RYA Northern Ireland's first Sailability Officer: Oran Young

We are delighted that Oran Young has started as RYANI’s first paid and full time Sailability Officer.

The creation of the role is a result of funding from The National Lottery’s Access to Resilience Fund and marks the beginning of a new chapter in Northern Irish sailing and the development of Sailability across the country.

Oran will work closely with Sailability Clubs and hub sites across Northern Ireland. His role will support the development of new partnerships, access more funding, support with the recruitment and training of volunteers and work with clubs to develop a plan for the future.

Working closely with RYANI Sailability Coordinator, Ken Curry, Oran will also be on hand to support any clubs that may be looking to open up a Sailability section.

What excites you most about the position?

The role brings an entirety of excitement for me. Being in this role brings a great opportunity to make a tangible impact on the day to day lives of individuals with disabilities via being out on the water. Having the chance to provide opportunities all over the country to individuals with disabilities to experience the freedom of being out on the water is very rewarding.

I am particularly excited about the chance to work with local affiliates, clubs, and volunteers to enhance the inclusivity of the programme. Being able to collaborate with a network of passionate individuals to create a supportive, accessible environment for disabled sailors is both motivating and rewarding. Additionally, the challenge of developing new partnerships and resources to expand the reach and accessibility of Sailability programmes is something I am enthusiastic about.

Have you done sailing before?

I have a small touch of experience back in my junior sailing days. I began sailing at Portaferry Sailing club as part of their junior sailing programme. We sailed dinghies and toppers at this time and took a couple of trips over to Killyleagh for some small races. Unfortunately, I never cross the line first. I may need to look to Hammy and the performance team for some tips!

What’s your work background?

Like many, my background began with sports coaching at a grassroots level. I’ve coached GAA and football locally since the age of 16 and tried to gain all the qualifications I could early to build my knowledge. My first real experience began in 2021 with GLL (Better Belfast) as a ‘Community Sports Coach’. In this role, I worked heavily in the active aging programme, swim schools, after school’s programme and was proud to watch the heavy growth of pickleball across the city. This role enabled me to work with individuals from the age of three to ninety and gain a wide range of experience at the same time.

In my final year of university, I took on the role of Assistant Sports Development Officer at Lisburn City Council. Taking on this role alongside my studies allowed me to gain a wealth of knowledge from a development point of view and work with a wide range of individuals. During this time, I was involved in the LCCC Business Games, LCCC Coach education courses, LCCC disability sports days and the Lisburn Half Marathon.

After completing my final year studies at Ulster University, I joined Athletics Northern Ireland as the Events and Memberships Officer. In this role, I assisted in the planning and co-ordination of several NI and Ulster Championships events, several high-quality road races and provided event support for any clubs that may be in need. I also was the licencing lead for ANI which involved the reviewing and processing of race certificates from cross country, road racing to track and field. Another part of this role was being a point of contact for all affiliate athletes and clubs for all their membership needs!

What do you like to do outside of work?

Outside of work, I enjoy the social and physical aspects of life. I regularly meet with friends and family and spend plenty of time with my wee pet dog Buddy. From a sporting aspect, I enjoy football and hurling- an evening down at the pitch is hard to beat. I do try to throw darts on the odd occasion although I am not very good!

How do you think your friends would describe you?

My friends would describe me as passionate, determined, and supportive. They know I’m always the one to encourage and motivate others, whether in sports or everyday life. I’m known for being patient and adaptable, always finding ways to bring out the best in people, no matter their abilities. My teammates and colleagues would say I have a positive attitude and a strong work ethic, always striving to create an inclusive and empowering environment. Above all, they’d describe me as someone who genuinely cares about helping others reach their full potential.

We would like to thank you to The National Lottery for their trust and support to help develop this area of sailing in Northern Ireland.

You can reach Oran on oran.young@rya.org.uk.