At Outward Bound, we believe in Scotland’s young people. And we know that with the right challenge, in the right setting, you can discover strengths you didn’t know you had.
When you’re out in the hills, lochs and forests with us, it’s not about being the best. It’s about being brave enough to try. To work together. To keep going.
You’ll build confidence. You’ll make real connections. You’ll come home with memories, skills and self-belief that stay with you - in your school, community, and whatever comes next.
Based at our Loch Eil Centre, we’re here to help you realise just how much you’re capable of. And we’ll be with you every step of the way.
View our latest reportHow we support young people
School residentials
We offer hugely impactful experiences like no other, including carefully planned overnight wild expeditions.
Mark Scott Leadership for Life Award
Participants take part in a six-month programme combining a five-day Outward Bound residential with urban-based community project work.
Scotland's Next Generation
Know a 14-17 year old who would benefit from a 14 day adventure in the Scottish Highlands? Nominate, sponsor or apply here!
The Outward Bound Trust in Scotland
Stephanie's Story
Outward Bound reaches young people from all backgrounds in Scotland, not just those in poverty. With the right opportunity, we believe all young people can be helped to defy their limitations. Because perceived or real our limitations hold us back, and can stop us from achieving our true potential.
Young people like Stephanie.
Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, young carer Stephanie took part in a transformational Outward Bound course. Watch this video and hear from her how it changed her as a person.
News from Scotland
Join our Youth Advisory Panel
Now’s the day, now’s the hour
We've earned an SCQF credit rating
SCQF and Outward Bound
The Outward Bound Trust is a proud delivery partner of the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). This partnership means that some Outward Bound courses in Scotland are formally accredited and recognised on the SCQF, giving young people the opportunity to gain meaningful, credit-rated learning as part of their outdoor residential experience.
Accreditation on the SCQF means that the skills, personal development and achievements young people gain at Outward Bound, such as resilience, teamwork, leadership and problem-solving, are formally recognised within Scotland's national qualifications framework. For many young people, this provides an additional, tangible outcome from their Outward Bound course that can strengthen CVs, personal statements, apprenticeship applications, and college or university admissions.
In a challenging educational landscape where skills for life and work are increasingly valued alongside academic attainment, Outward Bound’s SCQF-accredited courses give young people in Scotland a recognised edge. They help evidence the kinds of transferable skills employers, colleges and universities are actively looking for, and contribute directly to learners’ personal confidence and employability.
UNCRC
The Outward Bound Trust is committed to upholding the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), embedding its principles across all our work with young people in Scotland. Our values—believing in potential, learning through adventure, and showing respect and compassion—align closely with the UNCRC’s core principles, including non-discrimination, acting in the best interests of the child, supporting healthy development, and listening to young people’s views. All staff receive dedicated training, and we actively use tools and resources to ensure these rights are reflected in our practice. This commitment is rooted in our mission: to inspire young people to realise their potential through learning and adventure in the outdoors.
Training tool used by all Outward Bound Staff in Scotland
How rights affect you as a young person
The Outward Bound Trust in Scotland has embedded the principles of GIRFEC into its operation and recognises that these principles were drawn from the UNCRC.
