Read the full Impact Report Year 1- 2022-23 People Places and Communities

Download the Impact Report Year 1 as a PDF.

Want to get in touch regarding our strategy? You can send an email to communications@ryascotland.org.uk