Junior Inter Area Weekend: Junior Feedback Session 2025

Published: November 4, 2025

Each year, as part of the Junior Inter Area Weekend, we hold a dedicated Junior Feedback Session, where our junior members have the opportunity to share their thoughts, ideas, and experiences. This session is an important part of the weekend and is part of why we encourage everyone to come together at the overnight accommodation.

Why We Hold the Feedback Session

The Junior Feedback Session is more than just a discussion — it’s a chance to listen to the voices of our juniors. Our young members are at the heart of everything we do, and their perspective helps shape the future direction of our activities and events. By giving juniors a platform to speak openly, we ensure their experiences are heard and their needs are met.

Hearing directly from juniors allows us to:

  • Understand what they value most about the sport and their priorities
  • Identify areas for improvement
  • Encourage involvement in all pathways through the sport
  • Foster a sense of community and empowerment among younger members

What We Did

This year’s feedback session took place in the evening of Saturday 25th October during the Junior Inter Area Weekend at Stirling Youth Hostel. The session was led by Nikki Howard (Chief Operating Officer and Lead Welfare Officer) and Louise Adams (Lead Development Officer), who guided the discussion and encouraged everyone to contribute, as well as being supported by a number of parents.

As usual, the conversation started with a quick reminder about Safeguarding, and who to talk to should there be any concerns. Juniors were then reminded of their feedback from last year and told what SOA have done to act on this feedback, including providing a junior hang out tent at events and organising a game of capture the flag for all juniors at the Scottish Champs.

The juniors were then given 4 different topics for discussion, and were asked to write down thoughts and ideas on post-it notes. These topics were:

  • Further ideas for junior socials and events (and would YLs be willing to support these)
  • Forms of communication (from SOA) that they would prefer
  • Junior training and how to find out about it
  • Ideas for the Inter Areas weekend next year

What We Heard

The feedback this year was both encouraging and insightful. Juniors highlighted that they enjoyed:

  • The big game of capture the flag at the Scottish Champs
  • The welcoming, supportive atmosphere
  • The chance to meet juniors from different areas and make new friends

There were also constructive suggestions for next year, including:

  • Having different games other than capture the flag
  • Having a dedicated junior section on the website
  • Introducing a junior night relay (similar to the Peter Palmers)
  • Having more training weekends
  • Participation prizes
  • Inter Areas ceilidh
  • Introducing sprint relay events and more indoor orienteering

These suggestions will be taken forward by the SOA team as we continue to listen and act upon the wishes of our juniors.

A huge thank you to everyone who took part and shared their views.