SCOTLAND rugby captain Jamie Ritchie paid a visit to St John’s Academy in Perth, inspiring pupils as part of his role as ambassador for the charity Gen+.
Ritchie, 26, who was a pupil at Strathallan School in Forgandenny outside Perth, has been playing rugby since primary school and got his first senior signing at age 17.
St John’s Academy joined Gen+ in August 2022 for its pilot year – currently working with 11 schools across Scotland, the programme builds meta-skills for pupils and teachers.
Ritchie recognises the role meta-skills such as resilience and collaboration have played in him becoming Scotland’s rugby captain and how he continues to use them daily in his role.
He said: “To become Scotland captain before the age of 26 was a huge achievement for me.
“But the journey has involved lots of hard work, team effort and both mental and physical resilience.
“It was fantastic to share some of my experiences and advice with the St John’s pupils, and to see how they’re learning practical skills through the Gen+ programme to succeed in whatever they do.”
Since then St. John’s has recognised the need to develop meta-skills in young people as they are vital for reaching a positive post-school destination.
Victoria Vardy, the chief executive of Gen+, said:”As a successful athlete, Jamie has developed a range of meta-skills through his training and competition experiences, such as discipline, resilience, adaptability, and teamwork.
“As our Ambassador he can inspire and encourage young people to prioritize these skills as they prepare for their futures.”
During his visit, Jamie gave a brief talk about his school experience and the skills he used during and after his time at school, on his journey to becoming Scotland’s rugby captain.
He then took part in a question-and-answer session where the pupils got to put their communication skills into action, and then participated in a Gen+ lesson on resilience.
Marie-Claire Futamata, headteacher at St John’s Academy, said: “To have Jamie Ritchie visiting St John’s has been incredibly exciting for the school community, especially our young people.
“He was hugely inspirational.”
