The next meeting of the Cross-party Group on Gaelic will be on Tuesday 21 June at 18:30.
Bòrd na Gàidhlig (BnG) is the secretariat of The Cross-Party Group on Gaelic . The group meets at least twice a year, and is hosted by Chair Alasdair Allan (MSP).
If you have any question, please email fios@gaidhlig.scot.
Bòrd na Gàidhlig (BnG) are delighted to announce the launch of a new website which will benefit all Gaelic speakers.
Cleachdi.scot is now live and it is a new resource where you can find information on activities and events happening around the world which are delivered solely in Gaelic.
This is a new resource which will be very useful both to groups and to members of the public. Groups will be able to advertise their Gaelic events in one place online and equally, members of the public will be able to access information on a host of activities and events on one website.
Not only that, there are helpful videos to explain how you can set up your own group or event online with the aim of encouraging people to launch their own groups and events based on their hobbies and interests.
Over the past two years, we have all been grateful of the opportunities to join together online and through doing so, we have created and strengthened online communities. Now that restrictions have eased and people can now meet face-to-face again, it is just as important to ensure that we continue with the online opportunies as well.
We welcome any thoughts and recommendations from one and all to ensure that the website serves us all as best it can. If you’d like to get in touch, you can email fios@cleachdi.scot or contact us through the Cleachd i social media channels or directly through the website.
Brian Ó hEadhra, Partnerships and Funding Manager at Bòrd na Gàidhlig said:
“It was apparent that there was a need for a space online where prople could access information on events and activities being delivered in Gaelic – both online and in person. We are very happy with the website and we hope that it will be a useful resource for people going forward. We feel that there are huge benefits to be had from the website with people finding out about activities that they were maybe unaware of and also to show the breadth of events and activities being delivered in Gaelic throughout the country. There will also be information on overseas events being held online such as Nova Scotia and Europe.”
Have you had dealings with Bòrd na Gàidhlig in the past year? The Stakeholder Survey 2022 is now open and we look forward to hearing your thoughts and suggestions.
It would be much appreciated if you could complete this form by 5pm on Thursday 30 June 2022.
Bòrd na Gàidhlig has awarded over £500,000 to 21 Gaelic projects as part of the Gaelic Officers Scheme – a new fund designed to enable organisations to employ member of staff focused on developing the language.
The Bòrd was inundated with applications for the programme, resulting in budget being more than doubled to meet demand.
Applications were welcomed from third-sector organisations looking to create a new post, or to extend an existing Gaelic development position. Each award is aimed at supporting officer posts in communities or sectors that currently have a lack of Gaelic provision.
Comann nam Pàrant Port Righ, the Gaelic Parent Council, is one of a number of organisations set to benefit from the new funding stream, following the largest award of £39,500. The funding will be put towards the creation of a new Gaelic Development Manager position within the school, which will bring together the ongoing Gaelic development work across Skye.
Among the other groups which have received awards are Coimhearsnachd Bharraidh agus Bhatarsaidh (Barra and Vatersay Community), who have received £25,000 funding for a new Gaelic Development Officer.
Young Scot has also benefitted from the funding, with an award of over £13,000 going towards the continuation of an existing Gaelic Digital Assistant post.
Culture, Heritage and Arts Assembly Argyll and Isles’ (CHARTS) pro-active work in developing the arts throughout Argyll has been recognised with an award of £25,000 for a Gaelic Culture Officer, while the Camanachd Association has received £16,000 to employ a Gaelic Language Development Officer.
Ionad Ghàidhlig Dhùn Èideann will also hire a Development Officer to take forward initial stages of developing a Gaelic centre in Edinburgh following an award of £13,600 as part of the Gaelic Officer Funding.
Mairi MacInnes, Chair at Bòrd na Gàidhlig, said: “Bòrd na Gàidhlig continues to provide innovative solutions to the ever increasing demand for Gaelic provision throughout Scotland and this has been no more evident than in the demand for our latest Gaelic Officer Funding.
“We were delighted by the standard of submissions, resulting in the doubling of the initial pot to over £500,000. Every organisation is truly a worthy recipient of the funding and will play their part in preserving and growing the Gaelic language, making sure that people in every part of the country can benefit for years to come.”
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “I congratulate all recipients and welcome the high quality work of these organisations operating across Scotland. Gaelic is a vital part of Scotland’s cultural identity and we are determined to improve access for people to learn and use the language.
“Many of these organisations are supporting heartland communities that use Gaelic and it is important that they are given the opportunity to flourish.
“The Scottish Government has a range of ambitious commitments for the language. The work of these organisations and the projects they deliver will be vital to supporting these commitments and to the future of the language.”
Bòrd na Gàidhlig runs funding schemes at different times through the year. If you have a proposal for a project please email: tabhartas@gaidhlig.scot, or phone 01463 225 454.
Bòrd na Gàidhlig (BnG) are pleased to announce that the Early Years Grant Scheme is now open to applicants for 2022/23.
Our Early Years Grants scheme is run in partnership with Comann nam Pàrant and with support from the Scottish Government’s Children, Young People & Families Early Intervention Fund (CYPFEIF) and Adult Learning & Empowering Communities Fund (ALEC).
The Early Years Education Fund is specifically designed to be as accessible as possible to voluntary early years groups that support parents, families and children aged 0-3 years, to encourage and increase the day to day use of Gaelic, and to encourage continuity into Gaelic education.
19 different groups throughout the country received funding through the scheme last year including Pàrant is Pàiste Obar Dheathain.
Pàrant is Pàiste Obair Dheathain provide pre-school activities for children aged 0-5, including story time, songs, messy/adventurous play and lots more.
The group meets twice a week, once for outdoor activities and once for indoor activities and the group is open to everyone with an interest in Gaelic. It’s a great launchpad for children who will hopefully be following on to Gaelic medium education too.
The group also supports parents who are learning Gaelic with online and face-to-face classes.
Magaidh Wentworth, Manager, Comann nam Pàrant said:
“Comann nam Pàrant are delighted to be able to support the Early Years. It’s important that families are able to attend Gaelic services while the children are young. The Early Years groups also support Gaelic in the home as well as adding to the number of children progressing to Gaelic Medium Education.”
Shona MacLennan, CEO, Bòrd na Gàidhlig said:
“The Early Years Grant Scheme supports the aims of the National Plan that Gaelic is used at home and also in early-years education. It gives us great joy to see such a geographical spread of projects throughout the country benefitting from Gaelic and increasing its use in communities. We hope to see an increase in opportunities for Gaelic in Early Years settings.”
The scheme will be open for 9 weeks between 16 May and 21 July 2022.
The next meeting of the Cross-party Group on Gaelic will be on Monday 23 May at 18:30.
Bòrd na Gàidhlig (BnG) is the secretariat of The Cross-Party Group on Gaelic . The group meets at least twice a year, and is hosted by Chair Alasdair Allan (MSP).
If you have any question, please email fios@gaidhlig.scot.
The next National Gaelic Language Plan draft has been published today (27 April 2022), with responses invited as part of a 3-month public consultation period. The Plan can be viewed here.
The Scottish public will have the opportunity to offer their views, priorities and recommendations ahead of the final plan being presented to the Scottish Government later this year.
Seventeen events will be held around the country through May, June and July to present information about the plan in its draft form and gather further feedback.
The public is encouraged to respond via the survey portal: smartsurvey.co.uk/s/planagaidhlig, with the option also to submit opinions by email or written letter.
The Public Consultation period will be open until 5pm on 26 July 2022.
In line with the objectives in the current National Gaelic Language Plan, the author of this draft plan, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, is looking to maximise opportunities to use, learn and promote the language.
One of the key responsibilities of Bòrd na Gàidhlig under the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 is to prepare the National Gaelic Language Plan every five years before submitting it to Scottish Ministers seeking approval.
Representatives from Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s executive team and board will be present at each public meeting, where the public can learn more about the proposals within the new draft plan.
Mary MacInnes, Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s Cathraiche, said: “This consultation process will help us collate opinions from across Scotland to finalise an effective National Gaelic Language Plan for 2023-2028.
“We encourage everyone to take part in whatever way they can, allowing a broad spectrum of views to shape the vision for Gaelic in the years to come.”
Cabinet Secretary for Languages Shirley-Anne Somerville said:
“The Scottish Government is determined to continue to support our Gaelic communities and the National Gaelic Language Plan sets out key priorities and opportunities for public authorities to work together to reach this aim.
“Public consultation is a crucial part of the process and I encourage anyone with an interest in the Gaelic language to share their views.”
Notes:
Events are planned across Scotland through May-July and are open for anyone to attend:
| 11 May | Online (Zoom), 7pm |
| 18 May | Isle of Lewis, 12pm |
| 18 May | Isle of Harris, 7pm |
| 19 May | Isle of Lewis, 7pm |
| 25 May | Edinburgh, 7pm |
| 26 May | Glasgow, 12pm |
| 26 May | Glasgow, 7pm |
| 31 May | Isle of Skye, 12pm |
| 31 May | Isle of Skye, 7pm |
| 1 June | North Uist, 7pm |
| 2 June | South Uist, 7pm |
| 14 June | Inverness, 7pm |
| 15 June | Aberdeen, 7pm |
| 16 June | Online (Zoom), 7pm |
| 28 June | Fort William, 7pm |
| 29 June | Oban, 7pm |
| 13 July | Online (Zoom), 7pm |
All meetings are scheduled to last approximately one hour, with Gaelic or English responses welcome (simultaneous translations to English will be available at all events).
For information on how to attend visit EventBrite: Gàidhlig 2023-28.
You can find out more about the consultation process at www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/planagaidhlig or by contacting plana@astarmedia.scot
Bòrd na Gàidhlig (BnG) are pleased to announce that they are awarding £88,880 to 10 projects in Scotland and 3 Irish Gaelic learners through their Colmcille funding scheme.
Colmcille is a partnership between Foras na Gaeilge in Ireland and Bòrd na Gàidhlig in Scotland. It fosters communication and collaboration between the language communities of Scottish and Irish Gaelic.
In 2022 we will continue to celebrate the legacy of Colmcille 1500, with special events and projects.
Funding is available to help support projects which will bring Gaelic and Irish speakers together, and also for Gaelic speakers looking to undertake an Irish course.
This year, we are supporting three people who will be undertaking Irish Gaelic language courses as well as 10 various projects aimed at strengthening the links between Scotland and Ireland. Among those projects is Bragar and Arnol Community Trust (BACT) in Lewis with their Ceangal2022 project. As part of their project, they intend to engage with community groups, social enterprise and voluntary organisations and others in and around the Dingle Peninsula to learn and to share knowledge, customs and experiences.
Murdo Morrison, Community Officer at BACT said: “We are delighted and grateful for this support in building international links between our own community on the West Side of Lewis and the people of County Kerry. Through this initiative, we will be looking to establish community, language, cultural, educational, arts and other links.”
Funding will be given to 10 projects throughout the country and in a host of different environments including a Celtic Eco-Museum in the Isle of Skye, an Edinburgh based poetry project, shinty for youth in both Scotland and Ireland as well as a project regarding tourism in the Highlands.
Brian Ó hEadhra, Partnerships and Funding Manager, Bòrd na Gàidhlig said: “It gives us great joy to support these groups whilst they continue to build connections with our friends in Ireland. The Colmcille funding scheme has been running for many years and this demonstrates the importance of these connections. It’s also encouraging to see applications each year from Gaelic speakers who are not only keen to learn Irish Gaelic but also to strengthen the linguistic connections.”
The scheme was open for 13 weeks between 11 November 2021 and 10 February 2022. Foras na Gaeilge have their scheme open until 20 April and further information can be found here.
Bòrd na Gàidhlig (BnG) are pleased to announce that they are awarding £142,000 to community based projects in Scotland through their Taic Freumhan Coimhearsnachd (TFC) funding scheme.
The TFC funding scheme was established to help community groups to undertake projects in support of the National Gaelic Language Plan.
54 projects are to be funded by the TFC scheme for the year 2022-23.
The successful projects include Gaelic language classes, Mòd and Comann nam Pàrant groups and projects which aim to support the Gaelic language. The projects are being run across the country, covering areas such as Inverclyde, Edinburgh, Stirling, Mull and the Highlands and Islands.
Shona MacLennan, CEO of Bòrd na Gàidhlig said:
“The Taic Freumhan Coimhearsnachd scheme contributes significantly to the National Gaelic Language Plan’s aim of increasing the use of Gaelic, by more people, in more situations. We are very pleased to be supporting a wide range of projects and areas which will be increasing the use and learning of Gaelic in communities across the country.
“We were pleased to receive more applications for funding than we did last year and we take that as a sign that communities are preparing to embark on new Gaelic projects and initiatives. Covid-19 has had a big impact on the work that groups do in their own communities and much of that work has been done online. We are looking forward to the return of face-to-face events and projects in the coming year, as well as some projects continuing online.
“We would like to send our sincere thanks to everyone who is working hard in their communities to increase the use of Gàidhlig in what is a challenging time and we hope that this funding will be very helpful in areas across Scotland.”
The scheme was open for 9 weeks between 11 November 2021 and 18 January 2022.
The introduction of the ATQ follows on from the successful Languages Week Scotland 2022
The University of Strathclyde, in partnership with Bòrd na Gàidhlig and with support from the General Teaching Council Scotland, has launched a groundbreaking Additional Teaching Qualification which will enable Secondary Modern Languages teachers to provide courses for Gaelic learners as part of the modern languages curriculum on offer in their schools.
The Additional Teaching Qualification will broaden and enrich Scotland’s delivery of languages, with modern languages teachers, who undertake the course, able to teach
Gaelic in addition to the more traditional curriculum of French, German and Spanish.
Eight teachers from Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, and West Dunbartonshire local authorities are the first to sign up for the pilot, with their respective schools guaranteeing Gaelic will be taught as a modern language upon the teachers’ completion of the accredited course.
The University of Strathclyde and Bòrd na Gàidhlig say that this fresh approach to delivery could change the face of the language in Scotland by providing a fundamental step in creating a new base of Gaelic speakers. This project will also add to the employability of the young people who engage with Gaelic Learners curriculum at school, as use of the language grows in the workplace.
The 18-month programme, delivered in a blended format both online and on campus, is aimed at teachers with limited knowledge of Gaelic. Following completion of the ATQ, the the teachers will become officially registered with the GTCS as teachers of Gaelic as a Modern Language. This will increase the number of GTCS registered modern languages teachers with the ability to teach Gaelic in secondary schools.
The launch of the course follows on from Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s Dèan Diofar (Make A Difference) social media campaign. Dèan Diofar follows the paths of six teachers currently teaching in Gaelic-medium Education and is aimed at encouraging people worldwide to consider a career in Gaelic-medium education.
Mairi MacInnes, Chair at Bòrd na Gàidhlig, said: “The establishment of a Gaelic Additional Teachers Qualification is a fantastic example of an initiative which could herald a new chapter for Gaelic in Scotland’s schools. Bòrd na Gàidhlig are delighted to have provided funding and support to The University of Strathclyde for the creation of the Gaelic Additional Teachers Qualification, and we will work closely with them to track the progess of the course’s first-ever cohort with great excitement.”
Linda Brownlow, Head of School of Education at The University of Strathclyde, said: “The Gaelic Additional Teaching Qualification project seeks to build a community of new speakers within Gaelic Education, to foster collaboration and develop innovative new ways to promote all forms of teaching the language. The University of Strathclyde is determined to be at the forefront of fully equipping the nation’s teachers with the necessary skills and qualifications to provide Gaelic Learners classes, while delivering positive change for both modern language and Gaelic education throughout our schools.”
Shirley-Anne Somerville, Cabinet Secretary for Languages, said: “The Scottish Government recognises the importance of widening access to those interested in teaching the Gaelic language and the development of this Additional Teaching Qualification pilot is a positive step forward. I hope it will encourage other local authorities to be involved in future years.”
