People and communities across Argyll and Bute are being invited to play a leading role in shaping the future of Gaelic in their area, following agreement by Argyll and Bute Council on a year-long programme of community engagement and consultation.
The programme will support consideration of potential Areas of Linguistic Significance (ALS) under the Scottish Languages Act 2025 and will ensure that local voices, experiences and aspirations are at the centre of any future decisions.
Working with communities, a consultation will run over the next few months with local groups carrying out engagement. Residents, community organisations, businesses and stakeholders will have a range of opportunities to share their views, helping to build a clear picture of what Gaelic means to communities today and how it could be supported in the future. More details will be available in November.
Engagement activity will focus on island communities identified through the statutory criteria, including Islay, Colonsay, Tiree, Mull and Lismore, as well as communities with Gaelic Medium Education provision in Oban, Appin, Dunoon and Sandbank. People and organisations from across Argyll and Bute will also be able to contribute through an online consultation, ensuring that anyone with an interest in Gaelic has an opportunity to take part.
The approach reflects extensive collaboration between the Council, Scottish Government officials, other local authorities and community stakeholders through the Argyll ALS Working Group. Scottish Government funding will help support engagement activities, communications, facilitation, administration and evidence gathering.
Importantly, funding will also help community organisations take an active role in shaping and helping deliver local engagement activity, supporting approaches that reflect the unique character and needs of individual communities.
As part of the programme, the Council will work in partnership with CHARTS (Culture, Heritage and Arts, Argyll and Isles), which will help coordinate consultation activity across Argyll and Bute. This partnership will support local organisations and ensure a consistent approach while allowing individual communities to choose engagement methods that work best for them.
Communities will be able to get involved through facilitated conversations, public information sessions, drop-in events, stakeholder workshops, meetings with Gaelic organisations and an online consultation.
Councillor Luna Martin, Policy Lead for Gaelic, said:
"Gaelic remains an important part of the identity, heritage and culture of many communities across Argyll and Bute. The future of Gaelic should be shaped by the people and places where it continues to live and thrive.
"This community-led consultation will give local people a genuine opportunity to share their experiences, aspirations and views on what Areas of Linguistic Significance could mean for their communities.
"We want everyone taking part to feel informed, supported and able to contribute in ways that work for them. By listening to communities and gathering evidence together, we can ensure future decisions are grounded in local knowledge and priorities."
Coimhearsnachdan gu bhith cuideachadh le Gàidhlig a chumadh san àm ri teachd ann an Earra-Ghàidheal is Bòd.
Tha daoine agus coimhearsnachdan air feadh Earra-Ghàidheal is Bhòid air am misneachadh gu dreuchd stiùiridh a ghabhail ann an cumadh àm teachdail na Gàidhlig san sgìre aca, a’ leantainn air aonta le Comhairle Earra-Ghàidheal is Bhòid mu phrogram fad-bliadhna de chom-pàirt agus co-chomhairle coimhearsnachd.
Cuiridh am program taic ri beachdachadh air Sgìrean Cànain Sònraichte (ALS) fo Achd nan Cànan Albannach 2025 agus dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil guthan, eòlasan agus àrd-amasan ionadail aig teis-meadhan cho-dhùnaidhean sam bith sa àm ri teachd.
Ag obair le coimhearsnachdan, bidh co-chomhairleachadh a’ ruith thar nam mìosan ri teachd le buidhnean ionadail a’ coileanadh a’ chonaltraidh sin. Bidh raon de chothroman aig luchd-còmhnaidh, buidhnean coimhearsnachd, gnothachasan agus luchd-ùidhe air am beachdan a thoirt seachad, a’ cuideachadh le dealbh nas soilleire a thogail air na tha Gàidhlig a’ ciallachadh do choimhearsnachdan san latha a-diugh agus mar a dh’fhaodte taic fhaotainn san àm ri teachd. Bidh barrachd mion-fhiosrachaidh ri fhaotainn san t-Samhain.
Bidh a’ gnnìomhachd conaltraidh a’ cuimseachadh air coimhearsnachdan nan eilean a tha air an comharrachadh tro na slatan-tomhais reachdail, a’ gabhail a-steach Ìle, Colbhasa, Tiriodh, Muile agus Lios Mòr, a thuilleadh air na coimhearsnachdan le solar Foghlam tro Mheadhan na Gàidhlig anns an Òban, an Apainn, Dùn Omhain agus Bun-sgoil Thaigh a’ Chladaich. Bidh e comasach do dhaoine agus buidhnean bho air feadh Earra-Ghàidheal is Bhòid cur ris tro cho-chomhairleachadh air-loidhne, a’ dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil cothrom aig neach sam bith le ùidh air pàirt a ghabhail.
Tha am modh-obrach seo a’ nochdadh co-obrachadh farsaing eadar a’ Chomhairle, oifigich Riaghaltas na h-Alba, ùghdarrasan ionadail eile agus luchd-ùidhe coimhearsnachd tro Bhuidheann Obrach ALS Earra-Ghàidheal. Cuidhichidh taic maoineachaidh bho Riaghaltas na h-Alba leis na gnìomhachdan com-pàirteachaidh, conaltraidhean, goireasachadh, rianachd agus tional fianais.
Gu cudromach, cuidichidh am maoineachadh buidhnean coimhearsnachd gu pàirt ghnìomhach a ghabhail ann an cumadh agus lìbhrigeadh gnìomhachd com-pàirteachaidh ionadail, a’ cur taic ri modhan a tha a’ nochdadh caractar fa leth agus feumalachdan choimhearsnachdan fa leth.
Mar phàirt den phrògram, obraichidh a’ Chomhairle ann an com-pàirteachas le CHARTS (Cultar, Dualchas is Ealain), a chuidicheas le gnìomhachd co-chomhairleachaidh a cho-òrdanachadh air feadh Earra-Ghàidheal is Bhòid. Cuiridh an com-pàirteachas seo taic ri buidhnean ionadail agus dèanamh cinnteach à modh-obrach chunbhalach ach aig an aon àm a’ ceadachadh do choimhearsnachdan fa leth na modhan conaltraidh a thaghadh as fheàrr a fhreagras orra.
Bidh e comasach do choimhearsnachdan a dhol an sàs tro chòmhraidhean eagraichte, seiseanan fiosrachaidh poblach, tachartasan tadhail, bùithtean-obrach luchd-ùidhe, coinneamhan le buidhnean Gàidhlig agus co-chomhairleachadh air-loidhne.
Thuirt an Comhairliche, Luna Martin, Stiùiriche Poileasaidh don Ghàidhlig:
"Tha Gàidhlig fhathast na pàirt chudromach de dhearbh-aithne, dualchas agus cultar mhòran choimhearsnachdan air feadh Earra-Ghàidheal is Bhòid. Bu choir don Ghàidhlig a bhith air a cumadh san àm tri teachd leis na daoine agus na h-àiteachan far a bheil i a’ leantainn ga cleachdadh ’s a’ soirbheachadh.
"Bheir an co-chomhairleachadh seo fo stiùir na coimhearsnachd fìor chothrom do dhaoine an eòlasan, àrd-amasan agus beachdan a roinn, mu na bhios Sgìrean Cànain Sònraichte a’ ciallachadh do choimhearsnachdan.
"Tha sinn airson ’s gum bi gach neach a tha a’ gabhail pàirt, a’ faireachdainn fiosraichte, a’ faotainn taic, agus comasach air cur ris ann an dòighean a tha ag obrachadh dhaibh. Le bhith ag èisteachd ri coimhearsnachdan agus tional fianais còmhla, faodaidh sinn a bhith cinnteach gum bi co-dhùnaidhean san àm ri teachd air am freumhachadh ann an eòlas agus prìomhachasan ionadail.”
