Venture Scotland’s - Challenge Yourself, Discover Yourself Project

Venture Scotland’s Challenge Yourself, Discover Yourself project worked with 8 young adults in North Lanarkshire who needed support to improve their mental health, gain connections and make positive changes to their lives. Funded by Community Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund, the project provided young adults with weekly outdoor activity days and group sessions, as well as remote bothy trips.

The aim of the project was to introduce young adults to the outdoors, build trusting relationships, create a safe and supportive environment, and help them to learn and develop practical and emotional skills that would improve their wellbeing in the long term. Over 12 weeks, young people engaged in weekly activities such as canoeing, indoor climbs, hillwalking and abseiling, paddling and weaselling. Additionally, they participated in life skill group sessions that focused on mindfulness, good self-talk, good self-esteem, good self-awareness, and personal growth. The group visited two remote bothy residentials in the Borders and one in our Glen Etive valley bothy. 

Their remote residentials teach young adults how to create and invest in essential lifestyle changes, including sleep, routines, shelter, eating healthy food and drinking plenty of water, as well as building trust, communication, and a sense of community. Venture Scotland use the outdoors as a tool for personal growth; whether young adults jump into the North Sea or climb a hill, every challenge they face, every spark of self-belief they gain is a form of learning that can be applied to their everyday lives.