A day in the life of a school residential

There’s literally never a dull moment if you are taking part in a school residential. Here’s some of what happens at Lendrick Muir...

First Thing

Each day starts with a 30-minute Time for Reflection session. During this session we explore themes of teamwork, confidence, resilience and P7/S1 transition, from a Religious Observance perspective.

During The Day

Young people work in teams to develop their skills on the rope courses, trail biking or any one of the many outdoor activities available that make use of our extensive site.

New for 2023, young people can now dig a bit deeper into the amazing habitats at Lendrick Muir and think of the impact we have on the environment. Young people are loving this and it’s a great way for them to explore God's creation. We have had positive feedback from teachers and pupils during the sessions and lots of excitement when we see a red squirrel.

Later On

Schools love the food that is provided by the Lendrick Muir catering team, supported by regular volunteers. This is a great chance to sit round a table, eating food and sharing about the adventures of the day. During free-time there is the option of using the many sports areas outside, including the astroturf pitch and beach volley ball or relaxing inside in a lounge chatting with friends and playing board games.

The young people then head to their dorms after an action-packed day to the excitement of sharing a room with friends. A teacher comments, 'Residentials are essential to provide the experiences, resources and expertise that can’t be provided within school budgets.' 

Jo Corrigan, Trainee Activity Instructor at Alltnacriche, shares about her role and the journey to working at an SU Scotland centre.

It’s Monday morning and I’m out in a canoe with some team members from Alltnacriche. Looking around, it’s hard to believe that this is work, but it is! It’s an incredibly important part of gaining the skills and experience that I need as a Trainee Activity Instructor.

At the moment, I am approved to deliver some of our centrebased activities. I’m gradually working towards gaining the qualifications I need to lead other types of activities. Working with a new group of young people every week is exciting. I love seeing the young people taking part, especially when they are just being kids, enjoying getting mucky or splashing about.

I can remember coming to camp at Alltnacriche as a young person and I know how important the relationships with the Activity Instructors can be. I first encountered SU Scotland when I started at Smithycroft High School. I didn’t know anyone, but I was invited along to the SU Group and that became the place where I made friends and felt comfortable.

I used to go to the Junction 12 drop-ins after school and then day trips and SU Holidays. To start with I went to make friends and enjoy the activities. By the time I was in S4, I was beginning to notice the Bible content and I remember one particular Junction12 prayer time when I realised I wasn’t talking for other people to hear me, but for myself.

My Christian faith has grown from there. Before coming to Alltnacriche I completed a Masters in Theology and now, living here in a Christian community is an amazing way to support each other and build our faith together. 'Feet off the floor' is the bit of the day when we chat about our faith with the young people. We talk about how God created the world, that he loves us and cares about the choices we make. We get the young people involved in acting out stories from the Bible, linking them to their everyday lives.

At the end of a school residential, I’m always exhausted, but it’s totally worth it. Working here and living on site is such a brilliant experience. 

Jo Corrigan

*Junction 12 is a youth project with close ties to SU Scotland.

Interested in becoming an Activity Instructor at one of our centres?

Find out more at….

suscotland.org.uk/jobs