Youth Director

Sarah Walker, SSO Youth Director

As Youth Director, Sarah Walker hopes to create a welcoming space where young people can explore Scotland and their own heritage -- looking beyond kilts, bagpipes, and scotch to the deeper layers of Scottish history. She’s especially interested in the pre‑Christian past, including the enigmatic Picts and the early cultures that shaped Scotland long before modern traditions took hold.

Sarah is a university student in Ottawa with roots in the Isle of Skye, and she loves embracing the unique cultural aspects of Scotland. She joined the SSO to see how Scottish identity is expressed in the capital, and quickly discovered that the society offers far more than events, noting it’s a place to learn, meet people from all walks of life, and perhaps even gain a bit of wisdom along the way.

While Gàidhlig (Scottish Gaelic) is already offered through the SSO, Sarah hopes to see an even stronger push to keep the language alive. With the number of speakers dwindling, she believes that avoiding small languages only hastens their decline. Trying them, even in small steps, helps preserve something precious.

Her favourite thing about Scotland is the land itself, especially the Highlands. Sarah has a deep love for mountains, stars, and the simple joy of a good hike, all of which connect her to the landscapes her family once called home.

Sarah can be reached at YouthDirector@ottscot.ca.