Theme 3: An Economically Flourishing Community

From the Glenkens Community Action Plan Steering Group, with a particular focus on the impacts of the cuts on the educational provision for the Glenkens through a rural depopulation lens.

The Glenkens Skills and Jobs Fair aimed to create and promote an event which showcases the breadth of opportunity for employment, training and employability support in the area.

This paper explores the future of rural education in the context of the Glenkens community, highlighting findings from the 2024 CoDeL report and outlining practical recommendations for national and local policymakers.

Life and Land in the Glenkens was commissioned to reflect and amplify voices within our communities, through case studies and a fresh look at life in the Glenkens from a local young journalist Ross Sanderson.

Appendices to A review of rural education in the Glenken

A presentation from Community Development Lens (CoDeL) looking at the links between education and the sustainability of rural communities, and the need for local education hub or centre of excellence.

This report reviews the links between education and the sustainability of rural communities, and focuses on opportunities and challenges for educational provision in the Glenkens, a dynamic and engaged rural community.

Fiona Smith and Sarah Ade, representatives of the Glenkens Community Action Plan Steering Group, and Helen Keron, GCAT Executive Manager, met Gillian Brydson, Director of Education, Skills and Community Wellbeing and Ingrid Gemmell, Stewartry Ward Officer to discuss actions from the July meeting and future plans for partnership working to find a sustainable model of education and learning in the Glenkens

The Education and Learning event held in the Glenkens in July 2024 catalysed a very useful meeting between the CAP Steering Group and Dr Gillian Brydson, Director of the Dumfries and Galloway Education, Skills and Community Wellbeing department. The meeting has led to actions that are being worked by both sides, and hopefully heralds a new era of community and Council partnership working on these critically important issues for the area.

The Glenkens Community and Arts Trust (GCAT) hosted an Education and Learning event in the Glenkens on 11th July 2024, on behalf of the Glenkens and District Community Action Plan Steering Group.

A ‘Land Use in the Glenkens’ meeting was held on 8th July 2024 in The Smiddy, Balmacellan to report and discuss the recent land use projects

This feasibility study provides recommendations and guidance on how the potential of the Vision for Land Use in the Glenkens could be realised.

Dalry Community Council with GCAT commissioned three complementary reports studying Land Use and Local Place Planning in the Glenkens. The studies were funded by SoSE and Nature Scot, to set out the next steps required to embed land use considerations in the Glenkens into the medium term.

This paper from the Community Action Plan Steering Group (CAP SG), owners of the Glenkens & District Community Action Plan, sets out a clear rationale for a delay to the decision to mothball the Dalry Secondary School to allow the wider impact on the community to be assessed and appropriate mitigating actions put in place.

This Vision and the associated recommendations are intended as the first step to creating a balance in Glenkens land use where all voices are heard, respected and valued.

Slides from the Glenkens Housing Forum meeting held on 9th February 2023 at the Smiddy, Balmaclellan.

Glenkens & District Trust (GDT) commissioned South of Scotland Community Housing (SOSCH) to undertake a Housing Needs and Demands Assessment (HNDA) for the Trust to understand more about the current and future housing needs of its residents within the area covered by the Glenkens and wider district.

This report looking at local food production in the Glenkens was produced by Propagate CIC with the support of a grant from Blackcraig as part of the CAP set up phase co-ordinated by Community Enterprise, which supported selected projects under the short term priorities heading in the CAP.

This feasibility study from SKS Consulting was commissioned by Glenkens & District Trust using Blackcraig funds in order to explore what solutions might be available to meet the challenges to local childcare provision.