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Community Land Scotland

CASE STUDY: Gaelic Communities Fund
Urras Tiriodh | Tiree Community Development Trust

Project: Gaelic in Tiree
Gaelic Communities Fund Awarded: £11,200

Background

Tiree Community Development Trust (TCDT) started in 2005 and has 11 staff that manage 7 assets on behalf of the community. As part of the TCDT assets, there is a Windfall fund which is used to fund a variety of projects. The Trust recognised that Gaelic use outwith education was limited, and this led to the creation of the Gaelic Development Officer post.

Project

The aim of the TCDT project was to run a series of events throughout the year that would increase the social use of Gaelic within the community. The project part funded a Development Officer and provided additional funds for the running of the events.

These events were progressing well until the Gaelic Development Officer left part way through the project. This prompted a significant change to the project plan as it was decided to review the Gaelic inclusion in TCDT, following the creation of a 2021 Gaelic Development Plan.

Two other members of staff assisted in the running of a few of the events, but the majority had to be put on hold. The General Manager undertook a community consultation exercise which showed there was a need to change in capacity, approach, and ambition within the Trust.

A final report has been written on how to progress Gaelic as part of many roles within the TCDT staff that will have a far greater impact on Gaelic use within the community than the original method of a single person with Gaelic skills.  

Learning

Finding a way to develop opportunities from existing set-ups adds resilience to not only the organisation but to the viability of culturally fragile projects such as Gaelic development.