Back in 2010, Lewis took a brave first step with Venture Scotland and transformed how he sees his life and deals with situations; lessons that have stuck with him for 15 years!
Looking back at my life before Venture Scotland, I can only describe it as “excessive.” By 15, I was already getting into clubs, finding ways to look older, and diving headfirst into party life. Drugs had taken over much of my latter years in high school and continued into college. By 17, we were doing weekend benders with everything in between. The inevitable happened – I got kicked out of college. Suddenly, I found myself without a path, without direction, and without much hope. I was just dithering about, lost and uncertain. Years of depression and substance abuse had severely impacted my social skills. I was struggling to connect with people and had lost confidence in most social situations.
My path to Venture Scotland began when I reached out to my GP about drug rehabilitation programmes. Through the counselling sessions that the GP referred me to, Venture Scotland was mentioned. She didn’t tell me much – just asked if I liked the outdoors, and when I said yes, she suggested I have a meeting to see if it might be something for me. What happened next was like a whirlwind. I made the call on a Tuesday, and within 24 hours, I went from not really doing much to being launched straight into Venture Scotland and a weekend away.
It’s not like that anymore, and it was a bit daunting at the time…After years of depression and social isolation, the prospect of putting myself in a situation, sober, where I’d need to deal with people, and from such varied backgrounds, too – it felt terrifying. That very first weekend, I don’t think anyone really got on; we all seemed to hate each other initially. Everyone was being wary of everyone else, trying to do their own thing.
When people ask me about my most difficult experience with Venture Scotland, they expect me to talk about a challenging climb or harsh weather. But honestly, that first day playing football on a beach with strangers was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life; maybe not physically, but mentally. After years of isolation, putting myself out there with no safety net felt scary. But after that, everything became easier. That was like the pinnacle point – just putting yourself out there and doing it. What’s literally the worst that can happen? Once I’d done that, everything else seemed a bit more manageable.
What made Venture Scotland special was that it felt more like an outdoor course than a self-learning programme; it felt like all the learning happened without you knowing it. You’re trying to get through every day as a group, not just as an individual. For me, that meant that when we were given the chance to reflect, I could see so many more answers than if I’d been sitting there wondering if I was making any improvement.
I loved the significant campfire conversations that you could have at VS, treating one another as people rather than a problem to solve, helping to make people comfortable and not forcing the conversation. I’ve found that sometimes that first conversation is more important than what it’s actually about – it’s about building the connection and trust first.
One of the most transformative experiences was Glen Etive bothy – that place is more spiritual than any other. I mean, some of us had never been in a tent before – or left the city, let alone travelling for hours by minibus to get to Glen Etive! It’s just an amazing place that seems to heal people and do magical things, and then getting to jump out at petrol stations covered in mud and muck at the end of the weekend, and not caring what people think because they don’t know what you’ve just been doing! It gave me a bit more self-confidence. I had the opportunity to gain new qualifications too, like the John Muir Award, canoeing and first aid.
Fourteen years later, I continue applying Venture Scotland principles daily. During parenthood through COVID, having come out of an abusive relationship, I needed all the emotional regulation skills I’d learned! Being able to take a moment, take a breath and ask myself if I’m really annoyed at my wee girl’s temper tantrum or am I just overtired, underfed and feeling frustrated? If I hadn’t gained everything I did from Venture Scotland and later, Raleigh, I would have been completely lost as a parent.
Fifteen years after first setting foot on that beach with VS, I’m still taking first steps, still discovering what I’m capable of. The incredible connections forged through VS – with Kieran, who has turned into a life-long friend – our time together spanning VS, Raleigh in Costa Rica and then taking on the Camino de Santiago last year. We’ve supported each other for years; growing and achieving – I believe that everyone should have people around them that make them better – Kieran does that for me. We remind each other of the fundamental truth that Venture Scotland taught us: what’s the worst that can happen? Usually, it’s not as bad as you think, and the rewards are far greater than you ever imagined.
Venture Scotland didn’t just teach me outdoor skills or help me overcome addiction – it fundamentally rewired how I approach uncertainty, build relationships, and view my own capabilities.
Back in September 2024, Lewis took on an epic adventure to walk across Spain with his fellow past participant and good friend, Kieran. You can read more about their adventure and motivations here!