Looking back on her time as a Young Ambassador, Courtney Cartner would never have imagined she would now be in a position supporting the next generation of young leaders within East Ayrshire.
Courtney is the Active Schools Coordinator for the Cumnock Cluster and a Young Ambassador mentor for the pupils at Robert Burns Academy.
Flashback to 2015, Courtney was a 5th year student at Loudoun Academy, and at a stage in her life when she was having to start making important life decisions.
“I was never the best academically” she said.
“I didn’t want to go down a wrong path. I knew I wanted to make a change, but I wasn’t sure academically if I would have got the grades to go to college or university.”
Courtney's YA journey
Sport was Courtney’s main passion and spent a lot of her free time at the PE department.
“I had built up a good relationship with the PE staff and my Active Schools coordinator,” Courtney said.
“PE and sport were my escape and so I would head down to the department in my free periods.
“I was trying to fill up my timetable with things that would keep me busy, and my Active Schools coordinator approached me one day and said I should put myself forward to be a Young Ambassador within the school.”
Courtney continued: “I probably wasn’t the strongest candidate, but I was fortunately selected for the role as my Active Schools coordinator saw something in me, and it was a great personal development opportunity.
"They put their faith in me that I would do well, and I am so grateful they did!”
Courtney went on to plan and organise a volleyball interhouse festival in her school, as well as support a basketball festival. She joined the sports council within the school, and as part of this came her proudest achievement; playing a big role in helping the school, achieve a Gold School Sport Award. The sportscotland School Sport Awards, funded by the National Lottery, are designed to encourage schools to reflect, plan, improve, connect, and place young people at the heart of what they do. The awards provide a framework for schools to be recognised across gold, silver and bronze levels.
“I really enjoyed my Young Ambassador experience,” Courtney said.
“It helped to make me more confident.
"I improved my organisational skills and it gave me accountability and ownership for something, as we were given the freedom to do what we wanted to do to help improve sport within the school.”
“I also really enjoyed working with my YA partner. He had some different ideas, so it was nice to have someone who thought differently to bounce ideas off.”
The following year, Courtney was selected to give an opening speech about her experience as a YA at the Young Ambassador conference at Hampden Park stadium.
“I applied for the role, but I didn’t think I would have been selected, so it was amazing to hear that I have been chosen.”
“The conference was such a surreal experience. I was really nervous beforehand, but it gave my confidence a huge boost getting to talk in front of a large audience.
“I also got the opportunity to spend the day with Eilidh Doyle and Robbie Renwick who were the athletes supporting the conference. It was amazing learning more about them and the work they put in to perform at such a high level.”
Further education
Courtney puts her motivation and progression down to opportunities like Young Ambassadors which made her want to pursue a career in sport.
She said: “As I mentioned I wasn’t great academically. I think having the opportunity to be a YA helped me realise that I wanted to support others in their sporting journey.”
Courtney spent two years at Ayrshire College in Kilmarnock studying Sports Coaching and Development, and then went onto study Sports Development at the University of the West of Scotland Lanarkshire campus in Hamilton.
Supporting young people in leadership opportunities
After some voluntary and paid work with East Ayrshire Council, Courtney became the Active Schools Coordinator for the Cumnock cluster and has been in her role since 2021. As part of her role, she is a mentor for the new Young Ambassadors at the school.
“My experience as a YA has without a doubt helped me within my mentoring journey. I was in their shoes and went through the same process, so I fully understand from a young person’s point of view.
“My biggest thing was to show pupils within the school my journey and to showcase that you don’t need to be the finished article. I am a firm believer in the saying ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’.
“I am still relatively young, so I feel this has helped me be approachable to the students and build those relationships.”
When asked ‘what do you think makes a good YA mentor?’, Courtney replied: “Someone that allows the young people to take the lead, listens to their ideas and helps to give young people a voice.
“You have to trust them and give them the space to do what they want to do, but also be there to help turn their ideas into reality.
“It is all about helping to create positive role models in the school for other to look up to.”
Having been a Young Ambassador and knowing the role from personal experience, Courtney’s advice for new YAs would be a willingness to learn and be interested in making a difference.
“No matter who you are, you can make a difference, so believe in yourself.”
