Co-labhairt soirbheachail le sùil air adhart dhan Ghàidhlig

Issued by Comunn na Gàidhlig (CnaG)

English Below

Chaidh deasbad a dhèanamh mun an t-slighe air adhart airson leasachadh na Gàidhlig am measg an òigridh aig co-labhairt air leth soirbheachail ann an Steòrnabhagh, air a’ chumail le Comunn na Gàidhlig.

Bhathas a’ coimhead cuideachd ri leasanan bhon eachdraidh aig an tachartas mu dheireadh anns an t-sreath airson 40 bliadhna de Chomunn na Gàidhlig a chomharrachadh.

Bha còrr math is ceud neach an làthair uile gu lèir, eadar faisg air ceud san rùm ann an Steòrnabhagh, agus suas ri dà fhichead air loidhne. Bha gu leòr den òigridh an sàs cuideachd le sgoilearan an làthair bho Sgoil ‘Ic Neacail sa bhaile fhèin, is bho Àrd-Sgoil Sir E Scott anns an Tairbeirt.

Tro sheiseanan na maidne chualas cuid de na leasanan bhon eachdraidh le ceathrar de Cheannardan ChnaG air an àrd-ùrlar. Chualas òraid cuideachd bhon Leas Phrìomh Mhinisteir, is Rùnaire a Chaibineit airson a’ Ghàidhlig, Ceit Fhoirbeis. Feasgar ghluaiseadh gu bhith a’ deasbad leasachadh Ghàidhlig am measg an òigridh.

Thuirt Marina Mhoireach, Stiùiriche Leasachaidh ChnaG: “Bha e cudromach dhuinne ceann ceart a thoirt dhan sreath thachartasan a th’ air a bhith againn airson ‘CnaG@40’ a chomharrachadh, ach aig a’ cheart àm bha sinn airson feum mhath a thoirt às an cruinneachadh. Bha e na thlachd dha rìribh a bhith a’ faicinn na h-uimhir an làthair.

“Tha mu 23 bliadhna ann bho chùm ChnaG a’ cho-labhairt mu dheireadh anns an t-sreath ‘Chòmhdhailean Ghàidhlig’ a b’ àbhaist a bhith ann, agus bha sinn mothachail nach robh na h-uimhir de chothroman eile air a bhith ann tro na bliadhnachan ud. Tha againn fhathast ri beachdan a h-uile duine a bha ann a thrusadh is a leughadh ach leis na chuala sinn air an là, tha sinn a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil e follaiseach gu bheil iarrtas mhòr ann son a leithid – ge bith cò bhiodh os a chionn.

“’Se rud mòr a bha seo do ChnaG a chur air dòigh, is feumaidh sinn taing shònraichte a thoirt dhan luchd-taic a bh’ againn – Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean; Comhairle nan Eilean, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, agus Urras Brosnachaidh na Gàidhlig. Às aonais an taic-airgid bhuapasan cha robh dòigh againn leithid seo a dhèanamh.”

An làthair bha ceathrar a-mach às an còignear Ceannardan a th’ air a bhith aig CnaG thar na bliadhnachan, a’ cunntas (anns an òrdugh san robh iad san dreuchd): Iain Aonghais MacAoidh; Ailean Caimbeul; Dòmhnall Màrtainn; agus Dòmhnall MacNèill.

Bha iomradh aig na ‘seann Ceannardan’ air cuid de na rudan as cudromaiche san robh CnaG an sàs thar nam bliadhnaichean, bho bhith a’ cumail taic ri fàs is leasachadh foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig; ag iomairt airson structar is gnìomhachas telebhisean Ghàidhlig a stèidheachadh; agus a bhith ag obair a dh’ionnsaigh inbhe laghail dhan Ghàidhlig. Às aonais an iomairt is na gnìomhan seo bhiodh cor na Gàidhlig gu math nas miosa san là-an-diugh.

Feasgar, thionndaidh fòcas na còmhraidhean gu obair òigridh, gu h-àraid leis gu bheil CnaG an sàs an-dràsta os cionn pròiseas gu bhith a’ deasachadh ro-innleachd Ghàidhlig òigridh do dh’Alba. Am measg na chaidh aithris bha cuid de na prìomh thoraidhean bhon suirbhidh òigridh a rinn CnaG eadar an Dàmhair is an Dùbhlachd an uiridh. ’S iad sin:

• 1226 freagairt uile gu lèir, gun dùil an toiseach ach ri mu 500 – 700.
• An òigridh gu làidir airson barrachd chothroman spòrsail a bhith aca gus an cuid Ghàidhlig a chleachdadh taobh a-muigh na sgoiltean.
• Am misneachd sa chànan (a rèir am beachdan fhèin) a’ tuiteam bho 8 a-mach à 10 aig deireadh na bun-sgoile gu 6 a-mach à 10 aig deireadh na h-àrd-sgoile.
• Am misneachd nas àirde anns na sgìrean far am bheil oifigearan leasachaidh an sàs a’ cruthachadh chothroman spòrsail, no-fhoirmeil dhaibh.
• Gun ach 40% mothachail air susbaint Ghàidhlig air na meadhanan sòisealta.

A thaobh an ro-innleachd òigridh, mhìnich Ceannard ChnaG Dòmhnall MacNèill dhan an èisteachd an obair sa bheil iad air a bhith an sàs chun seo le dùil an dreach ro-innleachd sgaoileadh anns am mìos na dhà tha romhainn.

Le amas gum biodh a’ mhòr chuid den òigridh a tha a’ fàgail FTMG le ìre de dh’fhileantachd àbhaisteach tha CnaG air a bhith a’ coimhead ri na structaran a tha an sàs am measg cuid de mhion-chànan eil, is a’ bruidhinn ri luchd-iomairt anns na dùthchannan ud.

Le bhith a’ pòsadh amasan òigridh na Gàidhlig airson cothroman spòrsail a bharrachd le gnìomh anns na dùthchannan eile bhiodh e na iongnadh mar a biodh feum air structar leasachaidh sòisealta is no-fhoirmeil dhan Ghàidhlig.

Thuirt Ceannard ChnaG, Dòmhnall MacNèill: “Chan ann le CnaG a bhios an ro-innleachd seo ach leis a’ choimhearsnachd Ghàidhlig air fad – a’ cunntas an òigridh fhèin mar phrìomhachas ach a’ gabhail a-steach beachdan am pàrantan, luchd-foghlam, luchd-leasachaidh eile, agus duine sam bith eile a thogras beachd a thoirt seachad.

“Tha sinn airson deasbad a phiobrachadh mu na prionnsabalan is na prìomhachas a bhios air cùl an obair seo. Tha 93 sgoil an sàs ann am foghlam Ghàidhlig air feadh Alba. Ma tha sinn airson structar chothromach a bhith againn, a’ tabhann na h-aon chothroman sòisealta, spòrsail dhan an òigridh air feadh Alba, agus gum biodh e aig an ìre far an dèanadh e feum dha na comasan cànan aca, tha e follaiseach gur e structar susbainteach a dh’fheumadh a bhith ann.

“’S e fìor chothrom a bh’ ann dhuinn na prionnsabalan seo a chuir mu choinneamh na bha an làthair aig a’ cho-labhairt is am beachdan a thrusadh mus tèid sinn gu co-chomhairle foirmeil ann an ùine nach bi ro fhada.”

Successful conference looking to the future of Gaelic

Discussions on the way forward for Gaelic development among young people took place at a successful conference in Stornoway, hosted by Comunn na Gàidhlig (CnaG).

Lessons to be taken from the history of Gaelic development were also considered at the last in a series of events to mark CnaG’s 40th anniversary.

There were almost 150 delegates at the conference, including nearly 100 at the venue in Stornoway, and an average of 40 participating online throughout the day. There were also significant numbers of young people involved, including senior pupils from the Nicolson Institute, and from Sir E. Scott Secondary in Tarbert.

Through the morning sessions CnaG’s involvement with some of the key milestones of Gaelic development were considered. The conference was also addressed in a recorded contribution by Deputy First Minister, and Cabinet Secretary for Gaelic, Kate Forbes. The afternoon discussions focussed on Gaelic development among the youth.

Marina Murray, CnaG’s Director of Development said: “It was important to us to end the series of events we’ve had to mark ‘CnaG@40’ a strong, final event in the series with something significant, but also to use the opportunity to look forward. It was very encouraging to see so many people attending.

“It’s 23 years since CnaG held the last of its annual ‘Gaelic Congress’ events, and there haven’t been very many similar opportunities for such discussions through those years. We still need to gather and analyse the feedback from all those who were at the conference, but from what we heard on the day, we think it’s clear that there is a strong demand for such opportunities – whoever would be involved in running them.

“It was a significant task for CnaG to organise such an event and we need to specifically thank those who provided financial support towards it: Highlands and Islands Enterprise; Comhairle nan Eilean; Bòrd na Gàidhlig; and the Gaelic Language Promotion Trust. Without this support we could not have organised the conference.”

The event was attended by 4 out of 5 of CnaG’s Chief Executives over the years, including (in chronological order) John Angus MacKay, Allan Campbell, Donald Martin, and Donald MacNeill.

The previous CEOs highlighted some of the key activities undertaken by CnaG over the years, from supporting the growth and development of Gaelic Medium Education; campaigning for the establishment of a Gaelic television industry and structures; and working towards a secure legal status for the language. Without these efforts the language would be in a more challenging position today.

The afternoon sessions focussed on youth activity, particularly with CnaG’s current role leading the development of a national Gaelic Youth Strategy. Among the topics were the first publication of the results of the youth survey carried out by CnaG between October and December last year. Including:

• A final total of 1226 responses, from an initial target of 500-700.
• A strong demand from young people for more fun opportunities to use their Gaelic outside school.
• Their language confidence (in their own opinion) declining from 8 out of 10 at the end of primary school, to 6 out of 10 at the end of secondary
• Higher levels of confidence reported in locations where there were development officers in place to organise and run informal, fun sessions.
• Only 40% aware of any Gaelic content on social media

For the National Gaelic Youth Strategy CnaG chief executive Donald MacNeill outlined the work they have been doing so far, and the expectation to circulate a draft Strategy in the next few months.

Working to a target that most young people would leave GME with a level of fluency that would allow them to use their Gaelic in the community, CnaG has been examining development structures in other minority language contexts and speaking to language development staff in these locations.

Considering the young Gaelic speakers’ own reported desire for more fun activity in Gaelic, with what is made available elsewhere it is likely that an enhanced provision and social language development structure is needed for Gaelic.

CnaG chief executive Donald MacNeill said: “This will not be CnaG’s youth strategy, but will belong to the whole community – including the young people’s own voice as a priority, but also including opinions from parents, those involved in education, other development workers, and anyone else who has a contribution to make.

“We want to provoke a debate about the principles and priorities underpinning this work. There are 93 schools in Scotland with some engagement with Gaelic education. If we want an accessible structure, providing the same social, fun activities for young people across Scotland, and at a level where it would make a difference to their language abilities and confidence, then clearly it would need to be an organisation of some scale.

“This conference was an important opportunity for us to present these principles to those attending the conference and to hear their opinions before we go to a formal consultation on the draft Strategy.”