Care home residents share life lessons with school leavers

7 August 2026

As thousands of young people across Scotland consider their next steps after receiving their exam results, residents at care homes across the north of Scotland have been sharing words of wisdom to reassure school leavers that there is no single path to success.

Residents at Speyside Care Home in Aberlour, Wakefield House in Cullen have backed the No Wrong Path campaign, sharing advice drawn from a lifetime of experience to encourage the next generation. Residents at Eilean Dubh Care Home in Fortrose also took part by recording a short video featuring their advice for school leavers

Their messages ranged from practical tips to simple reminders to stay positive.

At Wakefield House, resident Grace encouraged young people to "listen carefully and expect to make mistakes", while Philip's advice was straightforward: "Whatever you do, turn up on time."

At Speyside, Nan's message was to "keep smiling and be happy", Annie encouraged school leavers to "keep an open mind", while Betty reminded young people not to worry if they don't go straight into work, adding: "It's okay to focus on life first."

Residents at Eilean Dubh stressed the importance of following your own path. Mina said: "Don't be afraid to take chances. You never know where they might lead you."

Confidence was another recurring theme, with one resident saying: "My piece of advice for children leaving school today is, have confidence in yourself. That's very important," said Lilah.

Others highlighted the importance of hard work and kindness. "You must work hard, be kind and you will find that everything else will fall into place," said Christine.

The campaign also highlighted the varied career journeys of colleagues working in care today. Wakefield House manager Jamie Grassick studied beauty therapy before building a career in social care, while Speyside manager Louise Gillies studied childcare and worked in a nursery before moving into adult care.

Louise said: "One of the things I love most about working in care is that everyone brings different experiences. My own career started in childcare before I moved into adult social care, while my colleagues have all taken different paths to get here. That's what makes us stronger as a team.

Jamie added: "We hope our residents' advice reassures young people that one set of exam results doesn't define their future. They've lived full and varied lives, and they all share the same message. Keep an open mind, embrace new opportunities and remember there is no single path to success."

Watch Eilean Dubh residents share their career advice>