32 10 430 https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/20/629/250113_EducRev_CoDeL_MSPs_cover.jpg 3d47fe4cdc1cae34d5671cad4bb3b3d9 https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/20/629/250113_EducRev_CoDeL_MSPs.pdf 31651601ee0cce4d669ca8893e1bd5c2 PDF Text Text pdftext_placeholder Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Community Action Plan Description An account of the resource Documents relating to the Glenkens and District Community Action Plan, initially drawn up by Glenkens & District Trust in 2020. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data  Text Any textual data included in the document A review of rural education Theona Morrison and Thomas Fisher November 2024 Links between education and the sustainability of rural communities  Latest rigorous research (from Denmark, Finland & Canada), confirms school closures contribute to depopulation in the medium term (e.g. from year 6 onwards).  While small rural schools face challenges, they can deliver many benefits to communities and pupils, giving them a sense of belonging, respect and resilience.  This presents a significant challenge to D&G, a rural region facing an ageing population and depopulation, that has 100+ schools, many of them small and old.  Critical is to consider school policy not just in terms of financial constraints, or even just educational policy, but its wider impacts, not least on depopulation. Key findings  The provision of rural education plays critical roles in delivering on national (Scottish) and local (D&G) policy to support thriving rural communities, directly addressing depopulation and developing skills, opportunities and resilience for their long-term sustainability.  Rural education must ...  give young people skills, opportunities and genuine choice to pursue their lives and careers locally, or elsewhere (place-based education rather than schooling focused on ‘learning to leave’)  enable vibrant local economies, meeting recruitment needs of local employers, in the present and future  equip rural communities with skills to respond to the climate and biodiversity emergencies, building on existing local knowledge and experience. Place-based education: some examples  There are many successful models of educational provision that have been developed to sustain rural communities in practice, for example,  Western Isles: vocational strategy  Breadalbane Academy: Rural skills  Baltasound Junior High School, Shetland  Galloway Glens Internship Programme  And there are many opportunities for developing locally relevant skills and job opportunities: e.g. in renewables, and in local sustainable food production Local hub or centre of excellence  Emerging community vision to create an educational hub at the heart of the community to deliver rural place-based learning from cradle to grave.  The hub could become a centre of excellence for relevant rural skills, for example for the land-based and renewable energy sectors. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource A review of rural education presentation Description An account of the resource 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. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CAP_26 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource GCAT Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Glenkens & District Trust Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource CoDeL CAP Theme 3 education https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/20/630/Appendices_Rural_Education_Review_Nov2024.jpg 5ad77cd9e102f1f30b01377b9f067583 https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/20/630/Appendices_Rural_Education_Review_Nov_2024.pdf 00cbb7a8ab3233a529154dad74c9087c PDF Text Text pdftext_placeholder Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Community Action Plan Description An account of the resource Documents relating to the Glenkens and District Community Action Plan, initially drawn up by Glenkens & District Trust in 2020. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document A review of rural education in the Glenkens: Appendices November 2024 Table of Contents Case study 1: That’s how we did it in the Western Isles! ................................................................... 2 Vocational Educational Strategy and Local Labour Market Intelligence ........................................... 2 e-Sgoil ........................................................................................................................................... 3 The community sector and life-long learning ................................................................................. 4 Case study 2: Breadalbane Academy in Perthshire ........................................................................... 5 Case study 3: Baltasound Junior High School in Shetland ................................................................. 6 Case study 4: Reflections from Ireland .............................................................................................. 8 Casestudy 5: From Denmark to Galloway ....................................................................................... 11 Folk high schools in Denmark ....................................................................................................... 11 Kilquhanity School, Galloway ....................................................................................................... 12 Case study 6: Galloway Glens Intern Programme ............................................................................ 13 Case Study 7: Natural Power Consultants (NPC) ............................................................................. 15 Case study 8: Vattenfall Wind Power .............................................................................................. 16 Case study 9: Abi Mordin, Propogate .............................................................................................. 17 Case study 10: Bairn Banter, Carsphairn ......................................................................................... 19 Appendix 11: Creating a vision for Dalry / Glenkens Education: Notes taken of participants’ contributions .................................................................................................................................. 23 Appendix 12: Creating a Vision for Dalry / Glenkens Education: Writing and drawing by participants..................................................................................................................................... 26 Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 2 Case study 1: That’s how we did it in the Western Isles! Sources: Direct experience of CoDeL’s Directors in developing educational opportunities within the Western Isles (Outer Hebrides); also e-Sgoil, Evidence of Impact Report 2024, https://e-sgoil.com/media/kljl4rf2/impactreport-2024.pdf Vocational Educational Strategy and Local Labour Market Intelligence The Outer Hebrides had amongst the worst population projections: an expected decline of 25% in total population and of one-third in the working age population by 2046. To address this the Local Authority, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (CnES), adopted a formal education strategy in 2008 designed to stem population decline. Historically the curriculum was stacked heavily in favour of those going on to Higher Education. In reality this was only relevant for approximately 34% of the school leaver cohort, which left a majority of young people seeking work or Further Education to equip themselves for the world of work post-school, which often still took them away from the islands. It was essentially ‘education for export’: to ‘get-on’ in life was to ‘get-off’ the islands. Universal education for all in the islands had been thoroughly embraced and in the 1980s the islands had the highest university entrance rate per head of population in the country. This also meant that young people who wanted, for example, to become a mechanical engineer, had to leave to become qualified. When young people reach their adult life, naturally they form social bonds which may last throughout their lives. If those bonds are formed ‘away’ from home, despite initial intentions, many will not return. This meant the islands were leaching their young and able population. To address the dire projections, a formal Vocational Educational Strategy was introduced and adopted in 2008. Local Labour Market Intelligence (LLMI) was key to informing decisions around which courses would be introduced into the curriculum based on ‘where the jobs would be in the future’. If it was identified that a sector of the economy was struggling with recruitment gaps or predicted to expand, but an appropriate course didn’t exist, a writing group was established and the courses were commissioned, written, verified and accredited with parity of esteem to sit within the qualification menu offered to pupils. It was important that courses were not just for the less able, but relevant to all pupils. Such courses included, at National 5 level, Harris Tweed, Crofting, , Maritime Skills and, at Higher Level 6, Local Food Production, the last providing opportunities for progression from a number of courses, including the crofting course. The strategy meant every child had the entitlement to a nationally accredited industry recognised qualification linked to employability within the local economy informed by LLMI. The delivery of the courses, along with many Skills for Work courses, were delivered, at least in part, by an industry experienced tutor. This gave pupils learning in context and relevance which proved successful and popular with pupils. As examples, we know there are young people who took the Crofting course, perceiving it as being on a par with Biology and in a locally relevant context, who went on to gain their PhD, returned to the islands, have become Vice Chair of the local agricultural committee and office bearer of the livestock committee, all rooted in their community, and contributing to the local community and economy. Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 3 Other courses were already available through SQA but were not necessarily offered by the school. In this case any accredited presenting centre could verify and deliver the course. For example, a collaboration between Stirling University and the Western Isles Health Board created a Pre-Nursing Scholarship to address recruitment gaps in the nursing sector. Further collaboration followed with the Education Department of CnES and Cothrom, a local training centre. All this enabled young people to gain relevant work-based experience in the local hospital, clinic and GP practices and gain qualifications, equivalent to at least two Highers, for entry into a nursing degree. Subsequently this was replaced by the Foundation Apprenticeship in Health and Social Care, with the addition of the SVQ2 in social care, which is essential to access employment within the social care sector. This meant that a range of courses were delivered in collaboration with local businesses and community organisations. Evidence has demonstrated that Work Experience ranks highly in pupil personalisation and choice exercises; whether they like it or not, they gain from the experience it provides. The Skills for Work and other courses increased the collaboration with local sectors such as hospitality, garages, Scottish Water, the veterinary surgery, etc. The Western Isles were head and shoulders above every Local Authority in Scotland with the number of pupils achieving such a range of employability relevant qualifications. This doesn’t count for much if the area still loses its young people, so tracking and checking ‘where are they now’ was really important. e-Sgoil The world was changing, IT connectivity was improving, and there were also teacher recruitment gaps. So in 2016 the e-Sgoil online teaching and learning platform was launched. One of its original purposes specific to the Outer Hebrides was to ensure that (a) all pupils across the islands would be given the same subject offering, not just those in the largest school in Stornoway, and that (b) all pupils would have access to more specialised subjects that might be taught in person in any one of the four secondary schools. Obviously it took significant resources to develop e-Sgoil, which now earns some of its income from providing services beyond the Outer Hebrides. However, offering wider choices through e-Sgoil to pupils across the four secondary schools within the Outer Hebrides is not resource intensive once the technology platform is in place. A key success factor is simply coordinating timetabling across the four schools to allow pupils in different schools to share the same class times. One of e-Sgoil’s stand-out strengths was to satisfy the demand for Gaelic education across Scotland, and this continues today. Covid saw the rapid expansion of such online provision enabling teachers across all curricular areas but geographically dispersed to be able to deliver to equally dispersed pupils. Beyond Covid, ideally teachers spend some face-to-face time with pupils, which builds the rapport which enhances the online experience. According to the Evidence of Impact Report, e-Sgoil’s Vision is to provide all learners with equitable access to high-quality teaching and learning, embedded in values of equity, opportunity, innovation and inclusion. e-Sgoil’s five aims include: • • • provide education characterised by pupil personalisation and choice; give learners equitable access to high quality teaching and learning; work with partners to create and enhance inclusive learners’ experiences. Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 4 e-Sgoil continues to deliver to the Scottish Government’s National e-Learning Offer (NeLO), working closely alongside Education Scotland, the Northern Alliance and representatives from other Regional Improvement Collaboratives. Partnership working has enabled e-Sgoil to extend its reach allowing more young people to benefit from what is on offer. The community sector and life-long learning While the Outer Hebrides were way ahead with qualifications and pathways relevant to the local economy, it is important to recognise other supporting and contributing factors. This included the local college, Lews Castle College (LCC), based in Stornoway, which set up a learning centre in Benbecula just next door to the secondary school. The centre provided opportunities for local young people and adults to engage in further and higher education opportunities, and at times enabled senior phase pupils to take courses not taught in the school. Within the community sector in Uist two social enterprises in particular emerged to deliver significant education and learning opportunities. First was Cothrom, a charitable adult learning centre, that was initially set up in 1992 to help women back into work, a mission that ensured a long-term commitment to childcare, including eventually the creation of Cothrom’s own Gaelic-speaking nursery. Cothrom went on to develop a wide range of life-long learning opportunities for adults, but with a strong focus on delivering learning and support services for young people and adults facing challenges in their lives. Included within Cothrom’s offering was an SQA accredited qualification in horticulture, delivered in partnership with another key community organisation, Tagsa Uibhist, which has contributed to a significant expansion of local horticulture. In fact, the largest community growing project, which is at Tagsa, was for a while managed by three graduates from the first cohort of the horticulture course. 1 Second was Taigh Chearsabhagh, the arts and heritage centre set up in 1994, which collaborated closely with Lews Castle College (which later became part of UHI), to deliver art courses at further and higher education level, recently being able to teach a full BA. The primary inspiration for art at Taigh Chearsabhagh has always been the distinct island environment, which attracted students locally and from off the islands, as well as the community. Taigh Chearsabhagh was in fact a merger of the local historical society and the local arts association, the network of the many artists within Uist. In addition, the community riding school, established back in 1974, started offering accredited qualifications in equestrian studies. Building on this long experience of community organisations like Cothrom and Taigh Chearsabhagh, the Gaelic music and culture organisation within the community, Ceòlas, which was first set up in 1996 to run the annual summer school, entered into partnership with the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI). They jointly built a £7 million cultural centre, Cnoc Soilleir. This was opened in 2022 and now delivers community-based courses and events in Gaelic language, music and culture, as well courses accredited by UHI, including resident academic staff in music and in archaeology. Gaelic music, dance and culture have in fact long been part of community-based learning, including for young people through the two annual feisean (one in South Uist, one in North Uist targeted at children, with many of the tutors being young people themselves), as well as a range of local dance schools, etc. 1 For more detail on the emergence of a multi-pronged and integrated strategy, led by Tagsa Uibhist, to start rebuilding a local food economy in Uist, see the CoDeL casestudy at http://codel.scot/community-actions-in-uistand-glenkens, which also includes three casestudies from Glenkens. Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 5 Building on long-standing enterprise programmes within schools, Cothrom and the CnES Education Department collaborated on a more innovative non-accredited programme to enable every senior phase young person to experience a day-long workshop, specially designed based on a New Economics Foundation model, to provide them with economic literacy of their place. Local literacy of where pupils live is not traditionally taught in schools. A headteacher of the school once said that pupils could name entrepreneurs of businesses elsewhere, with famous names or brands advertised across shops, buses, businesses and on the internet, but not those entrepreneurs who ran the bus company that took them to school every day or the local construction companies that built local housing. It was quite literally revelatory to hear the enterprising ideas which every young person who participated in the day-long workshops proposed when they had focussed on, and gained an understanding of where they lived. Finally, in 2018 CoDeL undertook research to track young adults across the seven inhabited islands from Berneray to Eriskay. During this time an accredited Leadership course was also delivered. In this case, it was not so much the accredited nature of the course which was most valued. This was a cohort of young adults for whom an age range of perhaps 5 to 10 years would have been unworkable during school years, but as adults, with different experiences under their belt, they had one thing in common: they had chosen to return, stay or settle in the islands. Geographically quite dispersed from across seven islands and around 60 miles, it was the coming together as informed adults which gave them voice and confidence to lead, speak and be heard in the community. Case study 2: Breadalbane Academy in Perthshire Source: Interview with Dougie Woodrow, Course Lead for rural skills at Breadalbane Academy There is an existing SQA accredited National Progression Award in Rural Skills, described as “a starting place for candidates pursuing a future in one of the major land-based industries” (see https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/41752.html); it also includes a qualification at National 4 level. The case of Breadalbane Academy demonstrates just how effective education for rural skills using these SQA qualifications can be. Initially developed with funding from Lantra, delivery of the course builds on significant assets and opportunities, like the many farms and estates within a 10-mile radius of the school. These include, as examples, pupils working on West Park Farm, working with game keepers on estates, learning about conservation at the Crannoch Centre, and learning about brush cutting, chain saws and quodbikes at Dùn Coillich,2 a community-owned landscape regeneration and rural skills training project, managed by Highland Perthshire Communities Land Trust. The course lead has access to a minibus which he can use to take pupils around during a double period. There are so many work opportunities locally, for example on farms, or with forestry expanding so quickly, and so many job opportunities as a result. Opportunities to learn rural skills are very tangible, and pupils like it, bringing lots of energy. Originally the classes just provided an introduction, now pupils can go through to Nat4 qualifications and a 2 “Hugging the eastern shoulder of Schiehallion, Dùn Coillich is a diverse mosaic of precious habitats. Thanks to the efforts of an army of volunteers and rural skills trainees dedicated to restoring this landscape from the remnants of a deer farm, it’s home to an increasing number of species as native trees return, land is sensitively managed and nature flourishes.” https://www.duncoillich.org/ Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 6 National Progression Award, for example. In fact the subject provides opportunities to gain not just qualifications but also specific tickets (e.g. in operating quad bikes and maintaining chainsaws), and significant practical work experience. There are many different pathways, so it is great for diverse pupils. Previous course leads have involved pupils in horticulture in a community garden and in meat processing. The course delivered at Breadalbane has received glowing SQA reports, not least because of how good many of the local partners are in delivering opportunities for practical experience and learning. The current course lead at Breadalbane reckons that about 50% of pupils taking rural skills end up in local employment in land-based activities. Many of these might have ended up in the same sectors anyway, as they come from families with similar employment. However, not only does the rural skills course provide opportunities to gain tickets, qualifications and experience, it also values, affirms and accredits skills that some pupils come with already through their family background. This is hugely important for place-based education in recognising and building on local skills, and valuing pupils for skills they may already have. For example, pupils have explained all about how much money their families made at a sheep sale. As the course lead said, “I have learnt a huge amount myself about sheep, pigs and deer from pupils who could easily deliver a lesson based on knowledge and skills that they are already masterful in”. The course lead ensures that, for those pupils who bring skills and experience from home, he matches their work and contributions to the needed requirements for SQA qualifications. A few take rural skills on into higher education, for example a pupil who now works in veterinary care locally. The rural skills programme is part of a commitment by the Academy to provide wider educational opportunities. The Breadalbane Guarantee (see here) highlights so many assets and opportunities on the school’s doorstep, enabling every pupil, for example, to plant a tree, climb a Munro and engage in water sports. The SQA qualifications in rural skills are particularly relevant to the Glenkens, where the Rural Skills Training Centre is being developed within the Carsphairn Community Wood with funding from Dumfries and Galloway (D&G) Council and South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE). This could provide significant opportunities for collaboration between education in schools and within the wider community. Case study 3: Baltasound Junior High School in Shetland Source: Interview with Paul Thomson, Headteacher at Baltasound Baltasound is the most northerly school in Scotland in the island of Unst in Shetland. According to the school website, We are a fully inclusive school with Nursery to Secondary 4 students all on the same campus. A diverse and enterprising school, we pride ourselves as being part of a dynamic island community with students, staff and parents all working together. There are 90 pupils across the whole school, aged 2 to 16, with occasional pupils with complex needs who stay beyond 16. Pupils continuing into S5 and S6 go to Lerwick, boarding during the week. The school shares some teachers with neighbouring island schools, for example on Yell; a few teachers, e.g. Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 7 in art and music, teach across three schools. Seven teachers and the Headteacher are based on Unst, with an additional four shared teachers who are based on other islands. There are many informal interactions between the school heads in different islands. The population of Unst is stable at around 650. Some of the teachers at the school are former pupils who have returned. For example, one of the current probationers in the primary school is former pupil, and several former pupils are training as teachers or in childcare through the University of the Highlands and Islands in Shetland. The new school motto, chosen through a whole school and community competition, is “Peerie School, Big Dreams”. This reflects that we are a small rural school on the most northerly island in the UK; although we are able to progress through our school and become anyone we dare or dream to be. It also needs all stakeholders in the school (pupils, parents, staff, partner agencies and community) to do all we can to ensure our pupils have all the skills and qualities required for life beyond school. And this will allow those big dreams to come true. The Shetland word ‘peerie’ (which means small) also shows that our dialect, our location on Planet Earth and our history are also a vital part of who we are. Baltasound Junior High offers English and Maths, 3 sciences, 2 social sciences, music and art, home economics and technical subjects (including IT). Modern languages are only possible through elearning, but the school rarely uses e-Sgoil, not least because the timetabling, and pupil supervision, are challenging. Pupils start their National 5 courses in S3, allowing a reasonable pace to get through the set curriculum, with time to add other things not formally specified in the curriculum to make their learning a richer experience. Each year the Head Teacher at Baltasound spends significant time and energy timetabling classes based on pupil choices that year. This is done in a public space, so that pupils can see the HT doing it, and even make suggestions. Key features of this approach are flexibility and the determination to make things work. When numbers are small, the school may combine classes (e.g. teaching chemistry to S3 and S4 pupils in the same class). One year the school added a computer game development course in computer science, based on the aspirations of the specific cohort of pupils that year. If there are gaps in teaching provision, then the school will find a way round. Currently they don’t have a teacher trained in Home Economics, but a teacher is delivering the subject supported by other Home Economics teachers elsewhere to ensure alignment with SQA accreditation. When the school was without a technical teacher, they used e-Sgoil (the only time they have done this). And if a pupil is very keen to do a different subject than those on offer, the school will seek to be really flexible to make it work. This has happened for example in the case of a pupil who wanted to study Modern Studies. On another occasion a subject choice for one pupil could simply not be timetabled, but they had the ability to pursue this choice through self-study, and the school allocated support from a qualified teacher in that subject. The Headteacher commented, I have a relative who works in a big secondary school in England, even with some large subjects running identical classes in different rooms at the same time. There is no tailoring, no flexibility, no ability to go off on an interesting tangent. They don’t even know all the names of their pupils. Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 8 Many of our former pupils are still in touch with the school. Very few pupils don’t do well here, and then excel when they move to Lerwick in S5. Most continue the trajectory from their junior secondary. All the pupils are given a lot of responsibility at a young age. They take personal responsibility and become effective contributors. With the school so firmly rooted in the local community, there are so many opportunities for local entrepreneurs, businesses or services to come into the school. In the fortnight prior to the interview, the coastguard, the fire service and the local health centre had all visited the school or been visited by pupils. The school even has “Bring your Parent Days”, where parents follow their children for the whole day in school. The Headteacher explained, “The parents are absolutely knackered at the end of the day, but they love opportunities to come into the school. We are the hub of community activity. One school, one community.” The day includes having school dinners with the pupils. “Complaints about the quality of school dinners tend to stop after this!” Case study 4: Reflections from Ireland The case of Inishbofin, small schools and Education for Sustainable Development Sources: 1. 2. 3. GRETB Report on Inishbofin Community Post-Primary School Application - 18 March 2020 The Ombudsman for Children’s Office report for Inishbofin Secondary Steering Group, Inishbofin Island, County Galway, June 2020 Government of Ireland reports and press releases (see links within text) The case of Inishbofin Ireland has only five off-shore island post-primary schools, all of which are Education Training Board (ETB), co-educational, multi-denominational Gaeltacht schools, under the patronage of Galway and Roscommon ETB and Donegal ETB. Notwithstanding the additional challenges faced by these island schools arising from their off-shore island remote locations, ETB (Education Training Board) island schools have built up a reputation for being well led and managed, academic excellence, resilience, innovation in adopting and adapting teaching and learning methodologies, including experimenting with distance learning to best support their communities. Research in Scotland has had similar findings regarding small rural schools, including island schools citing the high quality of education provision, progression and outcomes. (GRETB, 2020, p21). The island of Inishbofin experienced a population decrease between 2006 and 2011, yet an increase in the number of children in age range 0 – 19 years. A paradox which indicates that when educational attainment increases people tend to be more likely to be in a position to stay on an island, bring up their children and are actively engaged in employment. National and international data supports the Inishbofin islander's contention that appropriate education provision on the island increases the sustainability of the community, as stated in their submission to the Department of Education (DES) requesting a post-primary school on the island. Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 9 Their attempt to have secondary provision for the children of Inishbofin was turned down: “This submission was refused by the department, on the basis that there were not enough children to warrant the funding.” This surely becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy as how will families be attracted to move to an area if there isn’t a school pathway for their children? This was confirmed by the Ombudsman: We feel that all children are equal and deserving of their needs being met, no child should be left behind as reinforced by the EEAS, the diplomatic service of the European Union, where they stated that ‘they reinforce its commitment to combating for a fairer world for children, an inclusive world where no child is left behind.’3 If the school was opened the numbers would grow as living on the island would be made viable for families with children or planning to have children, and families who have left … could now return with their children. GRETB’s recommendation in the submission was that “the proposal be seriously considered by DES with a view to a favourable decision regarding establishing a post-primary school and advises that the school be designated as a Community College.” Small schools and Education for Sustainable Development The Secretary of State for Education in Ireland, Minister Foley, announced support for ‘small schools’ (4 teachers or less) very recently in May 2024. Minister Foley said, Small schools are a support and a beacon for local communities. They are at the heart of educating generations of young people and providing a focal point for families and communities. The project has shown that small schools collaborating and working together offers promise for the future.4 The 2nd National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development – ESD to 2030 was published in June 2024 (here). It is co-sponsored by the Department of Education, Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. It brings together education, further and higher education. It also links sustainability into education including links with the wider community.5 ESD aims to ensure that all learners have the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development. ESD is a target under the Sustainable Development Goals (Target 4.7) and is acknowledged as a key enabler for the achievement of all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). ESD to 2030 has five priority areas, in line with UNESCO’s framework for ESD for 2030: • • • • • Aligning Policy Transforming Learning Environments Capacity Building of Educators Empowering and Mobilising Youth Accelerating Local Level Action 3 the key words ‘an inclusive world where no child is left behind’ have also been adopted by the Scottish Government. 4 https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/36ca7-minister-foley-announces-two-year-extension-of-small-schoolsproject-to-support-sustainability-of-small-schools-in-rural-ireland/ 5 https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/14f35-minister-for-education-announces-250000-in-funding-foreducation-for-sustainable-development-esd-projects-for-organisations/ Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 10 The accompanying ESD to 2030 Implementation Plan 2022 – 2026 sets out the roadmap to achieving target 4.7 by 2030 “across the Education Sector from Early Learning and Care to third level and beyond to non-formal and informal education”. ESD has three interlinked and equally important strands: Environmental, Social and Economic Sustainability. Funding of €250,000 is being delivered to organisations to support them in carrying out ESD related projects to schools, including, for example, making the school and its grounds more sustainable; teacher training in ESD; student projects; collaborative projects between the school and the local community, etc. In addition, whilst hosting a consultation symposium on sustaining small schools on 26 June 2019, Minister McHugh stated: Small schools can and do provide an excellent education to our children, right in the heart of their communities. I went to a small school as a child. I live in an area where small schools are a facet of life and that is replicated up and down the country. They are often the heartbeat and lifeblood of a community. Almost half of our schools are small schools, and almost 15 per cent of our children attend one. The [Irish] Government is committed to supporting and strengthening these.” Ní neart go cur le chéile – we need to work together to find new ways of supporting small schools [to ensure their long-term sustainability]. Scotland – as reported in Ireland! The Irish documents report favourably on the Commission for the Delivery of Rural Education,6 which was set up by the Scottish Government to review the Schools Consultation Scotland Act 2010 and its application, and to make recommendations on the delivery of all aspects of education in rural areas. Thirty-eight clear recommendations were made, including: 6 7 • The Scottish Government and local authorities should agree a coherent rural regeneration strategy to support economic outcomes for rural areas. • Local authorities, the Scottish Government, teaching institutions and trade unions should work together to explore innovative solutions to reduce the barriers to teaching in remote areas; and to ensure effective delivery of CPD to teachers in rural schools, learning from international best practice to reduce teachers’ isolation and sustain skills and development. • There must be a commitment to resource the curriculum in small rural secondary schools to support the achievement of positive outcomes and destinations for young people. This will require innovative and flexible arrangements to be developed including use of local primary school teachers and other experts within the local community.7 • Local authorities, together with their health and other Community Planning partners, should consider rural education holistically for their area, from early years to further and higher education, actively seeking solutions to enhance the viability of rural communities. https://www.gov.scot/publications/commission-delivery-rural-education-report/pages/3/ Experts within the local community were used in the Outer Hebrides to deliver the boatbuilding and crofting courses. Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 11 Casestudy 5: From Denmark to Galloway Sources: • Denmark: https://danishfolkhighschools.com/, and https://www.britannica.com/topic/folk-high-school • Kilquhanity: Glenkens and District Community Action Plan Steering Group and Glenkens Community and Arts Trust (2024), “Education and Learning in the Glenkens” (11th July 2024), https://glenkens.scot/reports-resources-archive/education-and-learning-in-the-glenkens-event Folk high schools in Denmark Folk high schools, which originated in Denmark in the mid-19th century as a means of providing the ‘common people’ with a knowledge of their history, religion and cultural heritage, are residential schools for adults that are common in Scandinavian countries and have been adopted elsewhere in Europe. The first school opened in Denmark in 1844. Following Denmark’s military defeat by Prussia in 1864, the folk high schools served as a powerful instrument of national regeneration. There are no entrance qualifications, grades, or leaving examinations. The schools are private but receive state subsidies. Courses are short in duration, lasting from several weeks to one year. Most students are young adults, and many folk high schools also attract an international body of students. According to https://danishfolkhighschools.com/, a folk high school is a non-formal residential school offering learning opportunities in almost any subject. Most students are between 18 and 24 years old and the length of a typical stay is four months. It is a boarding school, so students sleep, eat, study and spend their spare time at the school. During their stay, they live, eat, study, party and clean together with the other students. Everybody has the same duties and the same rights. There are no academic requirements for admittance, and there are no exams - but students do get a diploma as a proof of your attendance. One of the core-ideas of the folk high schools is equality and mutual learning between teachers and students. The classes are characterised by the free word, dialogue and an open curriculum which can be changed during the course. The main focus is to discover and strengthen the unique skills of each student in a challenging yet supportive social atmosphere. “The task of the schools is to create a climate where culture is a reality.” There are approximately 70 independent folk high schools located all over Denmark, offering learning opportunities in more than 300 different subjects. Every year in Denmark, an average of 40,000 people attend a folk high school for courses of varying lengths. While there are seven different types of folk high schools in Denmark, they all have the same purpose: to provide life enlightenment, public enlightenment, and democratic education. In other words, folk high schools aim to provide an education that enables individuals “not only to make a living but also to live a meaningful life”. Writers on folk high schools have written about communal singing, storytelling, residential schooling, democratic education, life enlightenment, learning through the body, exam free school, social learning and education for humanity. The seven different types in Denmark are: 1. Christian, bible or spiritual schools; 2. General and Grundtvigian schools: traditional folk high schools with many disciplines where students can immerse themselves in a single topic or choose between multiple topics; Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 12 3. Gymnastics and sports schools: about half of the course is dedicated to sports, while the other half will be more general education; 4. Lifestyle schools with a special focus on diet, exercise and personal development, as well as offering general education with a choice of various subjects; 5. Schools for senior citizens that arrange short-term courses only throughout the whole year; 6. Specialised schools, with a specific focus on a single discipline e.g. film, design or arts. However, half of the teaching according to the law for folk high schools must be of a broad general nature; 7. Youth folk high schools (16 to 19 years): there are only two of these schools. The Global Folk High School Movement was established during the International Folk High School Summit in September 2019. This enables people to join a community from all around the world working professionally as folk high school practitioners, researchers or in other ways working with thoughts surrounding the special pedagogical praxis of the folk high school. Kilquhanity School, Galloway We conclude this casestudy with a short comparison with local Kilquhanity School, the first ‘'free school'’ established in Scotland. While Kilquhanity is for children and the folk high schools focus on young adults, they share some similar ideas and approaches. According to Andrew Pyle, Head of Kilquhanity Children’s Village since 2007, the school is set on a 7-acre estate between the Bridge of Urr and Corsock. It was set up in the 1940s on the principles of Summerhill School.8 Unusually for the time, there was no physical punishment, and apart from basic numeracy and literacy, there was no compulsory curriculum. Principles of communal living were also strongly embedded in the way that the school was run, with democracy being an underpinning principle. The whole school community would meet every Thursday afternoon for a council meeting. A pupil would chair the meeting and record the minutes, and there was no restriction on points that could be raised. Rather than staff being responsible for intervention and punishment in cases of unacceptable behaviour, incidents were discussed in the meeting, with all parties involved giving their view and a collective decision made on how to proceed. Staff and pupils also carried out all the necessary housekeeping and gardening tasks, with every pupil engaging in ‘useful work’ tasks for 45 minutes per day. These included cooking, cleaning, chopping wood, etc. If the tasks were not carried out, the whole community would suffer, including the individual, but there was scope to swap your task with another person. This focus on the community and the individual’s role, as well as the principles of free choice in learning which meant that the students followed the learning that interested them, was conceived to develop pupils with a strong sense of individual responsibility to the community, and educational motivation through the freedom to explore. 8 A.S. Neill, who founded Summerhill in Suffolk in 1921, “set out to make a school that would fit the child rather than forcing pupils to do what parents and educators thought might be best for them. Summerhill is as unlike a conventional school as it could possibly be, founded … to provide a space where children can grow in a ‘freerange’ environment.” (https://www.summerhillschool.co.uk/) Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 13 Case study 6: Galloway Glens Intern Programme Source: Galloway Glens Landscape Partnership, Dumfries and Galloway Council and National Lottery Heritage Fund Scotland, Galloway Glens Intern Programme: Overview + Findings, 2023 The specific interns project, ‘Galloway Rural Skills’, included a programme of internship/work experience positions, with 15 roles (over four years) supported in posts hosted by a variety of employers. These were full-time paid internships for six months with 50% funding intervention. Two of the roles supported were subsequently extended for a further six months. The Galloway Rural Skills project had a number of aims: • to provide work and training opportunities; • to give young people a chance to see what it was like to work in Dumfries & Galloway; • to illustrate the range of heritage-related and other careers available in the region; • addressing the current departure rate of our young people (the population of Dumfries and Galloway continues to be one of the oldest in Scotland); • to introduce a new range of employers to the benefits of internships/work experience programmes. Beyond the selected candidates, the approach and overall programme sought to take every opportunity to highlight the merits to young people of working and living in Galloway. Later roles were advertised on indeed.com website. This advertised the role but also advertised the concept of working in Galloway, raising the profile of the range of careers available. It was hoped that even people who didn’t apply would start to think about Galloway as an attractive place to work The Galloway Glens Team were keen that the interns weren’t simply taken on for basic duties, essentially just at a subsidised rate. Hosts were therefore asked to make the internships as rewarding as possible, with maximum benefit for intern future employment. A strong and active approach to recruitment was vital to the success of the intern programme. The approximate cost of a 6-month internship was £12,800 (excluding employer staff time and project worker time). Note: The scheme relied on the strong advertising of roles. This usually resulted in a competitive appointment process. This scheme therefore did not provide dedicated support to applicants classed as ‘further from the workplace’ or needing additional support. Nine out of the 15 interns have continued working in the sector of their internship: • 3 secured a permanent role with the host, and 2 more a subsequent role with the host. • 2 secured a permanent or subsequent role in the sector, but not in D&G. • 1 entered further education in the sector of the internship, and 1 was able to continue independent self-employed work. Among the remaining six, two have moved away from D&G or the UK for roles outwith the sectors of the internships (one to Humberside, one to Bolivia), and two are now working in temporary roles in D&G, but not in the sector. Some ambitions of some of the interns: I would like to be working for Galloway Fisheries Trust leading a successful freshwater Pearl Mussel Conservation Project among many other projects. Living in a house that I own in the local area. Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 14 I’d like to be a lepidopterist doing habitat restoration. To reach my goal I would need to take part in a Moth research project and have worked as a Butterfly Conservation Field Assistant. both interns at Galloways Fisheries Trust To travel, work Freelance, and work again for Better Lives Partnership. (Intern at Better Lives Partnership) Running my own arts space or festival in Glasgow with a programme that centres around connecting people to nature in natural environments in the city. (Intern at Catstrand) Ambitions of some of those whose subsequent path was not known at the time of writing: I'd be living in a comfortable apartment shared with friends or living with friends rurally with ease of transport, an enjoyable job, and feeling fulfilled but productive. (Intern at Better Lives Partnership) I want to be working in forestry or related industry, be financially stable, and live rurally. I want to be feeling successful and accomplished in life. Helping friends and family as much as possible. (Intern at Carsphairn Community Woodland) Reflections on the employers: These were the employers who provided internship opportunities: • Galloway Fisheries Trust (4 interns) • Better Lives Partnership (2 interns) • GCAT/Catstrand (2 interns) • Crichton Carbon Centre (environmental charity) • Carsphairn Community Woodland • Czernin-Kinsky Scottish Company Ltd (family forestry company) • Mr Pooks restaurant • Drax • Natural Power The Intern Programme was ‘relationship-led’. They did not advertise for hosts, instead approaching partners or organisations that they had worked with or had already established a relationship with. It was commonly cited that the project was providing impetus to something the host had been meaning to do previously. Many of the organisations wanted to give an internship to a young person they could keep on and who would become part of their team. The internship was a way of testing them out while offering a nurturing environment of mentorship and training. A number of hosts did keep the interns on after completion of the six-month period. It is interesting to note the hosts were a range of sizes, from micro businesses through to large organisations. Natural Power used the internship to re-start their intern activities and Drax used it to address historically low local application rates for their established apprenticeship programme. Both of these cases illustrate that the intern model is not restricted to smaller organisations. Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 15 It was great to note the near-universal enthusiasm from hosts to undertake similar initiatives in the future. Natural Power won a Green Industry award for their hosting of an intern role. Conclusions and key learning points ✓ There is an appetite from employers to take part in an Intern Scheme, but it will often not be fully realised without support – either financial input or broader partnership backing. ✓ There are a number of sectoral/employer employment support schemes in operation but none of these prevent additional work in the sector. ✓ The time-limited nature of the Galloway Glens Scheme was often an advantage, resulting in the prioritising and expediting of the internship advertising process by the hosts. ✓ However, the five years delivery phase of the Galloway Glens Scheme was not long enough to undertake apprenticeship roles – with ‘shared apprenticeships’ possibly requiring even more lead time and support. ✓ Pro-active advertising of roles adds value, using press releases and targeted use of recruitment channels. Accompaniment of professional photos to illustrate the role resulted in an increase in number of applicants. ✓ Roles should also be advertised through sector networks/university lecturers. ✓ Pro-active advertising also addresses wider challenges such as the general perception that an area has no jobs of interest. ✓ Interns require clear a management structure, ideally a single manager, and awareness from the host beforehand that on-the-job mentoring will be required. ✓ The Galloway Glens’ limited area of operation allowed closer relationships to be developed with employers. ✓ Roles should be advertised with as few restrictions (geography/age) as possible to maximise the number of applicants. Case Study 7: Natural Power Consultants (NPC) Source: presentation at the Education and Learning in Glenkens event (see here) by Richard Nash, who has been the Director of Finance and Board Company Secretary for Natural Power Consultants Limited (NPC) and its subsidiaries for the last 10 years. He has also been a resident of New Galloway and Kells for 10 years now and has two children, both of whom went to Dalry Primary and Secondary schools before completing their Highers at Castle Douglas. Natural Power Consultants Limited (NPC) is an energy consultant and service operations business headquartered at The Green House in Dalry, with offices across the UK and Ireland as well as a presence in France and the USA. The company employs 500 people globally, providing services to help investors and developers with renewable energy generation projects, from planning to construction, analysis and operations. NPC does not own renewables assets. It operates the largest independent control centre for renewables in the UK, working with the National Grid to balance power from renewable energy projects into the Grid. Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 16 Despite the Green House being NPC’s head office, recruiting staff to the Glenkens with the right skills and experience is a challenge. Across the board, the renewables industry is growing rapidly because of the move towards Net Zero, and companies are struggling to recruit from an insufficient pool of potential candidates. At the same time, young people in the Glenkens struggle to see a future for themselves in the area because of limited job opportunities. Lack of higher education facilities in the area is also a challenge for employers like NPC who normally recruit at graduate level; UWS and the University of Glasgow have campuses in Dumfries, but there is a general perception that people need to leave the area for higher education. However, NPC is willing to work with local young people to help them to move into the Renewables sector, either through relevant courses at local further and higher education institutions (e.g. the BSc in Environmental Science and Sustainability from the Dumfries Campus of the University of Glasgow) or through the introduction of a skills pathway. A skills pathway could help young people from the area to study for qualifications which were more directly relevant to the skills needed by local employers. Engaging with local schools is key to this process; NPC has already been in touch with Castle Douglas/Dalry Secondary Schools and Kirkcudbright Academy, and while Kirkcudbright pupils have visited NPC, the company has struggled to engage with the Castle Douglas/Dalry cluster to date. Richard joined the Dumfries and Galloway College Board in order to help to turn round the college’s perceived poor reputation, as his son experienced. It was also to improve the college outcomes with local employers like Natural Power. As an example of how business and educational institutions can work together and improve outcomes, Richard facilitated meetings between NPC and D&G College tutors in order to tailor the Wind Turbine Technician course already running at the College and make it fit for purpose for local employers. NPC offered an opportunity for three students to do a summer placement at Brockloch/Windy Standard. Two of the students were subsequently recruited into posts at NPC. The College was very positive about the outcome and has named the course after NPC. The Scottish Funding Council also put it into their ‘outcome and agreements report’ as an example of good practice and economic transformation. The cornerstone to achieving this type of success is having the connections between education and business to make this work. Case study 8: Vattenfall Wind Power Source: presentation at the Education and Learning in Glenkens event (see here) by Matthew Bacon, a senior project manager in Vattenfall’s onshore wind team. He is currently overseeing the site design and planning permission process for the Quantans Hill wind farm near Carsphairn. Matt outlined his journey into the renewables sector, having come from a rural, agricultural area of Lincolnshire with some of the same issues as the Glenkens. He was inspired to look for a career in renewables because of a personal wish to work towards mitigating the climate crisis when looking for a job as a new graduate. At this point the sector was relatively new and there were not many established routes into the sector, but structured pathways are now available. Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 17 Vattenfall has roughly 21,000 employees across the UK and Scandinavia, running hydro and wind generation sites, district heating, electricity network facilities etc. In the Glenkens, Vattenfall has put in an application to construct 14 wind turbines and battery storage at Quantans Hill near Carsphairn. The application includes 250Ha of land managed for biodiversity, interpretation boards and improved access to the site for recreational purposes, and a community benefit package likely to total around £16m over the operational lifespan of the site, as well as scope for apprenticeships and work for local businesses during the construction phase. Vattenfall Wind Power is committed to the use of local suppliers in its projects and has recently launched an apprenticeship scheme directly associated with all its new developments across Scotland. Matt is keen to explore with local communities how Vattenfall can create an employment pathway into the renewable sector in south-west Scotland. Onshore wind is a growth area, and the number of qualified employees needs to vastly increase to meet the demands of the 2030 deadline. Most of Vattenfall’s renewables developments will be in the Highlands and Dumfries & Galloway, and there are a huge range of roles in the sector, ranging from construction, forestry, turbine construction and maintenance to environmental work and project managers. Matt highlighted the Climate Exchange May 2024 report which reinforced this, showing that operational positions needed on wind farms are predicted to rise by 250% by 2030 in Dumfries and Galloway, from 112 to 395 positions. These are long-term, well-paid roles. Vattenfall’s apprenticeship programme will create 50 new apprenticeships by 2030, working with Developing the Young Workforce. The company is looking to recruit across a wide range of ages to both graduate and early stage apprenticeships. Vattenfall asked consultants to come up with a draft strategy for the community benefit fund from Quantans Hill wind farm if consented, and through this have identified objectives relating to jobs and young people, including access to local economic opportunities. This could lead to training 250-350 young people and providing up to 50 qualified apprentices, although these numbers are currently indicative and the strategy is still a draft. However, this potentially offers huge opportunities for South West Scotland in terms of renewables posts. The benefits of this scheme can potentially be maximised if other wind farm developers work with Vattenfall on supply chains and with schools and colleges to develop a joined-up scheme. Matt highlighted the following website as a good place to begin for those interested in a career in renewables: https://www.scottishrenewables.com/our-industry/starting-in-renewables. Case study 9: Abi Mordin, Propogate Source: presentation at the Education and Learning in Glenkens event (see here) and interview by Abi Mordin, a founder member of Propagate, which launched the Glenkens Food Hub project in 2021 (now Galloway Food Hub; see here). Abi has been working across community and local food projects for over 20 years, and is an experienced grower, facilitator, practitioner and researcher. She works at local and national level to embed sustainable practice into food production. She lives in Balmaclellan. Abi focused on land-based skills for the future. Propagate is a worker-led collective based across Central and South Scotland with 18 members working on sustainable food topics. Farming, tourism, forestry, energy generation and transmission, game and community uses can be seen as competing demands on our land-based resources. However, work is being done to bring together land managers, for example at the South West Scotland (SWS) Future Landscape Conference, Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 18 held at SRUC’s Barony campus on 1st July, 2024. This event, looking at identifying the skills needed for the future, as well as launching a ‘Natural Innovation Partnership’ between SRUC and SOSE, highlighted the fact that ‘Nature doesn’t do silos, and neither should we’. Focusing on farming and food production, Abi organises the SWS Regenerative Farming Network, a growing group of livestock and vegetable producers with around 250 members, who are focused on the key principles underpinning retaining and improving soil ecosystem quality. However, the principles of soil function are still not being taught in schools and agricultural colleges, despite the fact that healthy soil is vital for plant growth and nutrition, is more resilient to the impacts of flood and drought, and stores more carbon. The soil food web, where in healthy soil there will be billions of microorganisms in one teaspoon of soil, can be easily disrupted. The understanding of the role played by soil has progressed dramatically in recent years, but information about management for carbon sequestration, soil health, climate change, livestock and people has not yet been incorporated into the curriculum. Regenerative management is guided by five principles of soil health, three rules of adaptive management and four ecosystem processes (see report on the Education and Learning in Glenkens event). All these principles need to be adapted for each location’s microclimate, sometimes even on a field-by-field basis. The Barony’s horticulture course was discontinued eight years ago, reducing the scope for people to learn about commercial vegetable production in the region. The UK imports 70% of its fruit and veg, much of which is grown in places facing severe water scarcity. Young people are not learning about commercial growing; a market garden requires very different management from a school vegetable plot, allotment, or home-grown vegetables. Most commercial food crops are grown with a high level of chemical inputs (fertiliser and pesticide) which radically disrupt soil ecosystems. Produce not marked as organic will have been grown using those systems. Propagate has been working to raise awareness of the issues and the solutions, including their film ‘Rooted’ and accompanying educational resources: https://www.propagate.org.uk/rooted. The Dumfries and Galloway Learning for Sustainability Partnership Group has been set up, having identified big gaps in the provision of education across food, food security and sustainability; the group meets quarterly to share successes and agree strategies to work together on broad sustainability issues. The Learning for Sustainability Action Plan (here) highlights the importance of embedding this into the curriculum, but this is not yet being delivered in schools as teachers have not been trained to deliver the subject. However, the Scottish Government have introduced a number of interrelated policies on food (see https://www.nourishscotland.org/mapping-our-food-policy-landscape/). The Scottish Government have committed to producing a Good Food Nation Plan which will need to be implemented at a local level, and the Agriculture Bill has also recently been introduced after years of consultation and engagement – it is still a framework bill, so it is possible to lobby the government to shape the final piece of legislation. The Rural Support Plan will deliver payments on a tiered basis, with Tier 3 focusing on agri-environment schemes. These schemes embody good practice as well as attracting subsidy so it is vital that land workers are prepared and trained to implement these changes and that education provision recognises this need. Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 19 The case of Propogate points to opportunities and pathways for young people into work that can also directly address the climate and biodiversity emergencies. The Galloway Food Hub, set up by Propogate, is already stimulating demand and awareness of local food (see detailed case study here). Local schools, including Dalry School, have land which could be utilised. In partnership with Propagate a number of programmes could be co-delivered, including, for example, • Cultivate - 'grow your own' programme with eight sessions on learning about organic veg production. • Hidden Veg – Propogate’s small market garden can host workshops and training days. • Veg Power - developed to link veg growing with healthier cooking. Profiles a 'veg of the week' each week over 10 weeks, and gives participants the opportunity to share knowledge and lead. Dives into food systems and food justice, and signposts to Food Hygiene training – thereby leading towards a number of progression pathways from growing, preparing, food hygiene and hospitality. • Permaculture Design Courses with experienced and knowledgeable teachers. Also Growing Food in Small Space and linked with the UK 'Children in Permaculture' project. In terms of accreditation, there is a menu of rural skill qualifications at SQA which could be aligned to the skill set and delivery partners in agriculture, horticulture and permaculture in the local area. Skills around food production are the future: local food production that contributes to sustainability, food security, health & nutrition, and reduces food miles, all addressing the climate crisis. Case study 10: Bairn Banter, Carsphairn Source: Case study by CoDeL from April 2024: see here, which includes illustrations also. Key Insights ✓ In rural communities with populations spread over large areas, it is vital to nurture connections. Social opportunities are really important for young children, as they impact significantly on children’s development. They are also important for parents and carers. ✓ Local services are critical for nurturing positive population trends. Bairn Banter has enabled many young families, including those who have moved into the area, to meet socially on a regular basis, to enable children and families to socialise with each other, a critical investment for the future population, economy and community in the area. ✓ The loss of a local school can be a real blow to the sustainability of a local community; schools are often the very heart of a community. While there are frameworks to ensure that local schools are not closed without consultation, local authorities can circumvent community influence over such decisions by mothballing schools (i.e. not officially ‘closing’ them). ✓ Bairn Banter is another example of great things being delivered in rural and island communities by energetic and committed volunteers. This is all part of community resilience and cohesion, but exacts a significant toll on rural and island people. And dependency on volunteering limits how much communities can do. Funding to pay some hours to volunteers who deliver on so Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 20 many Scottish Government priorities could have a dramatic impact on services and cohesion within rural and island communities. ✓ The ‘Community Action in Uist and Glenkens’ project clearly demonstrates how even small amounts of funding for locally rooted community intiatives can trigger significant action: the returns on the investment are large when communities are enabled to deliver on their priorities, what they are passionate about. This was demonstrated so clearly in practice during the pandemic, but since then funding has often reverted back to the much more highly controlled and outcome-driven processes, with outcomes so often determined by distant policy-makers or funders, rather by communities themselves. ✓ In the case of Bairn Banter a small grant of £2,500 has enabled the group to raise match funding and purchase a trailer to take the group’s activities to other areas in Glenkens, and to enhance outdoor educational opportunities for young children, all within a few months. Case study Bairn Banter is a volunteer run stay and play children’s group based in the rural hill village of Carsphairn in Dumfries & Galloway. The group was established in July 2021 by the founder Melissa Ade and her husband, Ben. Together with their three small children, they continue to provide a welcoming, nurture enriched, inclusive, fun play space for children and their families to attend on a weekly basis for free. So how did Bairn Banter begin? As the country emerged out of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, which caused a detrimental effect on rural communities and young families, it was felt by many local parents and grandparents that there was a lack of social opportunities within the local area for pre-school children. Carsphairn also suffered within the same year with the mothballing of the local primary school, which severed vital connections for young children within the parish. Coupled with the ongoing cost of living crisis, social situations seemed to ‘dissolve’ and many young children begun to struggle without their vital socialising needs being met. Research carried out by the Institute of Education concluded that; “children's social background impacts the early development of cognitive and social-emotional competences, like verbal skills, selfcontrol and peer relationships, and their subsequent outcomes in adulthood.” (see here) All these considerations led Melissa to establish Bairn Banter. To aid with local networking and some experienced support she set to work approaching the Carsphairn Community Council who now offer a very helpful ‘umbrella’ for the group. As well as children, parents/carers also suffered from lack of social interaction with others, with potential knock-on effects on their social and mental wellbeing and, in the longer term, on the overall economics of the rural area. Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 21 Bairn Banter has grown into a much loved asset to the Glenkens, as it is the only pre-school/children’s group operating in the area. The group offers a wide variety of fun activities and experiences for children ranging from 0-7 years and always welcomes older children including siblings along. Bairn Banter consistently operates every Saturday morning from 10am – 11.45am in Carsphairn and aims to offer a nourishing healthy snack for both children and adults to support families with potential food poverty issues. Many of the snacks are now being sourced through the Galloway Food Hub. “Two of the four themes of the Glenkens and District Community Action Plan are ‘A Connected Community’ and ‘An Economically Flourishing Community’. We know that to flourish, we need young families living and working in the area, but there are very limited private or statutory facilities to support them. Bairn Banter’s stay and play sessions on Saturdays offer important socialisation opportunities for exCovid babies who are now pre-schoolers and their older siblings, as well as respite and peer support for parents and carers. The Glenkens Community and Arts Trust, who lead on delivery of the Community Action Plan, see Bairn Banter as a key partner in delivering these priorities in the Plan.” Helen Keron, Executive Manager, GCAT As Bairn Banter moves forward into the future, they want to break down the barrier of social exclusion due to transport barriers. Bairn Banter know that they are not reaching all the young families in the area. A particular barrier to attendance is the location of Carsphairn at the top of the Glenkens area. Public transport links to it are basically non-existent. So Bairn Banter is launching a new way of working where they bring Bairn Banter to the other communities in the Glenkens. They did a survey in 2022 that showed that transport was the main barrier to attendance, so they are confident that it will be well received. With a small amount of funding through the project, quickly matched with funding from the local windfarm, Bairn Banter has now purchased a box trailer that will be used to advertise, store, and transport the group’s equipment and resources to occasional free events and other local venues, like Town Halls or outdoor parks, around the wider Glenkens. The first event, outdoors, is booked for 1st June. The word is out that Bairn Banter have the opportunity to be mobile and is sparking interest from other areas. The group is now awaiting quotes from artists to design and decorate the trailer with a unique mural to help promote Bairn Banter and other aspects of the local area such as farming, renewable energy, local community initiatives, etc. Bairn Banter hopes that when the trailer is ‘on tour’, many will be drawn to the attractive display and perhaps be encouraged to visit and indeed, down the line, settle in the area. The trailer will allow Bairn Banter to ‘branch out’ to offer more outdoor learning opportunities to enhance opportunities for outdoor learning for children, young people and their families, and connect communities together within the beautiful outdoor environment. Melissa is working towards obtaining a Level 3 Forest School Leader qualification this year. The trailer will become Bairn Banter’s ‘mobile welfare base’ as well as vital storage of equipment such as waterproofs, water, tools, safety equipment, etc., whilst travelling to areas of woodlands around the Glenkens. Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 22 Delivering on Scottish Government Priorities Bairn Banter delivers on many Scottish Government Priorities, for example within the National Performance Standards, e.g "we grow up loved, safe and respected so that we realise our full potential", "we live in communities that are inclusive, empowered, resilient and safe”, and "we are healthy and active". While so-called ‘remote rural areas’ do as well or slightly better than other rural and urban areas in terms of attainment, employment and other positive destinations on leaving secondary school, numeracy and especially literacy levels at primary school are lower in ‘remote rural areas’ (Rural Scotland Data Dashboard). This may well reflect the lack of pre-school opportunities in some areas, making community initiatives like Bairn Banter critical for those areas. Bairn Banter’s focus on developing more outdoor education, using the trailer as a mobile facility to take equipment and activities into outdoor spaces, is also delivering on the Scottish Government’s commitment, made in Scotland’s National Outdoor Play & Learning Position Statement (see here), to value and expand opportunities for playing and learning outdoors. And not least Bairn Banter contributes directly to the Addressing Depopulation Action Plan (2024), by providing a critical local service that connects local families, to each other and to their locality. Creating opportunities and a positive space for young families is vital to ensure a long-term demographic future. The mix of families that have stayed, returned or newly settled in the Glenkens is a striking feature of the Bairn Banter sessions, and provides an important incentive for them to stay. The Depopulation Action Plan “endorses the importance of local leadership and seeks to exemplify the maxim ‘local by default, national by agreement’. We know that a place-based approach to applying national, regional, and local policies will be essential to sustainably and effectively address depopulation.” Bairn Banter is one piece in the local jigsaw to deliver on these, and is integrated into the wider local strategies set out in the Glenkens and District Community Action Plan, which includes delivering on local childcare as a priority for a flourishing local community. Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 23 Appendix 11: Creating a vision for Dalry / Glenkens Education: Notes taken of participants’ contributions These notes were recorded by the facilitators based on verbal contributions to the vision from participants at the two community sessions held in Balmaclellan in September. They are in the order in which participants came forward with their ideas. Participants imagined how things would be in 2030, and many spoke in the present of 2030. So these comments represent how they would like things to be. Community schools at centre of village, optimising travel eco-sustainable, open A frame – let’s build for next 100 years, not just 25 Campus: cradle to grave, centre of community. Grow at rate suitable to each child. Adult learning too, lifelong learning Cutting edge technology – connect to experts on line Health and wellbeing Swimming Affordable family housing and community land. Local families Enables children to live successful lives in this area – practical aspects – renewables/forestry vs going away to get work. Mentorship – enabling – access to knowledgeable people to help guide individuals’ pathways (incl. right up to loder age) Not limited – if you want to be a forensic scientist, why not? How can? Rather than why not? Mentality Self-directed learning Leadership to help each individual be themselves, to develop which ever way they want. My children will be challenged, happy to learn. Acknowledgement from council that education is vital here; they support education centres Eco-school built from wood from Carsphair community woodland, solar panels, enterprise Everyone encouraged to learn, but not have to be academic. E.g. everyone’s job is important, non-hierarchical. Everyone has some variation of training, be up-to-date Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 24 Schools don’t have hierarchical system. Students can talk “back” to teachers; different relationship. Choose career they want, not be failures for less academic Encouraged and inspired to achieve whatever they want. Rural skills brought back to rural areas, e.g. skilled tradesmen. Trades academy / hub, not just technical college, also for younger children. So much going on in area, very busy. Linked with school. People come into school to explain what they do. Children go out. After school clubs, sports, handcrafts, growing food, plants Bus at later times. Devolution of funding down to community. E.g. £40,000 per child x 60 pupils in catchment area. Wow, what we could do! Community ownership of assets. Nature-based nursery Teachers qualified, know how to nurture children Nursery, open longer Food is brilliant – locally sourced veg, foraging, good soil, children involved in preparing Big demand for renewable energy → countless jobs Small holdings, sustainable living Absentee landlords selling plots. Internet works, people can work from home. Children taught tools to manage mental health. System nurtures them, not stresses them. Looking today, not stressed by future. Loads more small farmers; demand for local food. Educating for wider world. Quite a lot of former pupils have returned. For everyone in Glenkens to be able to access the education they need. Advanced highers (e.g. in maths) on-line, in a hub. Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 25 Hub of creative skilled people Arts and crafts ‘vocational’ skills Transport provision. Childcare to adulthood campus so that people do not have to leave Glenkens. Centre of intergenerational learning Work together Wide range of subjects in the curriculum, with a large pupil cohort Rented accommodation available No empty homes Apprenticeships for water, electricity … Self-sufficiency Good sample of subjects Music technology / nature stuff / rural skills / farms round about / more than ICT Education delivered in community woodlands and nurseries Out in all kinds of weather So close, and part of heritage Feeling of ownership / belonging Rural Skills Centre; Sustainability Affordable housing has increased Traditional skills and new emerging subjects Attracted to area because good place for families People can choose to leave, but are not forced to by circumstances Houses for couples to move in, when their children have left More houses for families, and for working (Pamela Trust has long waiting list, now in 2024) Better balance of population Intergenerational working Digital art classes available (like centre in DC – Castle Douglas??) Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 26 Appendix 12: Creating a Vision for Dalry / Glenkens Education: Writing and drawing by participants These contributions were made by the participants at the two community sessions held in Balmaclellan in September local community, locally managed, locally owned, locally produced, locally sourced Learning ‘Hub’ offering huge choices for all and hopefully encouraging new generations to stay here and thrive Education from baby to adult education / Education from cradle to grave education children young people ❖ Education / Development Centre / Hub / Campus ❖ All Ages / All Scopes ❖ Specialists connected via internet – Remote Learning Facilities Building sense of ownership, of local decision-making and control True community inter-generational learning COMMUNITY Community Mingling among peers in school / children don’t have to go to schools outside community Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 27 HEALTHY HAPPY COMMUNITY Wellbeing + learning hub SCHOOL CAREERS PEOPLE After school clubs / Transport home / 24 hours / In person All is considered to make strong, viable, healthy community Pavements / cycling tracks between Dalry, New Galloway and Balmaclellan Swimming pool heated by ground source heat pump Bairn Banter travelling trailer + learning / play → taking it to all communities in Glenkens Vibrancy: welcoming (Come for a Day Stay!), exciting, interesting, multi-subject outside learning – environment – non-traditional settings Integration: generations, multi-skills, inclusive, accessible, for all abilities “Past skills for future communities” ❖ I know that anything is possible ❖ I can be who I want to be ❖ I’m learning practical skills for life ❖ I feel safe and supported and confident in my chosen path Appendices for a Review of rural education in the Glenkens, Page 28 (Young person:) Digital art introduced to Art & Design Course Widening skills offered Technology in music Proper lessons on using AMPs (as an example) ✓ Community-owned land, alternative energy ✓ Devolution of Power and Money ✓ Resources from windfarms flowing into schools ✓ Kids and people learning ✓ Suitable opportunities for all ✓ Child/person specific mentorship ✓ Good selection of subjects – as wide and varied as possible ✓ Subjects: broad range to give children wide experience and good basic knowledge ✓ Practical skill learning ✓ Teach traditional skills mixed with modern ✓ Links to community skills teaching ✓ Learning outdoors (in all weathers) ✓ On-line access to specialists ✓ Varied activities within and outside teaching time ✓ Young people have opportunities for entertainment, social, learning ✓ Good transport / Great transport ✓ Use the environment and what is happening already  Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource A review of rural education in the Glenkens appendices Description An account of the resource Appendices to A review of rural education in the Glenken Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CAP_25a Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource GCAT Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Glenkens & District Trust Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource CoDeL Relation A related resource A review of rural education in the Glenkens CAP Theme 3 education https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/20/631/GlenkensCAP_AnnualReport_2024.jpg e356e24a4e5707e65aa7204adf74394c https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/20/631/Glenkens_CAP_Annual_Report_2024.pdf 76f6f90372c4cac1fde16c00da9058bd PDF Text Text pdftext_placeholder Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Community Action Plan Description An account of the resource Documents relating to the Glenkens and District Community Action Plan, initially drawn up by Glenkens & District Trust in 2020. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Glenkens & District Community Action Plan Steering Group Annual Report 2024 Glenkens & District Community Action Plan Goal: The Glenkens & district will be a connected, resilient and carbon neutral place where people will want to live, to work, to bring up their families and to grow old. It will be somewhere that other places in Scotland look to for inspiration. 1. Executive Summary 2024 has been another year of effective delivery of the Glenkens & District Community Action Plan priorities. Frontline delivery projects have been consolidated and evolved to deliver excellent outcomes for Glenkens residents, despite the extremely challenging external context of the cost-ofliving crisis and a restricted funding landscape. In addition, the CAP Steering Group has been strongly advocating for the rural voice to be heard at regional and national levels – working to alleviate some of the challenges our communities face at a systemic, upstream level, rather than just intervening to mitigate the symptoms. It is extremely challenging work, requiring the ongoing support of huge amounts of volunteer time and in the face of a significant power imbalance between hyper-local community development organisations and national & regional agencies. However, we have continued to make good partnerships and build relationships towards achieving common outcomes, and this report evidences the concrete gains that can be made towards mitigating rural disadvantage and averting rural depopulation when Community Wealth Building principles are truly embodied and actioned by all. 2. Background The Glenkens and district Community Action Plan was published in 2020 after extensive community consultation. It was designed to enable any funds coming in the area to be spent strategically and to best effect and to encourage the communities of the Glenkens to work together where possible. It was then crucial that the priorities expressed by the Glenkens communities in the Plan should be moved forward and so the Community Action Plan Steering Group was formed in 2021. Their remit is to own the CAP on behalf of the community, keep it relevant and check in on delivery. They are supported operationally by the Glenkens Community and Arts Trust – specifically, the GCAT Chief Executive, Helen Keron. In 2021, the Glenkens and District Trust, our local community benefit funder, aligned its funding strategy heavily with the Community Action Plan. Our Community Action Plan Goal is supported by four themes: 1. 2. 3. 4. A Connected Community An Asset Rich Community An Economically Flourishing Community A Carbon Neutral Community And has a 2023 Addendum: • A Vision for Land Use in the Glenkens. Since 2021, the communities of the Glenkens have increasingly worked in partnership to achieve the Community Action Plan priorities across these themes. We stand ready as a high-capacity, committed community partner for anyone wanting to trial solutions to national priorities on the ground in a remote-rural community. 2 3. 2024 Delivery 3.1. Internal Context A continuing theme this year has been the resource constraint from a GCAT perspective and the need to prioritise the areas of focus. The CAP Steering Group is fully cognisant of the tight funding landscape in which GCAT and other Glenkens charitable organisations operate, and is very appreciative of their efforts to date to deliver the CAP priorities. A key risk on the Steering Group Risk Register is the impact on delivery if GCAT became unable to continue to support the community development activity going forward. The Steering Group notes that GCAT has recently had to use some of the headroom gained over the last 3 years of efficiency improvements to reduce core costs, rather than expand delivery. This is a sensible response to the current volatile context, but is nonetheless disappointing for them as it will inevitably affect outcomes to some degree. We offer GCAT our full support in their continuing efforts on sustainable delivery of the Community Action Plan as well as their Artistic Vision. We were therefore pleased to see that the Glenkens and District Trust has recently designated GCAT as a ‘key anchor organisation’ in the Glenkens. This is because not only do they provide significant impact within the community, but they also leverage in significant other funds and provide support to other groups in the area in furtherance of the Community Action Plan. This decision means an annual contribution of £50,000 to GCAT, subject to availability of funds and satisfactory continuing delivery, which will make a material difference to GCAT’s ability to continue to support CAP delivery. 3.2. Emerging Priorities Building on the track record of CAP delivery over 2022 and 2023, but being cognisant of an everchanging external context, the other emerging themes of 2024 have been: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Community Wealth Building Rural depopulation Local Place Planning Land Use change Education and Learning Net Zero action All of these themes underpin the successful delivery of the Glenkens and District Community Action Plan Goal, and so GCAT and the CAP Steering Group have been working on these priorities throughout the year, as well as those ongoing projects that are directly delivering CAP priorities. 3 3.2.1. Community Wealth Building. The Glenkens interprets CWB in its widest sense and sees it as critical to achieving Theme 3 of the CAP, An Economically Flourishing Community. CWB principles are also woven into the Glenkens Land Use Vision. For us, Community Wealth Building is not just about community benefits (money) – rather, it is about working in partnership with those organisations who create wealth from or within the Glenkens to ensure that some of that wealth supports the communities hosting the organisations. It could include partnership work on housing, skills and training, jobs, access roads, recreation or de-risking local social enterprises. Community Wealth Building in the Glenkens – 2024 work • Education and Learning We are working with the D&G Council Education Department and others to explore what a modern and sustainable educational provision in the Glenkens could look like. We have a decades-long pipeline of land-based industries coming into the area – how can we use that to ensure that our young people have access to high-quality jobs, housing and opportunities so that our communities thrive? • Just Transition We are at the forefront of many national Net Zero policies being played out in our landscapes. We have created a Vision for Land Use in the Glenkens and are actively working towards its implementation, working at regional and national levels. We believe this is one of very few community-led Land Use projects in the country. We have been well supported by NatureScot in this work and look forward to continuing this partnership next year. • Community Benefit Structure and Governance. The Glenkens is in receipt of welcome but relatively modest amounts of wind farm CB funds. (£300k pa over 10 Community Councils). However, this could rise substantially over the coming decade, and so we have organised ourselves robustly and (we believe) uniquely. The Glenkens is seen as leading the way in cross-community cooperation, leading to strategic and effective use of community benefit funds to achieve community priorities. See Section 6 below for our structures. We submitted a detailed response to the recent SPEN consultation on transmission line community benefits, setting out the importance both of keeping the community at the heart of decision making and of only supporting community projects that have a viable operational model, not just providing capital input. 4 3.2.2. Rural depopulation Rural depopulation is a pressing concern for both the Scottish Government and Dumfries and Galloway Council. As a remote-rural community, we are already able to demonstrate the inevitable and unwelcome end-points of some regional and national policies with respect to rural depopulation. We are therefore pleased that the Glenkens has been confirmed as a case study for the research work that DGC has commissioned around Rural Depopulation, due to report end March 2025. Examples Policy decisions Outcomes for rural areas Consolidation of regional services to save money, coupled with poor public transport. Lack of housing due to second homes, lack of affordable house building and the recent contraction of the private rental market due to EPC conditions. Consolidation of the school estate for financial and educational reasons, coupled with poor public transport. Lack of childcare due to market forces or insufficient statutory provision. A view of the area as simply somewhere to holiday. Lack of Community Wealth Building principles embedded in development permissions. Older people move out of the area to be closer to centralised services. Working-age people move out of the area. National planting targets School age families move out of the area to be closer to the schools. Pre-school age families move out of the area in order for both parents to be able to work. The hollowing out of thriving and sustainable communities. Itinerant workforces and external supply chains that don’t contribute to our local economy or create new skilled jobs. 86% afforestation of Carsphairn parish, with more commercial planting planned across the whole area. Reduced long-term jobs in the local area. The Glenkens is bucking the D&G trend for depopulation, due in part to the huge volunteer efforts to build a thriving community over many decades. However, it is an ageing population and one that is increasingly reliant on fatigued volunteers. All of our CAP work in 2024 has been viewed by the CAP Steering Group through a depopulation lens, but we need to find a way to work strategically with the regional and national agencies to achieve change – many of the issues above are out of our hands. 5 3.2.3. Local Place Planning We see statutory LPPs as a great opportunity for the Glenkens, due to the status being placed on them by the Local Authorities and Scottish Government. However, we need them to work for us and our pre-existing work on the Community Action Plan. We have therefore used GCAT and the Glenkens Community Spaces Network to coordinate a Glenkens response to this. We have a vision of a suite of Glenkens LPPs that reflect individual village concerns and priorities while at the same time referencing and amplifying the work of our Community Action Plan. They in turn will lead to a refresh of the CAP in 2025. In pursuit of this: • With support from GCAT, Dalry Community Council volunteers have created an exemplar Local Place Plan, which thanks to NatureScot and SOSE funding, has a parish-wide focus on the issues affecting them. It was formally registered by D&G Council in October 2024 (one of the first in the region to do so) and was very well received. GCAT has used the Dalry exemplar to create a Glenkens template LPP and an associated package of support to go with it, available for all Glenkens Community Councils. Crossmichael, New Galloway & Kells, Balmaghie and Balmaclellan will be working on their LPPs with this support in 2024 and into 2025. • 3.2.4. Land Use change 3 major projects were completed on Land Use in 2024, as a direct result of the Glenkens Land Use Vision in 2024. NatureScot and SOSE funded: • • • The creation of the Dalry LPP, as above. A feasibility study into a Glenkens Land Use Forum – which in fact suggested a Network and a Map instead of a Forum. A report on participatory monitoring of Land Use in the Glenkens – which suggested a Festival of Land for the Glenkens, to bring residents closer to the issues at hand. These latter two reports are published here and were discussed with the community in summer 2024. As a direct result of this work: • • • • • • We will be working with NatureScot as a pilot area for their Natural Capital Mapping Tool when the beta version is published in Spring 2025. We ran a Land Use Strategy Game with researchers from Zurich University in October 2024, designed to bring differing views together and spark new conversations – which it did. We hope to create a Festival of Land in Spring 2025, dependent on funding outcomes. We will continue to work with NatureScot on advancing the community-led work on this issue, which they believe to be unique in the country due to not being agency-led. Egger Forestry is coordinating an information day for residents to find out more about the value that productive forestry adds to the region – likely early 2025. The Glenkens is referenced as a case study in the South of Scotland Regional Land Use Framework. 6 • • • We have supported SoS Regional Land Use Partnership governance discussions to ensure it includes proportionate community representation. We have had visits from the Scottish Land Commission and the Scottish Government Committee on Just Transition and researchers from Zurich University We have represented the Glenkens at Holyrood at a consultation on the Agriculture and Rural Economy Bill. A Land Use sub-committee of the CAP Steering group is currently being formalised. Their role will be to drive strategic action in pursuit of the Glenkens Land Use Vision through 2025 and beyond. 3.2.5. Education and Learning In response to the proposed mothballing of Dalry Secondary School in March 2024, the CAP Steering Group supported the Dalry Parent Council in challenging the process of mothballing, in order to create space for more holistic solutions to the very real issue of low school roll numbers. GCAT then hosted an Education and Learning event in July 2024, on behalf of the CAP Steering Group. It was designed to inspire and inform about different models of education for remote-rural communities. As a result of this, members of the CAP SG and Dalry PC met the Director of Education in July and again in October. From these meetings, various actions are being worked to try and capitalise on the Glenkens position as the hub of decades of land-based industrial work – wind farms, forestry, traditional and regenerative agriculture. Notes of all the meetings are published on the Glenkens Hub ‘Education and Learning’ page. The recent report commissioned by the Glenkens and District Trust on the matter provides an interesting evidence base of the value of education and learning as the underpinning of sustainable rural communities. It invites regional partners to engage creatively in new models that recognise the financial constraints while fulfilling the Council Vision of ‘thriving rural communities.’ The CAP Steering Group welcomed the Report and looks forward to supporting the Glenkens communities in any resultant actions. We know that some of the most innovative solutions are being generated by the people at the point of the crisis, and so we look forward to working with regional partners to create a bottom-up solution. From the report: “One of the key principles to emerge [] is that rural education ‘needs to be rooted and connected in the place, drawing on local assets, connections, networks and partnerships, and incorporating local experience and knowledge, including experience and skills in adapting rapidly to changing circumstances’. What is required is a significant rebalancing of schooling that does not just focus on learning to leave, but gives rural young people genuine choice and opportunity (a) to pursue their lives, and work, locally within their community, or (b) to migrate elsewhere, whether to urban or other rural places, or (c) to pursue a mix of these options”. An Education & Learning sub-committee of the CAP Steering group is currently being formalised. Their role will be to ensure that the Glenkens community voice is heard, opportunities are capitalised on and lifelong learning needs are met” 7 3.2.6. Net Zero action The Energy Efficiency report published in 2023 has catalysed action in 2024 by 3 community groups: • • • GCAT’s venue the CatStrand will be decarbonising entirely by replacing its oil boiler with Air Source Heat Pumps, powered by solar panels and batteries and a renewables-only electricity contract. This work will be complete in January 2025. Crossmichael Memorial Hall was working with SPEN to install renewable energy measures, although this has been stalled by the discovery of other structural issues. The Glenkens Community Centre in Dalry is also working with SPEN to make it into a centre of expertise for energy efficiency retro-fits in historical buildings. This collection of projects shows the power of working together to create (in this case) a Feasibility Study and evidence base that then catalyses and empowers individual organisations to make the changes that they want to see. 8 3.3. Ongoing projects – 2024 update. 3.3.1. Glenkens Community Spaces Network. The GCSN Facilitator, Becca Nelson, continues to support the volunteer committees of the Glenkens public buildings with their excellent work for the Glenkens Town and Village Halls, but has also provided support for a Loch Ken Trust project on building resilience in community organisations and support for Dalry Community Council in the creation of their Local Place Plan. She has established herself as a trusted supporter of the volunteer committees and therefore as a single point of contact for organisations looking to work with them. In this way she has been able to add significant unforeseen value over the year. Looking forward, the Glenkens and District Community Fund has assured the Facilitator post for another year, and GCAT plans to use the Network connections to deliver ever more of the ‘An Asset Rich’ and ‘A Connected Community’ priorities of the CAP. In the first half of 2025, Becca will also be continuing to support Glenkens Community Councils as they work towards their Local Place Plans. 3.3.2. Glenkens Hub The Glenkens Hub has grown enormously over 2024, cementing its use as a central community resource. Specific pages have been added for: • Education and Learning • Land Use • Consultations and planning • The Galloway National Park proposal. In addition, Crossmichael Community Council asked the Hub to host its community website, which has removed an administrative role from the CC volunteers while maintaining the individual feel of its previous website: Glenkens Hub - Crossmichael Prior to the UK elections, the Hub and Gazette reached out to all D&G candidates and published their responses to questions posed by Glenkens residents on the site. It hosted pages for Glenkens Food Month 2024, and the Galloway Glens Legacy Fund when it opened in September 2024. The social media presence is growing too. Plans for 2025 include finding funding for an evolution of the website to prevent depopulation by focusing on case studies of younger people who live and work in the Glenkens, based on the very successful Uist Beo model. The Glenkens and District Community Fund has assured the Digital Editor post for another year, allowing this continued evolution and delivery. 9 3.3.3. PYT Community Housing The Pamela Young Trust has progressed its plans for 3 community houses in the centre of Balmaclellan, and started moving towards RIBA Stage 3 in late 2024. They hope to have planning permission secured mid-2025. Their plans to take the Glenlee houses back into community ownership from SPEN have stalled due to the lack of decision on the Kendoon-Tongland substation but remains a possibility. 3.3.4. Galloway Food Hub The Galloway Food Hub has had a very successful 2024, growing its list of local producers from 15 to 33 and increasing its customer numbers to 85+ fortnightly. After seed funding from the Glenkens and District Community Fund in 2021 and 2022, they have since secured funding from outwith the Glenkens to grow their delivery area and update their marketing reach. They rely heavily on volunteers and committed staff to fuel the growth, but the rewards are very tangible. Looking forward, they hope to increase deliveries to weekly from fortnightly, inspire more local vegetable growers and secure a delivery vehicle to reduce the reliance on volunteers’ cars. 3.3.5. Glenkens Youth Group The Glenkens Youth Group consolidated its position under GCAT through 2024, providing a safe and undirected space for young people (P7 – S3) to hang out in. The Monday evening sessions are very youth-led, and this year there were themes of cooking, crafts and music. They sourced external funding for a programme of summer activities, including bee-keeping and water sports, and joined CatStrand Young Creatives in a trip to the Edinburgh Fringe – giving Glenkens young people opportunities some of them have never had. Looking forward to 2025, the group will continue to be very youth-led and will look to strengthen its links with the Council Youth Service still further. It is funded by the Glenkens and District Community Fund to August 2025. 3.3.6. Loch Ken Ranger Service The Loch Ken Ranger Service has had another good year, with 2 paid part-time Rangers and 17 volunteer Rangers. After seed funding from the Glenkens and District Community Fund started the service, they have since sourced private sector support (Drax) for the continuation of this important role. In 2024, they have continued their focus on responsible camping and water safety, combining the educational messages with fun activities such as cook-outs and water activities to ensure they reach as many people as possible. Their partnership work with the Galloway Activity Centre to deliver water safety awareness training to young people was highlighted as an example of best practice by Water Safety Scotland. 3.3.7. Scottish Childminders Association The SCMA filled 2 of the 4 sponsored paces available this year, but one candidate then decided not to make the career change. The remaining candidate has submitted her application to the Care Inspectorate and is expecting to have her registration confirmed before Christmas 2024. The current recruitment programme is running until the end of March 2025. 10 4. Governance We have organised ourselves via a robust structure with clear accountability and sound governance principles that allow us turn aspiration into action that makes a real difference on the ground. We believe this structure to be unique across Scotland, and we have found over the last 3 years that it has provided us with a solid base from which to ensure delivery, maintain accountability and keep priorities relevant. Organisational Roles: • • • Glenkens & District Trust: • Build the available funding pot through effective liaison with wind farm (and other) developers. • Administer the funds effectively and transparently. • Membership drawn from Community Councils. • Governing Documents and Meeting Reports here: Governance Info & Resources | Glenkens & District (glenkenstrust.org.uk) Community Action Plan Steering Group: • Own the Community Action Plan. • Keep it relevant and prioritise delivery according to resource constraints. • Membership from across the Glenkens. • Terms of Reference here: Glenkens Hub - Community Action Plan Steering Group • Meeting Reports published after each Steering Group meeting: Glenkens Hub Community Action Plan Steering Group. Glenkens Community and Arts Trust. • Anchor organisation, leading on delivery of the CAP, through a concentric model of delivery / support / partnerships. • Strategy, Annual Accounts and Newsletters here: GCAT - GCAT 11 5. 2025 Priorities At their September 2024 meeting, the CAP Steering Group set out the following priority areas for CAP delivery in 2025. • • • • • • Support GCAT in securing funding for sustainability. Continue advocacy for underlying themes, as per Section 3.2. Continue support of ongoing delivery projects, as per Section 3.3. Finalise the Glenkens suite of LPPs. Use the LPP process to create an evolution and re-issue of the CAP. Support the communities of the Glenkens in respectful and useful discussions about the Galloway National Park proposal. However, it is important to note that the current speed of progress and even some of the existing gains are at risk if funders cannot pivot to providing more long-term security of funding and if regional and national agencies cannot see the value of working with hyper-local development trusts or similar to achieve their shared outcomes. 12 6. Looking Forward - Challenges • • • • • • • • The incredibly tight funding landscape risks all gains made to date if GCAT can’t continue their work on CAP delivery due to lack of operational or project funding. GDT’s funds are limited due to current fund structure and delays in further wind farm construction due to lack of grid capacity. National Park proposal – possibility of a divisive process and a boundary through the Glenkens undermining CAP work to bring our communities together. Kendoon-Tongland decision – both with respect to new wind farm timelines, transmission line community benefits and the Glenlee houses renovations. Centralisation of community benefit funds regionally and nationally. Constrained resources and volunteer fatigue leading to lack of capacity to advocate on themes at national and regional levels. Continuation funding for existing projects across the Glenkens. Lack of regional partnerships towards ambitions of Themes 3 and 4. 7. Looking Forward - Opportunities • • • • • High level of national and regional interest in our work on land use and education and skills in particular. Glenkens LPPs are an example of best practice regionally and have demonstrated the benefits of working together cross-Community Council. More work with Developers could result in Community Wealth Building pilot projects. Further support of the D&G Regional Transport Strategy through Glenkens Community Transport. An increasingly engaged and empowered community available to partner with regional and national organisations on creative pilot projects. 13 8. Conclusion Although excellent things have already been achieved by working together, there are clear challenges to the Glenkens communities continuing to progress at this rate. The CAP Steering Group is very focussed in supporting our local groups to build on what has been delivered and to create a positive and constructive Glenkens community that works together to achieve real results. The funding context for all community groups is getting more difficult as the national funding landscape contracts and demands get higher. There is a need for national funders to understand the needs and demands of rural areas better in their decision making - for example the low population density, the difficulty in finding trained people to do work and the challenges of having a regular flow of work. There is an easy solution for the public sector conundrum of ‘how to do more with less’ – create fund structures that allocate funds in a timely manner, with a sensible timeframe for project completion and with multi-year provision. This will allow charitable organisations across the region and country to deliver significantly increased outcomes for the same amount of financial outlay. While there is a pipeline of wind farm developments in the Glenkens & district which is likely to result in additional community benefit payments being made locally, the timescale of these is extending and there will not be a material change in the level of local funding available in the short term (3-5 years). It is unlikely that our ambitions can be fully achieved without assured core funding for our anchor organisations. Without the Chief Executive role in GCAT, the pace of delivery would have been much slower and many of the benefits of cooperation and coordination lost. Having access to that paid resource and expertise has been crucial to the ability of the CAP Steering Group to carry out its role over the last 3 years. In addition, there is a fantastic cohort of willing and able volunteers who have already achieved much for the Glenkens & district. But if more ambitious projects are to be achieved, more paid and expert assistance is needed to support these volunteers. If more volunteers are to come forward to support community groups, there needs to be a recognition that the majority of volunteers will not have unlimited time and cannot be expected to take on tasks at a level of responsibility and accountability that should reasonably be paid roles. The more ambitious projects in Themes 3 and 4 will need good partnership working with South of Scotland Enterprise, Dumfries and Galloway Council and other regional bodies. Their support is actively being sought. There is much focus on community empowerment and Glenkens groups are ready and willing to take up this challenge - but we do need strategic partnerships to allow them to deliver effective outcomes. We look forward to a challenging but rewarding 2025 and thank you to all the many people who have worked so hard this year to make the Glenkens what it is. Glenkens and District Community Action Plan Steering Group. December 2024 14 Appendix 1: 2021 – 2023 Delivery Highlights. Note that this list is of projects directly catalysed by the Community Action Plan. Many other excellent projects are also being delivered around the Glenkens in alignment with CAP priorities. • • • • • • • • • • In 2021, Propagate created the Glenkens Food Hub, now the Galloway Food Hub. They connect local food and drink producers to local people through an online shop and volunteer-led deliveries – supporting the local economy and massively shortening supply chains. In 2022, GCAT formed the Glenkens Community Spaces Network, in direct response to CAP priorities. This network supports and amplifies the efforts of our many volunteer Town and Village Hall committees. In 2022, GCAT obtained CLLD funding to commission a report into the Energy Efficiency of 11 Glenkens public buildings and 2 domestic archetypes. This catalysed Net Zero upgrades in 3 public buildings in 2023 and 2024. In 2022, Local Initiatives in New Galloway (LING) started the Glenkens Youth Group as an unstructured place for P7-S3s to hang out in. In 2023, GCAT took this over and it remains very well received by the young people who attend regularly. In 2021, the Loch Ken Trust started its Ranger service, one of the first community ranger services in the country. The Pamela Young Trust worked through 2022 and 2023 to move forward plans for community housing in Balmaclellan and Glenlee, sourcing external funding for feasibility studies. In early 2023, GCAT created the Glenkens Hub as a sister website to their very popular Glenkens Gazette. It is now an invaluable repository of community information as well as bringing the communities together through advertising events, news and jobs. Also in 2023, D&G Citizens’ Advice Service (DAGCAS) started an outreach clinic in the Glenkens, funded by the Glenkens and District Community Fund to bring their regional services directly to the people of the Glenkens. The Scottish Childminders Association has been working through 2023 and 2024 to offer a package of support to people wishing to become childminders in the Glenkens area. In July 2023, the Glenkens Land Use Vision was adopted as an Addendum to the CAP after a large amount of community engagement. 15 Appendix 2: CAP SG Governance Membership The CAP Steering Group was formed in December 2021 with 9 volunteer members after an open call for membership. As part of succession planning, Bob Glaister and Barnaby Fryer will be stepping down in December 2024 and March 2025 respectively. We thank Bob and Barnaby for their commitment and thoughtful insight over the years, and wish them well in their spare time! As part of the call for new members, Robert McTurk and Jennifer Harvie joined the Steering Group in December 2024. Both are born and bred in the Glenkens - Robert is both a landowner and tenant farmer in Dalry and Carsphairn, and Jennifer has a history and expertise in rural education. Richard Middleton joined the Steering Group as a nominated GDT member, but stepped down from that role since he is no longer a GDT Trustee. However, he has re-joined the Steering Group as an independent member. GDT is still considering its nomination for the third nominated member to join Fiona Smith and Tom Marshall. John Paterson has Chaired the Steering Group through 2024 and continues in that role. Therefore at December 2024, the Steering Group membership is: • • • • • • • • • • John Paterson, Dalry – Chair Fiona Smith, Balmaclellan (GDT) Caroline Reeves, Crossmichael Joe Seed, Corsock Barnaby Fryer, Loch Ken Trust – to March 2025 Richard Middleton, Crossmichael. Tom Marshall, Parton (GDT) Sarah Ade, Carsphairn. Robert McTurk, Dalry Jennifer Harvie, Dalry. 16 Governance 1. For all governance info, including member bios, Terms of Reference, Annual Reports and previous Meeting Reports, see Glenkens Hub - Community Action Plan (CAP) Steering Group. 2. From the CAP SG Terms of Reference: Purpose The purpose of the Community Action Plan Steering Group (CAP SG) is to be the custodian of the Glenkens and District Community Action Plan (the CAP). It will maintain the CAP and agree any updates. The CAP SG will also promote, support and assure delivery of the CAP. Membership / Structure The CAP Steering Group will have no legal structure, and in the first instance will not have a constitution beyond these Terms of Reference. This is because it holds no funds, has no monetary decision-making powers and its purposes as described above can be achieved effectively by a nonincorporated non-constituted group working closely with GDT and the GCAT Executive Manager. There will normally be a maximum of 9 people on the CAP Steering Group. Up to 3 will be GDT Trustees, up to 6 will be active members of the community and no more than a third will be GDT Trustees. Relationship with the Glenkens and District Trust The CAP SG helps GDT be better connected with the Glenkens and wider district communities in order to inform their funding strategy. Relationship with the Glenkens Community and Arts Trust The CAP SG will have two relationships with GCAT: • GCAT as a delivery organisation, which will be managed by the same processes as are applied to all such organisations contributing to CAP delivery. • GCAT’s mandate to lead on delivery of the Community Action Plan, led by the GCAT Executive Manager. Care should be taken to always distinguish between these two roles. 17 Appendix 3: Supporters Thank you to the many Funders and Partners who have supported delivery of the Glenkens & district Community Action Plan so far: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The Glenkens and District Community Fund, administered by Foundation Scotland. The Glenkens and District Trust The Glenkens Community and Arts Trust CARES Carsphairn Renewable Energy Fund Limited. CoDeL Community Enterprise’s ‘Accelerate’ programme. Creative Scotland Drax Dumfries and Galloway Council The Energy Savings Trust, through Plugged In Communities The Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere The Glenkens Community Shop Glenkens Community Councils The Heritage Lottery Fund through the Galloway Glens Landscape Partnership and Dumfries and Galloway Council. The Holywood Trust NatureScot The Princes Trust The Rural Housing Fund The Scottish Government’s ‘Community Led Local Development’ fund (CLLD). The Scottish Government’s ‘Community Mental Health and Wellbeing’ fund. The Scottish Government through Scottish Rural Action. South of Scotland Enterprise Sustrans The UK Government’s ‘Community Led Vision’ fund The UK Government’s ‘Levelling up’ fund Local trusts and individuals – thank you all! 18  Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Glenkens & District Community Action Plan Steering Group Annual Report 2024 Description An account of the resource 2024 has been another year of effective delivery of the Glenkens & District Community Action Plan priorities. Frontline delivery projects have been consolidated and evolved to deliver excellent outcomes for Glenkens residents, despite the extremely challenging external context of the cost-of-living crisis and a restricted funding landscape. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CAP_27 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource GCAT Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available CAP Steering Group Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Glenkens & District Trust CAP https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/20/632/250331_GCSN-report-year2_V2.jpg 21811c8214fc586c41654d2a1a756a8e https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/20/632/250331_GCSN-report-year2_V2.1.pdf d7e2b6033778b46a3b9ceec52b4e4c6d PDF Text Text pdftext_placeholder Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Community Action Plan Description An account of the resource Documents relating to the Glenkens and District Community Action Plan, initially drawn up by Glenkens & District Trust in 2020. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Glenkens Community Spaces Network Annual Report 2024 1. Executive Summary The Glenkens Community Spaces Network (GCSN) is a Glenkens Community and Arts Trust (GCAT) project. It was directly inspired by the Glenkens Community Action Plan (CAP) and started in January 2023 with a 0.2 FTE Facilitator, Becca Nelson. The Network is supported by funding from the Glenkens and District Community Fund though Foundation Scotland. The Network’s purpose is to bring together the voluntary committees running our community spaces, to encourage partnership working across the Glenkens and to amplify their efforts by further work by the Facilitator. By doing this over the last two years, the Network has proved foundational to delivery of many aspects of the Glenkens Community Action Plan, and has also added significant unforeseen value in community resilience, Net Zero upgrades and Local Place Planning. Over the first two years of the project, thirteen meetings have been held, attended by members of 14 Town Hall, Village Hall and other community space committees across the Glenkens. Those who have been unable to attend have been kept up to date by email and invited to join in with projects and share updates. Significant added value has been realised within the Glenkens by the strengthening of these partnerships and by the networks and relationships that the GCSN Facilitator has brought to bear on community resilience, Net Zero upgrades and Local Place Planning. This report summarises the work of the GCSN through 2024, and sets out plans for delivery through 2025. 2. 2024 delivery CAP Theme 1 – A Connected Community 2.1 Glenkens Hub partnership The GCSN has continued to work closely with the Glenkens Hub (another CAP-inspired GCAT project), highlighting the ways in which community spaces can customise information and add to their basic profile on the Hub. The password-protected Community Spaces Intranet pages continue to be used by the committees as a central repository for shared information, resources, meeting papers and other information. 2.2 Organic partnership working GCSN members have continued to value the opportunity to meet on a regular basis and develop relationships with volunteers from other community venues. Network members are generous and supportive within the meetings and have been keen to work together to share resources and initiatives. Guest speakers are invited when appropriate. Glenkens venues held an Open Doors Day to celebrate Volunteers Week in June 2024. The success of this has led to a desire to find opportunities to hold similar events where clusters of venues can engage the public and spread the word about their activities. Work to develop collective projects which will benefit the broader group continues. 2.3 Adding value 2.3.1 Local Place Planning A key focus of 2024 was facilitating and coordinating the Local Place Planning processes across the Glenkens. Through this area-wide coordination, the community objectives embedded in the Glenkens and District CAP will also be reflected in the Glenkens Local Place Plans (LPPs). When adopted by the Council, LPPs have a statutory role in shaping the Local Development Planning process, and it was therefore crucial to ensure that the Glenkens LPPs amplified the CAP instead of diluting it. Five of the eight Glenkens Community Councils have commissioned GCAT support for developing Local Place Plans, of which one (Dalry) was adopted in November 2024, and the others (Balmaclellan, Carsphairn, Crossmichael and New Galloway and Kells) are expected to be completed before the end of June 2025. 2.3.2 Resilience The GCSN also facilitated further resilience work in 2024 carried out by the Loch Ken Trust (LKT). Three GCSN member halls worked with the LKT, supported by the GCSN Facilitator, to develop a toolkit to be used by community spaces in emergency situations as part of resilience planning. This allowed information about contacts, volunteers and resilience plans to be securely shared, and created a model for setting up community spaces as resilience centres that is easily able to be activated when needed. Storms and power outages which necessitated the centres being used by residents have since demonstrated the value of ongoing work in this area. 2.4 Representation Having the GCSN Facilitator as a single point of contact able to disseminate learnings and represent the Network saves time and increases the reach of the voluntary committees. Attending the SCVO/SRA National Village Halls Conference, held at Birnam Arts in May 2024, was an opportunity to share the role of the Network more widely, as well as sharing learnings with representatives of other village halls without such a network to support them. Representing the GCSN at New Galloway’s Volunteer Fair on 1st June 2024 cut down on duplicated effort. The Facilitator invited all GCSN members to share their volunteer role descriptions prior to the event, rather than all having to attend in order to highlight their available roles. Theme 2 – An Asset Rich Community 2.5 Fundamentals The continuation of GCSN meetings has facilitated ongoing peer support, sharing of good practice, successes and advice. Alongside this, Network members have proposed topics for further investigation in order to best add value to the work carried out by voluntary committees. Useful information gained through attendance at the National Village Halls Conference was shared with Network members. The GCSN role in Local Place Planning means that work has been done to capture public support for community spaces and other locally important facilities, in order to make it easier to evidence the vital role that facilities and services play in keeping communities viable in our remote rural area. The GCSN also supported the Dalry Community Properties Trust (DCPT) to successfully apply for asset transfer of the Dalry Multi-Use Games Area from Dumfries and Galloway Council to community ownership under the DCPT. The MUGA came into community ownership in December 2024. Theme 4 – A Carbon Neutral Community 2.6 Net Zero In 2023, GCAT sourced CLLD funding to commission a study from Natural Power Consultants into reducing energy demands and emissions from our public buildings, which was coordinated and introduced by the GCSN Facilitator. As direct result of that Report, 3 venues have made Net Zero upgrades in 2024, including: • • • The CatStrand has removed 10 tonnes of CO2e emissions annually by replacing its oil boiler with ASHPs powered by solar panels and batteries. The Dalry Community Properties Trust was successful in bidding for funding from Scottish Power Energy Networks with match funding from South of Scotland Enterprise to implement the recommendations for the Glenkens Community Centre in the NPC report. This includes solar panels, battery storage, insulation, energy efficient lighting and Air Source Heat Pump installation. Crossmichael Memorial Hall Committee were also in the process of applying for funds to carry out works identified in the report, but unfortunately had to withdraw from the process owing to a serious structural defect being found in the building necessitating its closure. 3. Challenges/opportunities Volunteering: Despite the strength and number of the dedicated volunteers across the Glenkens who bring enthusiasm and expertise to their roles, volunteer fatigue and difficulties with succession are one of the biggest challenges to our community spaces remaining viable. Networking and paid support through the GCSN both amplifies volunteer activity, improves morale and shares knowledge and best practice. Funding: GCSN members continue to work together to identify suitable opportunities for partnership working and funding bids. Signposting and support: Outside the Network meetings, support is offered to network members on an ad-hoc basis in response to requests for information. All findings and research are held on the GCSN intranet, to ensure that learning is not lost and is available to all network members. Innovative thinking: 2024 saw the network consider potential uses for the Kirks across the Glenkens which are to be closed and sold by The Church of Scotland. The research could be used by community groups interested in progressing plans to purchase of kirk buildings, as well as highlighting missing facilities which could potentially be housed in the kirk buildings should there be a community body willing to work to raise the necessary funds to take the projects forward. 4. 2025 plans The first half of 2025 will be focussed on creating high quality LPPs across the Glenkens as well as maintaining Network core activities. In the second half of the year, I am looking forward to supporting the GCSN member volunteers to utilise data from the LPP consultations to inform their planning for sustainability of their spaces. This may include offering support in developing and implementing better recruitment and induction processes for Trustees, sustainability planning, and business planning in order to assist the committees to further plans for their own community venues alongside Community Action Plan goals. The Local Place Plan consultations have highlighted the importance of local facilities to residents, but factors of demographic change and depopulation put these facilities (some of which are community spaces) at risk. Work to understand the drivers of depopulation and implement solutions could help to mitigate this threat. Planning for sustainability: The GCSN’s work has from the outset been led by the priorities of its members, and support for each community venue varies according to the aspirations and circumstances of each member venue. The CAP includes an aspiration for a sustainability plan to be completed for each community venue. Further work will be done in this area in the second half of 2025 once the data from Local Place Plans has all been gained and analysed. Business and investment planning are also key, and resources and support will be offered to all community spaces that do not currently have business plans alongside sustainability planning. GCAT has sourced National Lottery ‘Awards for All’ grant funding for a Community Activities Advisor (0.2 FTE) to work with Network members in order to develop sustainable activities in their Halls and spaces. Jo Jackson will support with individual programming and also coordinate across Halls for joint or Glenkens-wide events. This is fantastic news and I very much look forward to working with Jo Jackson throughout 2025 in this area. 5. Conclusion It has been a huge pleasure to continue to work with the fantastic volunteers who put so much into running our vital community spaces, and I would like to express my thanks for everything that they do. I am looking forward to working with the group over 2025 and doing more to help our town and village halls to keep us connected, educated, active, supporting local producers and crafters, and culturally nourished! Becca Nelson (GCSN Facilitator), March 2025  Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Glenkens Community Spaces Network Annual Report 2024 Description An account of the resource This report summarises the work of the GCSN through 2024, and sets out plans for delivery through 2025. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CAP_28 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource GCAT Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Glenkens Community Spaces Network Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Glenkens & District Trust CAP Theme 1 CAP Theme 2 CAP Theme 4 https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/20/633/250131_GH_Year_2_Report.jpg 99e94477f1c8630e75cba4424d4c8a85 https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/20/633/250131_GH_Year_2_Report.1.pdf b63f44eec6a8f9bf5858a00f647df416 PDF Text Text pdftext_placeholder Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Community Action Plan Description An account of the resource Documents relating to the Glenkens and District Community Action Plan, initially drawn up by Glenkens & District Trust in 2020. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Glenkens Hub 2024 Report 1. Overview of delivery 2. Review of development and delivery in 2024 3. 2024 survey results and additional identified needs 4. User data 5. Ongoing and future development 6. Acknowledgements 7. Appendix 1 - General Survey Comments 8. Appendix 2 – Survey Suggestions for Improvements 1. OVERVIEW OF DELIVERY The Glenkens Hub has now completed the first two years of delivery to end 2024, funded by the Glenkens & District Community Fund through the Glenkens and District Trust and Foundation Scotland, and the Galloway Glens Landscape Partnership Scheme. Like the Glenkens Gazette, it is a GCAT project and is supported by the volunteer Gazette Steering Group as well as the GCAT staff and Board. It is managed by the Glenkens Hub Digital Editor (one day/week role). Key outcomes of the Glenkens Hub are: • • • • • Bringing communities together via shared calendar events and regular activities. Enhancing community resilience through access to key information. Strengthening the sustainability of local groups and businesses via dedicated webpages, news articles and social media. Providing a permanent home for community resources such as reports and studies, the Galloway Glens archive and copyright-free photographs. Promoting community development and highlighting issues of local importance such as land use, education, the proposed Galloway National Park, housing and transport. The website is a most effective ‘shop-front’ for living and working in the Glenkens. It allows residents to feel more connected to their place, and organisations to promote Glenkens’ priorities to regional and national stakeholders. “Excellent communication for those who live in the area to find out what is happening. This is a vital resource for those who live rural and is excellent for new residents.” 2. REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT AND DELIVERY IN 2024 Throughout its second year of delivery, the Glenkens Hub sought to support the local community by amplifying news and events and reflecting the issues of most importance. Local news outlets and Facebook were monitored 6 days per week and the turnround time for submissions to the Hub was same or next day (excluding Sundays). This despite only 7.5 funded hours being available per week, so it reflects the huge volunteer effort of the Glenkens Hub Digital Editor in particular. Although the Update Us form was still available to use, most contributors either emailed submission or contacted the Hub via Facebook. Effective monitoring of Facebook posts meant that many events and news items were shared and transferred to the Hub website without any extra effort from community members. Notable site improvements made in response to community feedback and need through 2024 include: • • • • • • • • • • • Glenkens Communities summary pages created to bring together community spaces, groups and events for each local community. Community Council Minutes hosted for Crossmichael & District; Corsock & Kirkpatrick Durham and Royal Burgh of New Galloway & Kells CCs. Sub-site created for Crossmichael community, mirroring their existing website to keep their sense of ownership while allowing volunteers to focus on other tasks. Front-page noticeboard created to pin posters and promote adverts for local groups e.g. “volunteers needed” posters plus adverts from individuals e.g. “housekeeper wanted” as an alternative to the previous notice board / Freecycle page which was not well used. Back issues of the Glenkens Gazette indexed by Google and now fully searchable direct from the Hub. Webpage created to bring together non-partisan information resources about the proposed National Park; Hosting the documentation and procedures required for the Glenkens Gazette to fulfil its obligations as a member of Impress: The Independent Monitor for the Press CIC. Education & Learning and Land Use pages developed to collate ongoing discussions and local news and provide a window on the issues for stakeholders. Hosting online hustings to promote community engagement in General Election (see below). Public and private spaces in support of Glenkens Community Spaces Network Food Month 2024 promotion and admin support. In addition, the Glenkens Hub and Glenkens Gazette took part in several partnership working projects including: • • • The Citizens’ Agenda with the Scottish Beacon, which sought to give communities greater control over the topics discussed by potential candidates in the 2024 General Election. 100 Days of the Green Transition: a project by the Local Storytelling Exchange and The Scottish Beacon. Loch Ken Trust’s Resilience Project, promoting community resilience and information sharing and a dedicated Emergency Information page to direct people to their local resilience group. “I have lived in many different communities, I think that the Glenkens is by far the most progressive of them all in all aspects of community life. It is things like the Hub which combine with all the other community initiatives which add to the attractiveness of the area for those living here and attract other families into the community.” These improvements have resulted in ever-increasing numbers of people visiting the webpage and accessing the social media channels. More details are given in Section 4, but more than 21,000 people visited the Glenkens Hub in just one month (November 2024), with some of the most popular pages being the Events Calendar, Jobs and Volunteering and Glenkens News. 104 people have signed up to receive the monthly Newsletter and more than 500 people follow the Facebook page (13% of the Glenkens population). “The Glenkens Hub is a really valuable local asset and a fantastic source of information. Thank you.” 3. 2024 SURVEY RESULTS AND ADDITIONAL IDENTIFIED NEEDS A survey was carried out between 27/03/24 to 27/05/24 to determine the impact of the Hub and the focus for improvements. The majority of respondents who use the Hub were positive about its content and ease of use. Most people felt the website met the needs identified in the 2020 Glenkens Community Action Plan, namely: • • • • • • • Providing urgent local information and event details, updated daily. Holding centralised information with links to other websites, Facebook pages etc. Providing a local directory and local producers listing. What’s On Listings. Freecycle. Expansion on local issues. Complements the Glenkens Gazette. 78% of respondents said the website was effective or mostly effective as a communication tool, and 67% of respondents would be likely to recommend the website to others in their community. Respondents noted that more needs to be done: • • • to raise awareness of the Hub in general, and in outlying areas of the Glenkens specifically, and felt that community members could help with this. to advertise the Newsletter and the Jobs board. to encourage community organisations, schools and businesses to be active on the site. Specific site improvements identified were as follows: Identified need Site layout and ease of finding information Plan for development • • Search function for Gazette back issues • • • Improve usability of What’s On page • We continue to monitor the methods by which we present information and make conscious choices to make it easier for readers to find the information they need. Linking buttons are used throughout to tie information together and provide multiple access points for users. Gazette back issues are available in pdf format and via an online reader (Calaméo) from the Back Issues page. Google has indexed the back issues and a targeted Google search bar is included on the page to make it easier to search for content inside the pdfs. Work is underway to improve on the current search function offered by Google by creating a permanent digital archive for the Gazette within the Hub. Some users found the What’s On page difficult to navigate; this is partly software driven. As well as the calendar page layout, we now offer the events information in a scrollable list and via filtered menus for location and activity type, to try to provide for all preferences. Many interesting additions were suggested by survey participants. These will be investigated and incorporated as time allows. They include: • • • • • • • • Encouraging schools to be more involved in sharing information. Increase the number of human-interest stories. Providing a visual map of the site. Encourage local businesses to submit articles to promote themselves. Sending notifications as reminders when selected groups / events are happening. Local nature news. More interactive information on urgent information. Local walks organised by location and pulled together in conjunction with local people. See Appendices 1 and 2 for further comments from the survey. 4. USER DATA User tracking was activated in April 2024 and does not seem to have deterred website users. The Hub’s cookie policy can be found here. SOCIAL MEDIA AT 20/12/24 Followers Reach Facebook 515 18.4K Instagram 106 151 At 20/12/24 Annual increase / decrease on previous year 104 +51% 2024Total In last year Annual increase / decrease on previous year Page visits (browsing session) 227,000 +81% Page views (total number of page requests) 46,000 +3% Newsletter subscribers GLENKENS HUB WEBSITE USERS Top pages 1. Home 2. Calendar 3. Jobs and Volunteering 4. Glenkens News 5. Community Events Total In last year Annual increase / decrease on previous year Total clicks (number of times users clicked through to the Hub from a search) 9,170 +14% Total impressions (number of times users see a link to the Hub in search results) 291,000 +7% SEARCH PERFORMANCE 5. ONGOING AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT The Glenkens Hub will continue to provide same day or next day turn-around on submissions from Monday to Friday, with active weekly monitoring of local news outlets and community activities on social media. A slowing of workload on Saturdays allows for weekly hours overruns to be partially ameliorated. The Hub’s greatest strength has been its ability to adapt to community need within the constraints of the software. One such potential need may be the possible extension of the Hub along the lines of the Uist Beò website which has been designed to attract young people to live and work in the area. Funding is being sought for this and the Hub will continue to evolve to meet community needs as they arise. We will be embarking on a promotional campaign for the Hub in early 2025, ensuring the existing and new residents of the Glenkens are aware of this valuable resource that is available to them. The existing Gazette archive was created by Oli Strum on a volunteer basis – many thanks to Oli for all his work on this. Having proved the concept of Google search on an in-house archive, we will now be transitioning to this in order to future-proof the archive. The role of the Glenkens Hub Digital Editor has evolved over the 2 years to become much more than the content-populator that was originally envisaged. The role now has full responsibility for the delivery of Glenkens communities’ digital communication needs, and delivers these while also horizon-scanning for new opportunities. This has resulted in the Hub becoming a core underpinning of Glenkens and District Community Action Plan delivery – providing underlying support that contributes to successful outcome delivery across the Glenkens. “Thank you for all the work that must go into the site - it really is amazing.” 6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Glenkens Hub continues to be valuable and well-regarded addition to the communities of the Glenkens. It brings communities together, hosts their resources and promotes partnership working. Thank you to the many people who have made the Glenkens Hub such a success: • • • • Ongoing support from the Glenkens & District Community Fund through the Glenkens and District Trust and Foundation Scotland, with additional support from the Galloway Glens Scheme legacy fund. The Glenkens Gazette Steering Committee. Oli Sturm for providing the original Glenkens Gazette back catalogue. All the many contributors and readers. 7. APPENDIX 1 - GENERAL SURVEY COMMENTS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The Glenkens Hub makes it much easier to find out about events and activities taking place across the Glenkens. I use it very regularly and have recommended it to lots of people. Great to have central resources Everything is exactly where it’s needed I frequently tell people about the Hub. It's fantastic to have so much information all in one place. It’s a great resource of info, and great to have a space that meets the needs of the Glenkens as a whole. Helpful to have one place which consolidates a lot of information about the local community. The Glenkens Hub is a really valuable local asset and a fantastic source of information. Thank you. Great website...... simple. The survey results should be interesting. Thank you for all the work that must go into the site - it really is amazing. Great website - well done! Great resource Excellent communication for those who live in the area to find out what is happening. This is a vital resource for those who live rural and is excellent for new residents. I sincerely hope that the site will continue in the future. I have lived in many different communities, I think that the Glenkens is by far the most progressive of them all in all aspects of community life. It is things like the Hub which combine with all the other community initiatives which add to the attractiveness of the area for those living here and attract other families into the community. We must ensure that we do not lose these important assets. Thank you to all who bring the hub to life 9. APPENDIX 2 – SURVEY SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS Includes comments in italics. • The Hub is great, and my only comment is really making the What's On listings more user friendly • The Glenkens hub website is excellent. I worry that people in outlying GDT areas, like Corsock, don’t know it can be useful for them • Fortnightly or monthly newsletters by email, pointing to The Glenkens Hub. • I would like a weekly summary email sent out to locals (like DGWGO does). ◦ The Glenkens Hub Newsletter is issued bi-monthly, in between Gazette issues. The Signup page is here - https://glenkens.scot/newsletter. Increasing the frequency of issues would require further funding. • Car share and local transport. ◦ The Transport pages include LiftShare and bus timetables. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • There is something confusing about the layout of the site but I have no idea how this could be rectified; the Events Diary is especially tricky to navigate. It may just be the amount of information on the website that makes it a bit overwhelming. Once I find the information I am looking for, it's great! Its effectiveness partly depends upon people knowing about it and I think more needs to be done to promote it - people generally need to be told about something like this more than once and maybe existing participants could be encouraged to brand their communications and events with - "find out more about us on the hub!" Not all community organisations are active on this website. It’s a great resource of info, and great to have a space that meets the needs of the Glenkens as a whole. It would be good to have info on the reach of the site and social media. ◦ Please see the report issued ahead of the survey – Glenkens Hub 2023 Report. Resilience information. ◦ Our Emergency Information page will include Resilience Team information when it becomes available from the Teams. I wonder if it could have a spotlight on what it's like to live in the Glenkens, to encourage people to move here perhaps? ◦ This is a potential new GCAT project, subject to funding. I found the [Gazette Archive] search engine inadequate when searching for something which was going to reveal a significant number of results. Our schools need to be more involved in sharing information Increase human interest stories. A visual map of things could be a good way to present things Not everyone knows about it so hard to direct people in those cases Encourage local businesses to submit articles Hard to say [how to improve effectiveness as a communication tool] because I don't know what it's reach is, but there will always be folk who've never heard of it The information is there however not everyone will access it. some way of sending notifications when selected groups/events are happening, as reminders Nature news if local More interactive information on urgent information Not everyone knows about it so hard to direct people in those cases Maybe more local walks pulled together in conjunction with local people - organised by village? Gail Challis, Glenkens Hub Digital Editor. Helen Keron, GCAT Chief Executive. January 2025.  Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Glenkens Hub 2024 Report Description An account of the resource Throughout its second year of delivery, the Glenkens Hub sought to support the local community by amplifying news and events and reflecting the issues of most importance. This report includes results from the 2024 survey, user data and plans for future development to meet identified needs. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CAP_29 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource GCAT Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Glenkens Hub Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Glenkens & District Trust CAP Theme 1 communication https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/20/634/LifeAndLandITheGlenkens_cover.jpg ad608a745ead297879cd4b6b0aa37f67 https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/20/634/Life_and_Land_in_the_Glenkens_web.pdf 3df31c378f5d90f79423de3e98419fa1 PDF Text Text pdftext_placeholder Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Community Action Plan Description An account of the resource Documents relating to the Glenkens and District Community Action Plan, initially drawn up by Glenkens & District Trust in 2020. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Life and Land in the Glenkens Welcome to the Glenkens. Whether you’re turning these pages from a city flat, a suburban home, or a countryside cottage, we invite you to slow down, take a breath, and see what life looks like from here...      
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       ©   Here in the Glenkens, we are always looking for new ways to reflect and amplify voices within our communities. In light of this, and thanks to funding from NatureScot, we commissioned a local young journalist to delve into life in the Glenkens with fresh eyes... W e invite you to embark on a journey through the heart and soul of our beautiful community. Born from the rolling hills, serene landscapes and thriving communities of the Glenkens, the pages that follow are devoted to capturing the essence of life here our shared triumphs, tribulations, and everything in between. The Glenkens is a tapestry woven with the threads of our unique stories, and here you will find reflections on both the highs and lows that define our experience. From the breathtaking beauty and biodiversity of our natural surroundings to the warmth of human connections, we shine a light on what makes our community truly special. We want to celebrate our shared history, acknowledge our struggles, and look toward the future with determination and unity. Every article is a reminder that while challenges may arise, there are always stories of hope and the indomitable spirit of our area waiting to be told. They also invite questions: How can we continue to celebrate what makes our community unique while addressing the challenges we face? How can we ensure that the land that we are living on allows communities, wildlife and local economies to thrive? This is an open invitation to engage, connect, and share in the diverse narratives that compose the rich mosaic of our lives here. Pictured is the view coming over the hills from the B729 Moniaive road towards the B7000 High Carsphairn road, looking towards the Rhinns of Kells N estled in the heart of Dumfries and Galloway, the Glenkens is known for its landscapes, rich history, and environmental diversity. Life here offers a serene lifestyle wrapped in natural beauty. The rolling hills, lush forests, and shimmering lochs create a unique backdrop that transforms with each season. The slower pace of life encourages mindfulness, prioritising of both mental and physical well-being, and residents often find profound satisfaction in their connection to the land and to each other. suitable accommodation can be a significant issue. For younger families and newcomers to the area especially, it can be hard to establish roots. belonging, ensuring that both current residents and future generations can navigate the complexities of rural living together. The absence of accessible childcare options is another pressing worry. This situation often impacts working families, limiting job opportunities and requiring parents to prioritise and compromise. Similarly, the educational landscape in the Glenkens can be challenging. That togetherness is embodied by the many active community groups and organisations, one of which is the Glenkens Community & Arts Trust (GCAT). GCAT was created in response to the devastating Foot and Mouth epidemic of 1998 and since then has consistently delivered high-quality arts and community development work across the Glenkens and beyond. While our local schools offer a tight-knit, nurturing environment appreciated by many, limited resources and smaller school rolls can hinder some opportunities that larger urban schools can afford. By supporting activities that are essential to the quality of life of the people and the environment, GCAT strives to make the Glenkens an excellent place to live for residents of all ages. This is done both through providing high quality arts at the CatStrand arts centre, but also by playing a core community development role, evolved in response to local needs and led by supporting delivery of the Glenkens & district Community Action Plan. The spirit of collaboration means that the struggles of rural life are met with determination, resourcefulness, and support. Those who live in the area have nature on their doorsteps and know just how peaceful and fulfilling it can be. Traditional and new job opportunities allow people to make their life here. Rural living, however, is not without its unique set of challenges and at times this may seem a bit daunting. Limited public transport is one of the primary challenges to life in the Glenkens, and our remoteness can make accessing essential services a significant hurdle. With the only public transport being buses, and bus services being infrequent and often unreliable, many people are dependent on private vehicles. For some, the nearest grocery store or medical facility may be over ten miles away, necessitating careful planning and reliance on neighbours and friends. Housing also presents challenges of its own. While the breathtaking landscapes and charming homes offer a romantic appeal, the cost of living and finding Employment opportunities are similarly constrained. Many of us seek work in sectors such as agriculture, tourism, or a flourishing variety of creative industries. Yet the demand for high quality, nonseasonal jobs currently outstrips the available positions, leading to a struggle for economic stability. Young adults in particular may look elsewhere for work, which can contribute to a slow population decline and a reduced sense of community vitality. While these issues, mentioned one after another in this way, can make for scary reading, the light at the end of the tunnel shines bright and the community here in the Glenkens thrives on resilience and camaraderie. The spirit of collaboration means that the struggles of rural life are met with determination, resourcefulness, and support. Local initiatives and shared gatherings foster a strong sense of Life in the Glenkens may present its share of challenges but, ultimately, emerges as a testament to the resilience of rural living. With the strength of community collaboration and an unwavering commitment to improvement, residents continue to cultivate a joyful and fulfilling life amidst the scenic beauty of this remarkable area. There are many opportunities ahead, both in community work and in the local economy, and it is by continuing to work together that we will make the most of them. Pictured below centre is last year's Carsphairn Show © Christopher J Caygill. To the left is a view of Woodhead Leadmines, Carsphairn, and below right is the New Galloway link path, both courtesy of the Glenkens Hub photo gallery Case Study: Living in the Glenkens T en miles east of Carsphairn, deep in the Ken Valley, lies a place that perfectly captures rural living. Twisting through the glen, the road immerses you in natural beauty, a changing landscape that never fails to inspire. No matter the weather, you can’t help but smile as you take that solitary moment to appreciate what beholds you. For most, it’s a fleeting moment, but for Melissa and Ben Ade, it’s home. They moved into their current house in 2011, but their hearts have always been in the Glenkens, from childhood, and have always brought them back to their roots. “We spent six months traveling around Morocco, Spain and Portugal, living in a Land Rover, but when we came back we had a very refreshed perspective on the area,” explained Ben. “We had a huge appreciation for the Glenkens and for our home. We are very lucky here.” Appreciation for the area prompted the couple to stay and to raise a family, with the vision of giving their children the same treasured experiences that they hold dear. “I have fond memories of just being free as a child,” remembers Melissa. “The burn, the hills, the mud. That is all I’ve ever hoped for my children, to be able to express themselves in nature and their environment.” “When it comes to rural living, the positives far outweigh the negatives. You could move to a city and have a lot on your doorstep but you also won’t get what we have here or be able to raise a family in such a good community. Everyone in the Glenkens as a whole just looks after each other. "I have family down in Leeds and they don’t know their neighbours two doors up, whereas we know everybody locally and if anyone new ever comes into the area we are quick to introduce ourselves.” New people moving into the area is something that is becoming more and more of a rarity, due to the challenges of rural living that can be seen on the surface when one considers relocating. As Ben says, however, if you dig a little deeper, solutions to those concerns are all around. “People often use work as a reason not to live here but if you look at things in another way, there are unlimited possibilities for you, especially if you are self-employed. Showing a bit of entrepreneurship can go a long way. Ben and Melissa with their three children outside the shepherd's hut they let out to holiday makers We ourselves have thought of ways to diversify income and have built traditional shepherd’s huts to be let out as holiday homes.” “Alongside that, Melissa has also recently qualified as a forest school practitioner so we will be able to open that same area up for children to explore. This will give us the chance to teach them some rural skills such as woodworking, mechanical engineering and baking. "Big industries do a lot to provide people in the region with jobs but the opportunities to make something for yourself here are endless.” Demonstrating their entrepreneurial spirit, Melissa and Ben have a website for their self-catering holiday business and forest school sessions: www. HeartoftheGlen.com. Ben is the author of two travel books about their adventures abroad titled “I have fond memories of just being free as a child...The burn, the hills, the mud..." Travels with a Tiny Tortoise and Notes from El Ahouli, which are both available to purchase online. Housing and transport are two other hurdles that people worry about but, as can be seen across the whole of the Glenkens, communities come together to create initiatives that work for the sole purpose of bettering the lives of the locals. Time and time again, the Glenkens will provide answers to rural living problems. “There are houses available to rent and buy, and while you might earn more in a city, life here is much cheaper. You have the space and the help of the local community to build a life.” Their own home was once in a boggy field. Now, it’s off-grid, powered by solar, with water from a mountain spring and woodburning stoves for heat. “We may be off-grid but one thing for sure is that people are trying to make a positive difference. We have our own challenges, on a personal level, but we love it here. It’s not all about the money or the easiness of things for us. We’re happy and healthy and really, that's all that matters.” T he Glenkens & District Community Action Plan, published in September 2020, is a model for economic and social regeneration. It aims to make the area a connected, resilient, and carbon-neutral place where people like Melissa and Ben want to live, work, raise families, and grow old. It will be somewhere that other places in Scotland will look to for inspiration. For any community to thrive, its people must feel heard and, most importantly, understood. Residents often express concerns about limited access to essential services, employment opportunities, and infrastructure. While common in rural areas, these issues can lead to isolation. The Glenkens Community Action Plan (CAP) seeks to change this narrative by promoting active participation among its people and seeing their priorities actively delivered. In order to do this, the action plan targets four key themes to implement local initiatives and combat rural challenges. Things that have been achieved over the last three years specifically because the communities suggested them in the action plan include: 1. A Connected Community The Glenkens Hub, launched in April 2023, provides an easy-to-use website and social media channel to amplify community voices. It hosts an events calendar, local job opportunities and loads of information about Education, Land Use and much more: www.glenkens.scot. The Glenkens Youth Group provides a safe and undirected space for young people (P7 – S3) to hang out. The free Monday evening sessions are very youthled, with activities such as cooking, craft making and instrument learning. They also run summer holiday programme, which last year included bee-keeping, water sports and a trip to the Edinburgh Fringe. All of the above are now GCAT projects, although the Youth Group was pioneered by Local Initiatives in New Galloway before handing over to GCAT. 2. An Asset-Rich Community Support for Local Place Planning (LLP) has been essential in making certain that the voices of our communities are heard at a regional level. With the support of GCAT through NatureScot and SOSE, Dalry Community Council volunteers have created an exemplar Local Place Plan which has a parish-wide focus on the issues affecting them. Their LPP was the first in the region to have a clear focus on land use and the environment in its considerations, as well as villagerelated priorities. Crossmichael, New Galloway & Kells, Carsphairn, and Balmaclellan are now developing their own LPPs with support from GCAT. Most of our Town and Village Hall are run by teams of amazing volunteers, and they have been re-doubling their efforts over the last few years, ensuring that their buildings are fit for modern rural living and meeting the needs of their communities. They are supported in this by the Glenkens Community Asset Network, which takes some of the legwork out of managing these assets. 3. An Economically Flourishing Community One of the most important assets to the Community Action Plan is the focus on building community wealth. The Glenkens interprets Community Wealth Building (CWB) in its widest sense and sees it as critical to thriving and sustainable communities. It is not just about monetary benefits from wind farms or other developments – rather, it is about working in partnership with those organisations who create wealth from or within the area to ensure that some of that wealth supports the communities hosting the organisations. The Galloway Food Hub, Propagate and the Pamela Young Trust are all examples of community responses that are working to create a more sustainable and vibrant Glenkens for us all. 4. A Carbon Neutral Community The Loch Ken Trust Ranger Service focuses on ecological protection, responsible camping and water safety, combining their educational messages with fun activities such as cook-outs and water activities to reach as many people as possible. Many village and town halls have secured funding for carbon footprint reductions. The CatStrand recently cut 10 tonnes of carbon emissions annually by replacing their oil boiler with solar panels and air source heat pumps. These are just a few examples of how the Community Action Plan is shaping and supporting the Glenkens. By resourcing the community and working together, local solutions are emerging to problems that many remote-rural communities face. Accountability, partnership working, and delivery are key. To achieve this, the Glenkens has organised itself perhaps uniquely: • GCAT is a delivery organisation, both delivering Community Action Plan projects and supporting the many other local organisations that are working on CAP priorities too. • The CAP Steering Group is a group of volunteers from across the Glenkens who keep the CAP relevant and assess progress against the communities’ priorities. They are planning to refresh the CAP later this year, using the Local Place Plans as valuable inputs. • The Glenkens and District Trust is our local funding body, which administers our wind farm community benefit funds through the Glenkens and District Community Fund, supported by Foundation Scotland. Their funding strategy is aligned very heavily with the Community Action Plan, meaning that they can confidently fund projects and activities that they know the Glenkens communities value. Between them, these three organisations are working hard to support the communities of the Glenkens to achieve their ambitions. They lobby regionally and nationally for solutions to those problems we can’t fix ourselves and for regional and national agencies to see the value of working with local place-based organisations to achieve their shared outcomes. While community empowerment is historically and currently strong in the Glenkens, strategic local and regional partnerships remain essential in continuing to combat rural depopulation and support healthy landscapes and communities. Pictured is the village sign coming into New Galloway courtesy of the Glenkens Hub photo gallery Case Study: The Galloway Food Hub L ife in Dalry is usually relaxed and peaceful; unless, of course, you happen to visit on a Galloway Food Hub packing day... Every second Friday, the village comes to life and is filled with customers, box packers, food drivers and volunteers, all coming together to help the social enterprise tick. The Galloway Food Hub (GFH), born from an idea in the Glenkens Community Action Plan, was set up to give better access to local food in rural communities by creating a hyper-local supply chain. “A scoping study showed people wanted better access to local food, and an online marketplace was the best way to do that,” says GFH Coordinator Lesley Atkins. Launched as a pilot in 2021, the Glenkens Food Hub was started by Propagate with 11 producers and 20 customers, operating every three weeks. Now, it serves over 100 customers fortnightly with 33 suppliers, expanding beyond the Glenkens to the wider Galloway region. We’ve even had to change the name, as we’ve expanded out of the Glenkens” “Seventy-five percent of our food is locally produced, with the rest being certified organic from Scotland and beyond,” Lesley explains. “We have 13 collection points across Dumfries & Galloway, plus home delivery in the Glenkens.” Lesley now champions a network of growers, farmers and makers of ecologically produced good food across the Galloway region. She helps them to build a workable, online food hub to create a circular economy around food in the local community. Ordering is simple: customers browse all the suppliers online between midday Friday and midday Tuesday, place a single order, and collect from a chosen point. Much like any communityrun organisation, however, it takes people like Lesley and the Food Hub team to dedicate time and effort into giving back to their community. What can be seen time and time again in the Glenkens is the willingness that local people have for community wealth building, and the more people committed to helping create positive change, the better. “There’s so much that people can do to help if they would like to. They can come on a Thursday or a Friday to prep boxes or deliver. "We usually do the whole thing with two members of staff and about four or five volunteers. Help with marketing and handing out leaflets is always appreciated, as is taking photos for Facebook and Instagram. It's a great social network and we couldn’t do it without the volunteers.” As a Community Interest Company, the Food Hub is driven by a passion for sustainable, locally produced food. Membership is free to anyone in Dumfries & Galloway who wants to support its mission. “The other thing we do offer for keen gardeners, if they are growing fruit and veg in their own gardens without chemical intervention, is that they can sell their surplus through the food hub. We have a profile called Galloway Growers where we offer homegrown fruit and veg. People can just ring us up to say they will have an extra three cucumbers next week, for example, and we’ll put them on the website to sell for them.” As a Community Interest Company, the Food Hub strives to benefit the people of the Glenkens and invites anyone to join them on the journey. Free membership is open to anyone based in Dumfries & Galloway with an interest in GFH. Whether a customer, a supporter, a business or an organisation, if you are interested in the work that is done and would like to join a group of people who are passionate about real food, produced sustainably from the land around us, the opportunity is there. “For me, it was a great way to meet people after moving here,” says Lesley. “It’s about making good food accessible while building a healthier, more connected community.” For any community to thrive and continue to grow, its people need to feel heard and, most importantly, understood. The Galloway Food Hub is a perfect example of something so positive being created in the Glenkens by doing just that. It also needs a funder that understands its community. The Glenkens and District Trust was able to fund the Galloway Food Hub through its early days because it knew it was a community priority. Funding ingenuity and passion that breeds an economically flourishing community. To find out more visit the website at gallowayfoodhub.org.uk or Facebook and Instagram @gallowayfoodhub Pictured above are some of the Food Hub volunteers, and to the left is an example of a Food Hub order, packed up and ready for delivery ‘A Vision for Land Use in the Glenkens’ is a document which developed in 2023 in response to the rapid rate of land use change in the area, set in the context of the Glenkens at that time. Let's take a look at some of the key elements of the Vison: “We are a forested area, a farming area, an energy generation area. We are a watery area, given life by our rivers and lochs. Our natural environment is so special that we are part of the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere. Our landscapes attract visitors from all over the world. We are a peaty area and our soil stores some of Scotland’s best carbon. It is our home, where we work, live and play. All of these land uses are intertwined and affected by influences within and outwith our control. We are an organised and coherent community which has sought and achieved balance in land use over many years through partnership working and effective engagement. However, the speed and intent of land use change in the Glenkens is overwhelming and the lack of power to effect change is daunting. The disconnect between policy intent and local realities has led to disengagement in some and huge frustration in others.” Land use in the Glenkens - whether forestry, farming, wind farms, housing or business - has been on many people’s minds for some time now. In late 2022, the Glenkens was selected as a focus area for the South of Scotland Regional Land Use Partnership pilot project, led by the Social Enterprise Academy. This resulted in the Glenkens Land Use Vision, adopted as part of the Glenkens Community Action Plan in summer 2023. At its core, the Vision champions one simple principle: Everyone who takes value from our land returns value to it. The Glenkens could be an exemplar of sustainable land use practice in building resilience for climate, biodiversity and communities. To try and achieve this, the Land Use Vision has three sections of recommended actions: 1) Local Action reviews • Embody best practice in land use for biodiversity protection and climate adaptation • Ensuring meaningful local participation in land-use decisions, in line with Scottish Land Commission guidelines • Ensure inclusive collaboration among landowners, stakeholders and communities • Develop a public database of environmental data for the Glenkens to create baseline land use mapping and encourage enhanced biodiversity In pursuit of this, and thanks largely to support from NatureScot which has allowed GCAT to support the volunteers working on this topic, various studies and plans have been made. A 2024 feasibility study on a Glenkens Land Use Forum concluded that a network - rather than a formal forum - would be the best model for collaboration. Another study recommended the creation of a Glenkens Festival of Land to promote community engagement with the topic, which GCAT has secured funding to deliver in 2025. 2) Regional Action The South of Scotland needs a clear Land Use Framework and Local Development Plan that accounts for cumulative impacts and environmental sensitivity. Instead of relying on high-capacity communities to drive action, structured regional or national mechanisms should identify and address issues systematically. Key priorities include: • A Communities Representative on the Regional Land Use Framework (RLUF) Advisory Group to advocate for local needs • Updating of the D&G Forestry and Woodland Strategy (2014) and Local Biodiversity Action Plan (2009) • Involving community representatives as strategic partners in land-use policy 3) National Action Scotland must establish robust mechanisms nationally that value and amplify rural voices. Communities should not just be consulted but empowered to shape policies, regardless of their volunteer capacity. Urgent priorities include: • Clarifying roles, responsibilities, and accountability across public land-use bodies • Implementing holistic subsidy schemes for agriculture and forestry that recognise the link between climate, biodiversity, and economic sustainability • Shifting financial structures toward positive environmental impacts rather than reinforcing unsustainable practices The true seat of power in the land-use sector is opaque. No single public body holds full accountability for land use decisions. Best practice guidelines are not always followed, and community interests lack protection. For the Glenkens, the call for sustainable and balanced land use resonates deeply. These frameworks and policies are not merely bureaucratic jargon; they are essential tools for preserving the beauty and biodiversity of our beloved environment. The full document, ‘A Vision for Land Use in the Glenkens’ can be found at www.glenkens.scot/land-use Pictured is a view from Loch Ken showing a variety of young hardwood trees backed by mature conifers Case Study: The Upper Urr Environmental Trust T hough some challenges and hardships of life here have been highlighted in this special edition, one constant has remained clear - the Glenkens is a stunning part of the world. While that may be easy for anyone to see, it is not as easy to understand what needs to be done to keep it that way. For those of us who cherish the beauty and biodiversity of the natural world, the importance of taking action to protect our local environments cannot be overstated. Only by acknowledging the significance of biodiversity, nurturing our connection to nature, promoting environmental education, and engaging with our communities can we make a meaningful impact on our surroundings. “A lot of forestry was going on in the area when I joined the community council, so I wanted to see if anything could be done to make it work better for our communities. "Forestry is important but there has to be balance. Well-managed woodlands are a real asset, but the commercial forests that we see that you can’t actually walk in and where not a lot lives are really changing our landscape, and our biodiversity.” The definition of forestry from the the Oxford online dictionary is “the science or practice of planting and taking care of trees and forests". The Upper Urr valley is home to some important habitats and species. Survey work from 2020 highlighted the surprising diversity of the area, with just one portion of land having nearly 150 species of plants and more than 40 species of birds - several of which are which are all about engaging with the local landscape creatively, so keep an eye out for those on our Facebook page. “There is a really good sense of community here and people of all ages, living nearby and in surrounding areas have given time and effort to make this a really lovely community site which is brilliant and a great thing for kids to take part in. “Environmentally, biodiversity is the most important focus for me,” adds Joe. “Working with the developers (Foresight Sustainable Forestry) to get peatland restored and the riparian planting plans we have discussed over the line will be the biggest wins for the area. “It’s good to be working with Foresight to secure the site as a nature reserve which otherwise would have been abandoned as it’s unsuitable for commercial growing.” "It’s...something that can be managed by the community for the community, and that’s a really good example of partnership working with developers.” In order to do just that, the Upper Urr Environmental Trust (UUET), founded in 2020 with a board of three volunteer trustees all living within the Corsock area, was set up with the vision to improve the habitat, environment and ecology in the Upper Urr valley. UUET chair, Joe Seed, has a centurieslong family tie to the area. He is willing to put his hand up and be heard when it comes to our local environment. on the red list. “It’s inspiring to know that the area is so rich in wildlife,” adds Joe’s partner, local designer Martha Schofield. The UUET was set up to take a lead in making a positive change in the area, protecting habitat as much as possible for the benefit of the environment and for people. Joe says: “We have events coming up There are seven acres in community management, and in this area the paths will be maintained, benches will be installed, and many native broadleaf trees have already been planted. Joe continues: “It’s just somewhere nice to go and spend some time, something that can be managed by the community for the community, and that’s a really good example of partnership working with developers.” Pictured are volunteers, including Joe and Martha with their two children, planting trees at the UUET Glaisters Bridge site D eep in the folds of southwest Scotland, far from the blur of motorways and the noise of city streets, lies a place where time takes its time... The Glenkens is a region shaped by rivers, glens, and gently rising hills - a quiet corner of Dumfries and Galloway where life moves with the seasons and people still stop to chat on the high street. For those who live here, it is more than a beautiful landscape; it’s a way of life rooted in nature, neighbourliness, and a deep sense of place. To those unfamiliar with rural life, the Glenkens might not appear on the radar. It’s not a region that shouts for attention. But for those willing to look a little closer, it reveals something rare and quietly powerful: a community that thrives not in spite of its remoteness, but because of it. The Glenkens sits at the heart of Dumfries and Galloway, in southwest Scotland, roughly equidistant between the Solway Firth to the south and the Ayrshire coast to the north. It’s an area of small villages and scattered farms, set against a backdrop of rolling Galloway hills. Settlements like New Galloway, St John’s Town of Dalry, Balmaclellan, and Carsphairn form the backbone, with Mossdale, Laurieston, Parton and Corsock on the periphery, linked by winding rivers and interspersed with lochs. The Glenkens hills are the source of the Water of Ken, Water of Deugh and the River Dee. These meander south through a series of lochs which form the upper part of the Galloway Hydro Scheme, the first major large-scale hydroelectric development in Britain, built in the 1930s. To the west, Galloway Forest Park - Britain’s first Dark Sky Park - spreads across the horizon, rich with wildlife and walking trails. To live in an area like this one is to become part of something quietly remarkable. There’s a strong tradition of self-reliance here, but also one of deep mutual support. People look out for one another, and there is a rhythm to living rurally that those in the city rarely experience. Nature is not something you visit but something you live alongside all year round. Winters are dark and quiet, with snow often dusting the hilltops. Spring brings lambing and the reawakening of the land. Summer is marked by long evenings and community gatherings. Autumn comes with misty mornings and the rustle of leaves underfoot. Local life here is rich with character and culture. Village halls host music nights, craft fairs, and ceilidhs. Volunteers run everything from lunch clubs to community gardens; they are the beating heart of the Glenkens communities. This is one of the wonderful thing about the Glenkens; people feel genuinely needed and valued when they get involved. Very different to life in a city, where you are largely anonymous and have to find your network of people, key to life in a small community is being able to rub along with people. An ability, through necessity, to get along with folk you otherwise may never have chosen to spend time with, and the mutual respect and understanding this engenders is invaluable to a thriving rural community. In a world that’s increasingly fast, loud, and digitally saturated, the Glenkens offers a different kind of wealth - one measured not in money or possessions, but in time, space, and belonging. People don’t move here to get rich; they move here to grow their own food, to know their neighbours, and to watch the stars without the glare of city lights. Some are drawn by family roots, others by a desire for change. And many find, once they arrive, something they didn’t even know they were missing. Life and Land in the Glenkens is a celebration of that life. It’s for those who live here and those who are curious. It’s a way of opening a window onto a part of Scotland that’s easy to overlook, but once found, hard to forget. Welcome to the Glenkens. Whether you’re turning these pages from a city flat, a suburban home, or a countryside cottage, we invite you to slow down, take a breath, and see what life looks like from here. Pictured below left is Loch Ken Marina, centre are the Carsphairn hills, and right is a photograph from a birdwatching session with Dalry Secondary School pupils, all courtesy of the Glenkens Hub photo gallery T he original content in this document was first featured in the April/May 2025 edition of the Glenkens Gazette. The Glenkens Gazette has reflected and amplified the voices of the Glenkens communities for nearly 25 years. It is a bi-monthly print newsletter, usually extending to 36 pages, and has become a key community resource for the area, working to increase community cohesion and mitigate population decline. The Gazette team periodically create feature editions on issues of key community concern (see also their June/July 2023 edition on land use). This current publication has been made possible through funding from NatureScot, as part of their wider support for communityled work on land use across the country. The Glenkens Hub began as an events calendar and local news site, and has rapidly evolved into a key community resource. One of its many facets is hosting community research looking at the issues that affect our communities the most (for instance, take a look at www.glenkens.scot/land-use). The Glenkens Hub is supported in this work by the Glenkens and District Community Fund. This fund is administered by the Glenkens and District Trust, and Foundation Scotland, to ensure that community benefit monies are used to add real value to the communities of the Glenkens. The Glenkens Gazette and Glenkens Hub are projects which sit with the Glenkens Community and Arts Trust (GCAT), a key local anchor organisation for the Glenkens. GCAT has a twin focus: delivering high quality arts for the area through the CatStrand arts centre, and leading on delivery of the Glenkens Community Action Plan in order to support the communities of the Glenkens in achieving what they want, and need, most. GCAT is supported in this second aim by the Glenkens and District Community Fund and the Community Action Plan Steering Group. If you would like any more information on our work on land use or wider work on community development and community wealth building, contact me on helen@catstrand.com, or visit www.glenkens.scot/reports-resourcesarchive/community-action-plan Many thanks to all who contributed to this special edition, from the Gazette and Hub team, to those involved in the case studies, to Ross Sanderson who brought everything together in his own unique voice. Also, of course, to all the many volunteers, community workers and local businesses who make the Glenkens so special your work is so appreciated, and makes a real difference. Helen Keron, GCAT Chief Executive, May 2025 The Glenkens Gazette is supported by its sister website, the Glenkens Hub (www.glenkens.scot). This was created in 2023 in direct response to the Glenkens Community Action Plan priorities. Pictured are children enjoying a Biosphere Explorers session in the woods outside New Galloway Further reading: the bigger picture Glenkens Hub resources: Other websites: Community Action Plan – Overview, Steering Group Meeting Reports and Annual Reports (www.glenkens. scot/reports-resources-archive/community-action-plan) The Glenkens Hub - www.glenkens.scot Glenkens Land Use Vision – 2023 Vision and follow-up reports (www.glenkens.scot/land-use) Galloway Food Hub - www.gallowayfoodhub.org.uk Local Place Planning – Updates and the completed Dalry Local Place Plan (www.glenkens.scot/local-place-plans) The Glenkens and District Trust - www.glenkenstrust. org.uk Heart of the Glen - www.heartoftheglen.com Upper Urr Environmental Trust - www.uuet.co.uk Life and Land in the Glenkens was written by Ross Sanderson. Originally from Edinburgh, Ross is a 26-year-old professional journalist who now lives and works in the Glenkens. After graduating from university in 2020, he spent time working in both Zambia and Spain before returning home and settling here. This feature has been made possible through funding from NatureScot - many thanks to them for their support of our communities' work. ...the Glenkens offers a different kind of wealth - one measured not in money or possessions, but in time, space, and belonging... Some are drawn by family roots, others by a desire for change. And many find, once they arrive, something they didn’t even know they were missing.  Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Life and Land in the Glenkens Description An account of the resource 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. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CAP_30 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource GCAT Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available GCAT Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2025 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Glenkens & District Trust CAP Theme 3 land use https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/20/635/250702_E_L_Report_cover.jpg de1de828bc38ad005893083a76a65fa8 https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/20/635/250702_E_L_Report_final.pdf 8c1313a6d261826d2a407b237dfce457 PDF Text Text pdftext_placeholder Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Community Action Plan Description An account of the resource Documents relating to the Glenkens and District Community Action Plan, initially drawn up by Glenkens & District Trust in 2020. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Education & Learning in the Glenkens June 2025 Prepared by the Glenkens Community & Arts Trust for the Glenkens and District Community Action Plan Steering Group Rural Schools: More Than Just Classrooms Why Our Local Schools Matter For Everyone Dalry students bird surveying In rural places like the Glenkens, schools aren’t just where children learn. They’re the heartbeat of the community - bringing people together, keeping families in the area, and offering learning for all ages. And the results speak for themselves: attainment levels in many rural schools are among the highest in their regions. But more and more, these schools are under threat of closure or mothballing, and decisions are being made based on short-term costs rather than the long-term impact on communities. “RURAL EDUCATION IS NOT JUST ABOUT LEARNING MATHS AND READING — IT’S ABOUT GROWING UP WITH A SENSE OF PLACE, OF IDENTITY AND OF BELONGING” Let’s Look at the Bigger Picture The Scottish Government’s own 2011 Commission for the Delivery of Rural Education report1 made it clear: Rural schools should be seen as community assets. They recommended schools be part of wider local plans to support jobs, learning, and vibrant communities. This includes offering adult education, apprenticeships and making use of local expertise - yet many of these recommendations are not being put into action, 14 years later. Outdoor learning in New Galloway What’s Happening in the Glenkens Locally, a major report2 on education in the Glenkens area has sparked big conversations across Scotland. It found that closing rural schools contributes to depopulation - families leaving and fewer families moving in, fewer jobs and depleted community life. But it also showed how rural schools can lead the way in delivering place-based learning that gives our young people the skills to stay and thrive in their communities. Our Local Place Plans3 all highlight the importance of our local schools. 1 A Vision for Rural Education in Scotland Working in partnership to sustain our communities Dalry and Kells pupils on top of the Mulloch While we understand the severe pressures on local authorities and education departments in these financially constrained times, we firmly believe that there is a way through this that will benefit both our rural communities and the Scottish economy in the longer term if we all work together. The joint aim must be having great learning provision for all ages in vibrant and thriving rural communities. “WITHOUT A SCHOOL, WE LOSE PEOPLE. AND WHEN WE LOSE PEOPLE, WE LOSE CUSTOMERS, WORKERS, AND THE FUTURE OF THE RURAL ECONOMY. IT’S ALL CONNECTED.” Planning for Success . The communities of the Glenkens are working on two fronts: We want to work in partnership with Dumfries & Galloway Council to create a sustainable and stable statutory educational provision in the Glenkens, from Nursery to senior years, that will attract working-age families into the area and give our young people the best possible start in life. We’re also exploring the idea of creating a Glenkens Education and Learning Hub - a space for learning through all stages of life, supporting young people, adults and local employers, and strengthening community life. What could this Hub do? ● Help young people get skills and qualifications that support the local economy ● Support older adults to keep learning, re-training or gaining qualifications locally ● Support employers in the area by up-skilling a local workforce in response to their needs ● Strengthen the local economy and respond to climate and nature challenges 2 What needs to change? Right now, decisions about school closures often don’t fully consider the long-term costs to the economy, community or environment. Parents can feel powerless. And local councils are pushed into short-term savings because of how the system is funded. We need a better approach - one that sees rural schools as part of a bigger solution to rural depopulation, and a key part of the bigger picture of Scotland’s wellbeing economy. Learning water safety in Loch Ken “WE MUST MOVE BEYOND SEEING RURAL EDUCATION THROUGH THE NARROW LENS OF COST-EFFICIENCY. IT IS A CORNERSTONE OF RURAL National and Regional Change RENEWAL & ECONOMIC RESILIENCE.” . ● Funding: Schools should be funded in a way that supports community sustainability, not just numbers on a spreadsheet and urban-centered metrics. ● Training: Teachers need training and resources designed for small rural schools. ● Partnerships: Local employers, schools, and communities should work together to create opportunities for young people to stay, learn, and work here. ● Engagement: Parents and communities should have a real say in what happens to their schools. Let’s Work Together The communities of the Glenkens are ready to build something better. But we can’t do it alone. We need support from government, education leaders, funders and the wider public to turn ideas into reality. With the right help, we could lead the way for rural education across Scotland showing how a great education provision can support whole communities to thrive and grow. 3 The Fuller Picture Executive Summary This paper explores the future of rural education in the context of the Glenkens community, highlighting findings from the 2024 CoDeL report2 and outlining practical recommendations for national and local policymakers. It emphasises the strategic importance of children as a nation’s core asset and positions rural schools not as cost burdens but as vital community hubs supporting long-term sustainability. Key messages include the need to reform funding models, reshape teacher training for rural contexts, ensure equitable community engagement in educational planning, and support innovative ideas like the proposed Education and Learning Hub. The 2024 publication of ‘A review of rural education in the Glenkens’ (the Report), commissioned by the Glenkens & District Trust4 and written by Thomas Fisher and Theona Morrison of CoDeL5, has led to considerable debate on the future of rural education, not just within the Glenkens but regionally and nationally. Children are Scotland’s most vital long-term asset: socially, economically, and culturally The importance of education and learning provision is a topic that is now understood as key to the longer-term sustainability of our rural areas and to the economic health of the country more generally. At the same time, there is recognition that this is an extremely challenging issue that will need innovative thinking and approaches to address it. The current crisis has been many years in the making and will take time to address. However, this should not mean that we are defeatist in finding a solution. On the contrary; we here in the Glenkens feel invigorated to explore and develop new ways to address the issue. “I LOVE MY SCHOOL BECAUSE IT’S WHERE I FEEL PART OF SOMETHING. IF I HAD TO TRAVEL FAR TO ANOTHER SCHOOL, I’D MISS ALL OF THAT. I WOULDN’T HAVE TIME, AND I WOULDN’T FEEL AS CONNECTED. THIS SCHOOL ISN’T JUST ABOUT LEARNING — IT’S MY WHOLE LIFE.” D&G P5 PUPIL 4 The Fuller Picture Rural education is a national opportunity, not just a local challenge For too long, decisions on education provision - both buildings and teachers appear to have been driven either by cost considerations or by looking at the topic only through the lens of conventional individual educational outcomes. This thinking now needs to evolve if the rhetoric on the importance of rural Scotland to the Scottish economy and its future is to be borne out in strategic and coherent action. “OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DOESN’T JUST EDUCATE KIDS — IT KEEPS THE WHOLE VILLAGE ALIVE. WHEN YOUNG FAMILIES STAY, THEY SHOP LOCALLY, THEY WORK LOCALLY, AND THEIR KIDS BECOME THE FUTURE STAFF FOR BUSINESSES LIKE MINE. WITHOUT A SCHOOL, WE LOSE PEOPLE. AND WHEN WE LOSE PEOPLE, WE LOSE CUSTOMERS, WORKERS, AND THE FUTURE OF THE RURAL ECONOMY. IT’S ALL CONNECTED.” SHOP OWNER, GLENKENS The strategic link between rural schools and rural repopulation efforts There is now widespread acceptance that tactical school closures contribute to rural depopulation in the medium term, based on clear evidence. In addition, while there is recognition that rural schools face challenges, it is also understood that they provide many benefits to communities and pupils, giving them a sense of belonging, respect and resilience. Even if our young people choose to leave, we know that a solid grounding of place-based education makes them much more likely to return and settle when they have families of their own. “RURAL SCHOOLS AREN’T JUST EDUCATING PUPILS — THEY’RE GROWING THE FUTURE LEADERS, CARERS, CREATORS, AND PROBLEM-SOLVERS WHO WILL SHAPE THE NEXT GENERATION OF RURAL LIFE. THIS IS WHERE TRANSFORMATION BEGINS — WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE ROOTED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND READY TO CARRY THEM FORWARD“ 5 The Fuller Picture Update This paper seeks to update on activity since the publication of the 2024 Report, as well as to suggest some areas for further consideration by politicians, policy makers, educationalists and funders. These have evolved from numerous meetings and discussions with a wide range of people both locally and across Scotland, of every political persuasion. The Report has been widely circulated and well received across a wide spectrum of interests in Scotland and beyond. There are three key areas to highlight: 1. The community-led nature of this research, based on real community experience and need, has been welcomed. The strategic use of wind farm community benefit monies to make such research possible demonstrates the importance of ensuring that community benefit decision makers are well informed about the issues and challenges in their area and able to act quickly. 2. There is now widespread acceptance that tactical school closures contribute to rural depopulation in the medium term, based on clear evidence. In addition, while there is recognition that rural schools face challenges, it is also understood that they provide many benefits to communities and pupils, giving them a sense of belonging, respect and resilience. The debate has moved more to ‘What needs to be done differently?’ rather than the previous ‘deficit model’ mindset of perceiving disadvantage and inefficiency due to low numbers. 3. There has been significant support for an agreed and stable statutory provision for under-16 education in the Glenkens, and a post-16 Education and Learning Hub, to deliver rural-based learning from cradle to grave. Such a coherent provision would provide the following benefits: a. Give young people skills, opportunities and genuine choice to pursue their lives and careers locally or elsewhere (place-based education rather than exam-based schooling focused on ‘learning to leave’). b. Support vibrant local economies by meeting the recruitment needs of local employers now and in the future through the creation of an in-situ all-age workforce. Also stimulating interest in new enterprises based on what a vibrant local economy needs rather than just what already exists. c. Equip rural communities with the skills to respond to the climate and biodiversity emergencies by building on existing local knowledge and expertise. 6 The Fuller Picture This topic is not simply of relevance to the Glenkens, or indeed only to Dumfries and Galloway. It is increasingly a difficult topic right across rural Scotland, with regular examples of school closures where communities feel disempowered and the long-term holistic implications are not sufficiently considered. However, there are many innovative examples2 (case studies) within Scotland and elsewhere that demonstrate innovative practice that rural schools, local councils and the educational sector can build on. A positive way forward While we can understand the severe pressures on local authorities and education departments in these financially constrained times, we firmly believe that there is a way through this that will benefit both our rural communities and the Scottish economy in the longer term if we all work together. The joint aim must be having great learning provision for all ages in vibrant and thriving rural communities. Warm words about the importance of our rural communities which are then undermined by negative national and regional policy or funding decisions must be challenged and addressed. Some fundamental changes in the national financing and policy framework, as well as changes in the mindset of education professionals, would achieve this aim. We believe that by working together constructively, this journey will lead to a very positive destination. We would propose the following matters for consideration by Education Departments and by Scottish parties as they prepare their political manifestos: 1.The overall economic and financial impact of school closure and mothballing proposals needs to be properly considered by decision makers. The narrowness of the current analysis, focusing simply on the direct costs of small schools, does not provide a full picture of the financial and economic ramifications in the medium and longer term. There are a number of examples in Dumfries and Galloway, highlighted by the Rural and Small Schools Alliance6, that demonstrate this. Without correct information how can decision makers make good decisions? The current funding model drives any education department towards a short-term tactical approach to closure/mothballing of the school estate, rather than supporting them to take a strategic approach by assessing the community impacts and economic consequences for the area in the longer term. 7 The Fuller Picture If parents lose confidence in the future of their school, move their children and the school roll falls, it is not surprising that with the current incentives, a local authority would use this as a basis for closure/mothballing. Indeed, in some cases they may catalyse such action for the tactical gains. A strategic region-wide approach, based on meeting overall regional economic aspirations, would allow more constructive conversations with parents and stakeholders in pursuit of a shared vision of rural sustainability. 2.The Scottish Government’s Urban/Rural Classification classifies 94% of the land mass of Scotland as rural, but only 17% of the population is based in rural communities. However, 34% of Scotland’s schools are rural, which challenges the perception that it is ‘only a few schools’. Comments have been made about the difficulty in attracting and retaining teachers in rural schools and that bigger, urban-based schools are needed to retain teachers. We suggest instead that there needs to be a rethink and a refocus on how we train and develop teachers. Given the high percentage of rural schools, why are they not given more prominence in policy development, and does there need to be a rethink on how the national strategy relates to rural schools? Solutions could include: • Training and CPD tailored to the small rural school environment. • Producing suitable material resources appropriate for rural schools – they may be different from those used in urban schools; not all learning has to be exam based. • Promoting school collaborations and the use of online learning to make the most of limited resources and reduce professional isolation. 8 The Fuller Picture 3.Changing the mindset of Education professionals is a huge task as there is a very firm view about what young people need from their education, and a reluctance to think about the wider and longer-term economic ramifications of school closures. This approach, aligned with the need to cut costs, is a major obstacle. However, we believe that the root cause of this mindset is the framework and policies within which Education professionals are required to work and the way in which they are measured, monitored and rewarded. If the Scottish Government and policy makers do not see the need for investment in education and childcare provision as fundamental for the longer-term economic prosperity and robustness of rural areas, and therefore Scotland as a whole, then it will be impossible for this mindset to evolve. We need policies and funding that actively support the warm words about repopulating our rural areas. 4.The unequal power between parents/communities and Education professionals needs to be considered and addressed. Current parents are put in a hugely difficult position by being required to ensure their own children's futures are protected, while also being expected to consider the longer-term, wider community impacts of education provision in their area. There needs to be more thought given to what processes could support good debate and longer-term effective planning. Parents recognise the challenges and the need to change, but they are often forced into confrontation or argument as this is the only way for their views to be heard. In addition, the current nature of the engagement with parents inevitably leads to changes in the parents involved, as each cohort moves through the school and then leaves. This comes with the resultant loss of the background and understanding of the rationale for decisions. A process involving mediation/engagement/effective community involvement could lead to longer-term and better supported discussions, removing the heavy personal pressure on current parents. There also needs to be a recognition that it is usually individuals voluntarily giving their time that must deal with paid Education professionals. 9 The Fuller Picture 5.The Glenkens community have the ambition to develop an Education and Learning Hub to meet their young people’s needs, to support learning for all ages in the community, and to make the area attractive to working families and therefore sustainable into the long term. However, without funding and support to take the idea from a concept to a deliverable plan, this is likely to remain only an ambition. Volunteers only have so much capacity! Given the support for this concept and the increasing recognition of the need for learning and education to better meet the short-, medium- and long-term needs of the wider community it serves, then we need the foresight of funders to support us at these early stages. We need to develop a detailed plan with education providers and potential employers to consider the true feasibility of this transformational project. In Summary There is passion and commitment from people in the Glenkens to progress these ideas and to become an exemplar for how education can be cost-effectively delivered in rural Scotland to support both our young people and the wider cohort of people who live here. This will enable our communities to thrive and repopulate – but we need our regional and national organisations to support us. References: This document has been prepared by the Education and Learning sub-committee7 of the Glenkens CAP Steering Group8 in pursuit of the delivery of the Glenkens & district Community Action Plan9. June 2025 1: www.gov.scot/publications/commission-delivery-rural-education-report/ 2: glenkens.scot/reports-resources-archive/a-review-of-rural-education-in-the-glenkens 3: glenkens.scot/local-place-plans 4: www.glenkenstrust.org.uk/ 5: codel.scot/ 6: www.facebook.com/groups/562411589942434/ 7: glenkens.scot/education-and-learning 8: glenkens.scot/community-groups/community-action-plan-steering-group 9: glenkens.scot/reports-resources-archive/community-action-plan Many thanks to the Rural and Small Schools Alliance Dumfries & Galloway, Dalry Parent Council, and all the members of the community who have contributed to this report. Overpage: Rhelm, a young indie rock band formed in the Glenkens in 2023 10 A good educational provision isn’t just delivering the curriculum. It is shaping resilient, thoughtful, connected citizens, preventing rural depopulation and helping local economies thrive. This is what rural education can offer. June 2025  Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Education & Learning in the Glenkens Description An account of the resource 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. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CAP_31 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource GCAT Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available CAP Steering Group Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2025 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Glenkens & District Trust CAP Theme 3 education https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/20/636/Glenkens_Skills_and_Jobs_Fair_evaluation_cover.jpg 3a47ce2ac39019b16d370adcf475afd6 https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/20/636/Glenkens_Skills_and_Jobs_Fair_evaluation.pdf d4a89ea8d9bed2c14fd84b0adaeaad34 PDF Text Text pdftext_placeholder Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Community Action Plan Description An account of the resource Documents relating to the Glenkens and District Community Action Plan, initially drawn up by Glenkens & District Trust in 2020. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Glenkens Skills and Jobs Fair, Dalry Secondary School, 30th September 2025, Evaluation Report The Glenkens Skills and Jobs Fair was funded by a grant from DGWorks, the Local Employability Partnership, from their No One Left Behind grant scheme, which aims to ‘deliver a system that is more tailored and responsive to the needs of people of all ages, especially those who are disadvantaged in the labour market’. The grant was allocated to the Glenkens Community and Arts Trust (GCAT), to work in partnership with the Glenkens Community Action Plan Steering Group and Dalry School Parent Council in order to create and promote an event which showcases the breadth of opportunity for employment, training and employability support in the area. Pre-event The two months before the event saw a broad publicity campaign, aimed both at attendees and exhibitors. A freelance project coordinator was appointed, and this dedicated resource was crucial to the success of the project. Posters and flyers were created and put up in locations across the Glenkens, including village noticeboards, shops, bus stops and community buildings. A ¼ page ad was placed in the Glenkens Gazette, a free, bi-monthly publication covering the entire Glenkens area. The Glenkens Hub website had a dedicated page for the event (https://glenkens.scot/community-events/skills-and-jobs-fair), and a social media campaign to find attendees was also organised, increasing in intensity toward the day of the fair, with a press release sent out to local media outlets a fortnight before the event. There was a clear focus in the advertising on career changers as well as school students - we wanted to showcase the range of employment opportunities available in the Glenkens to people of all ages. Planning meetings were held between GCAT, Dalry PC and the head teacher of Dalry and Castle Douglas Secondary Schools. Primary and secondary schools in the area were contacted by email and asked to inform parents of the Careers Fair, which was also advertised in the Developing the Young Workforce Dumfries and Galloway newsletter. Exhibitors were mainly recruited by direct contact (the Glenkens and District Trust was very helpful in providing contact details for wind farm developers and associated companies), and some got in touch to request a stall having seen advertising for the event. On the day The event was well supported by a range of employers, local, national and international, but all active in the Glenkens and wider D&G region. In addition to employment opportunities, representatives from local employment support bodies were on hand to offer advice to those who would benefit from additional support to enable them to work, and representatives of two local wind farm community benefit funds were also present to highlight the opportunities for local people to receive assistance with work related training or costs. Turnout for the event was excellent, with 57 attendees of a range of ages - indeed, there were more post-school adults who attended than there were high school students. 27 representatives of 19 organisations exhibitited at the event, including the following sectors: - renewables - construction - infrastructure - civil engineering - market gardening/food - forestry - hospitality - home care - childcare - environment Employers: • Carsphairn Community Woodland • Dynamic Domestic • Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership • Galloway Food Hub • Jones Bros. Civil Engineering • Natural Power Propagate • Scottish Childminding Association • SP Energy Networks • SureCare Dumfries and Galloway • The Kenmure Arms • Tony Gee • Vattenfall Employability support: • Better Lives Partnership • Developing the Young Workforce Dumfries and Galloway • DG Works Local employability and skills partnership • Skills Development Scotland Education Grant Funding: • Carsphairn Renewable Energy Fund Ltd. • Glenkens & District Trust Legacy An important part of the legacy from the event was building links between local employers and community organisations, and connecting them directly into the education system. The positivity generated by this event will hopefully be a catalyst for ongoing improved links and a raised awareness of the wealth of employment opportunities in rural D&G. One employer fed back (unprompted) that subject to interviews etc., they believed they were in a position to offer a young person who had approached them at the event employment in the area. All stallholders took part in a video interview on the day, and information about how to get in touch, types of careers etc was collected before the event. The videos and information are now all available to view on a dedicated page on the Glenkens Hub. This will provide a useful support to Careers Advice at Dalry and Castle Douglas High Schools, as well as an ongoing resource for people looking for employment opportunities in the Glenkens. • https://glenkens.scot/local-employers-and-support Summary of data received from attendee feedback forms Reasons for visiting skills fair 8% To plan options for future study 4% 22% To find out about career paths in the Glenkens To find out about apprenticeship opportunities 13% To find out about graduate roles in the Glenkens 18% 35% To look for a job To find out about opportunities to retrain When asked ‘were you able to find what you were looking for’, every respondent answered ‘yes’. When asked about barriers to employment, one respondent answered that transport was a barrier to employment for them, and two answered that lack of suitable childcare was a barrier. All of the respondents to the questionnaire stated that they would like to see the skills fair return as a regular event, and attendees left the following comments: • • • • • Great to see all the opportunities in one place, thank you! It was a really great event, lots of friendly people and I was able to find out information that will be really useful when thinking about what I want to do after I finish my current internship role Very interesting to see the demand of roles in the renewable sector. Very good fair. What an amazing opportunity for us Great event Feedback received verbally from attendees included: • • I was really glad that you made it clear that the event was for ‘crusties’ like me as well as young people. I had a really positive conversation about opportunities with the wind farm developers and will be sending my CV The event was buzzing, I never realised there were so many opportunities in the local area Exhibitor feedback Feedback from exhibitors on information received beforehand was positive, and all respondents commented that their interactions with fair visitors were positive and productive. Comments on the catering were especially positive. All but one respondent confirmed that they would like to be involved in future events. Comments: • • • • A very good event, I really enjoyed it, everyone was friendly and welcoming and those who attended, engaged well with the businesses. I also found it useful as a networking event. It was really impressive. Often attendance is poor at such events but this was buzzing. Excellent event and well supported by the local community Thank you so much for running the fair! I thought it was fantastic! Really well attended and with a good atmosphere. Event costs Delivery costs Project Coordinator time: preparation, delivery, evaluation Venue hire Travel expenses Publicity Catering £200 GCAT planning support Total Budgeted £ 897.00 £ 150.00 £ 150.00 £ 250.00 £ 350.00 £ 200.00 £ 1,997.00 Actual £ 920.00 £ 82.50 £ 127.00 £ 306.87 £ 354.29 £ 200.00 £ 1,990.66 Learning points Event date: This event was held in the University term: early summer (late May/early June) would be a better time for the event to be accessible for higher education students home for the holiday as well as school pupils and the general public. Pre-event correspondence with exhibitors: Some exhibitors were not able to use a Google form to complete their details as it was blocked by internal firewalls. Publicity: Staff from Doon Academy would have liked to bring pupils but they had an event clash. Letting them know earlier may increase the footfall from areas further afield from Dalry. A bigger publicity campaign (socials and emails) from the schools would probably have resulted in more students coming along. Students from CD should be clearly invited, as well as those from Dalry. Event logistics: The majority of the planning took place over the summer holidays, when it was not possible to engage directly with school staff. Access to the school building for the exhibitors to set up was slightly challenging because of the security requirements of the school. The offer of transport from GCT was not taken up by anyone. The Fair was timed to coincide with the public bus in from CD which worked well. The two-hour window spanning the end of the school day and the end of the working day also worked well, it was busy from start to end. On the day: One stallholder had not registered so there were not sufficient tables, which we were able to rectify on the day but it meant that one stallholder was slightly squashed. It may be worth getting an extra table or two put up in case of this happening again! Video recordings The fair was very busy, which was great, but made it more of a challenge to record a video interview with each of the stallholders alongside answering queries, counting people, highlighting the feedback forms etc. – it would probably be better to have an extra member of GCAT staff or volunteer at the event. Feedback forms Only around 20% of attendees completed a feedback form, with 3 in the age 16-25 age bracket and nobody under 16. It might be better to give young people the option to feed back their views in different ways – comments board, post-it notes etc Future events We asked employers whether an annual event would be too frequent, and if we were to run another skills fair, would they prefer June 2026 or June 2027. One respondent said 2027 but all the others said that they would be happy to attend another such event in June 2026. Acknowledgements With thanks to DG Works Local Employability Partnership for funding the skills fair, to Dalry School and Parents Council and the Glenkens CAP Steering Group for the planning support, and of course to all of the exhibitors and attendees for making this so successful. Full Exhibitor Feedback • Was the information shared before the event sufficient for your planning purposes? Was there anything that could have been improved? • • • • • • • • • • • • nothing needing improved, all information shared was detailed and concise Yes The information was so clear and in great detail and happened exactly as explained The information was very thorough received beforehand. Yes - nothing that could have been improved Information shared was sufficient for planning, slight communication blip, in that you were unaware I would be attending. Yes, it was very well organised Yes It was all good Yes, we had all the information we needed. One thing that might help for exhibitors next time would be more info on the expected audience. For example, we saw many more older jobseekers than expected compared to school pupils, so any data or steers on who/how the fair is being publicised could be helpful. Absolutely not a criticism, and appreciate it’s the first time for the event! Were you happy with the interactions that you received with Fair visitors? • • • • • absolutely, I had good interactions with parents, pupils and other exhibitors Yes Yeah they were great, met lots of people and other organisations and shared details, with some really productive contact made today Yes – It was lovely to meet with a chat to the local childminders, it also gave me a better insight into the area’s needs for childcare Yes • • Excellent event, visitors were all very engaging. Yes, I spoke to some interested people I was very happy with the venue, stall position and the interactions with people who visited the stall. Yes we had lots of chats with people genuinely interested in how to get into regenerative farming Yes, interactions were positive and engaged. We were particularly struck by how many career-changers were interested in renewables. Was the area allocated for your stand suitable, and do you have any feedback on the venue or catering? • • • • • • • • • • venue was good size and in central location for the area, I spoke to people who attended Kirkcudbright Academy so attendees were happy to travel – catering was excellent, thank you. Yes/Hospitality was great and the venue was suitable for the event Very much so, food was great It was fantastic to have catering at the event, made a big difference to me especially as my journey was along one Yes, catering was the best I've experienced and I go to a lot of events Hall was set out well, good venue and food looked lovely The catering and venue were very good The catering was fab it was fine Yes the space was ideal, and clustering the energy/renewables sector worked well. Catering was unexpected but very welcome! Would you be interested in participating in future events? • absolutely, yes. • Yes • Absolutely • Yes • I'd love to be involved in any future events! • Yes • Yes • • • Possibly, we need to do more research into the needs of the community for childminders – speaking to those already working in the roles there may be little business to go around Yes Keen to participate in future events Do you have any other comments? • • • • • • a very good event, I really enjoyed it, everyone was friendly and welcoming and those who attended, engaged well with the businesses. I also found it useful as a networking event. No It was really impressive. Often attendance is poor at such events but this was buzzing. Excellent event and well supported by the local community Thank you so much for running the fair! I thought it was fantastic! Really well attended and with a good atmosphere. Thank you for having Vattenfall at your event! Testimonials • • • “An excellent event for both businesses and attendees. Dalry Secondary School has good accommodation and is excellently situated for the Glenkens Community. Huge thanks and congratulations to Becca and her team for a great event”. "Yesterday's event was a powerful reminder of the impact that communityled initiatives can have to allow local communities and pupils to consider a career within their own localities and to improve employment opportunities" "It’s clear from the attention to detail and thought put into the skills and jobs fair that there is a strong community spirit and desire from everyone living and working in it to pull together to create an event of real value. There was a broad spectrum of organisations there, which gave people lots of choice when it came to talking to people and a chance to think about alternatives they maybe hadn’t considered as a career option. These • • • • • events should be delivered where people are at and organised by people who know their community and its needs best.” I would be delighted to be invited to attend any future event. A brilliant local event to share wider employment opportunities to the local community. This was a really valuable event and very important for the Glenkens to raise awareness of all there is on offer. It was also a rare and important opportunity for networking between different rural employers and organisations who don’t often have the chance to come together in one place. It was fantastic to have the opportunity to engage with local people to let them know about what we do and the variety of roles available at the GSA Biosphere Partnership. The Glenkens Skills & Jobs Fair was an excellent, well-delivered event bringing together local people with the businesses and organisations supporting new opportunities in this part of Dumfries & Galloway. This fair helped us raise awareness of the myriad careers and jobs opportunities associated with wind farm development, and in particular the types of jobs that will be generated by our next proposed project in the area - Quantans Hill Wind Farm - should it be consented. Although these potential jobs could still be two or three years in the future, we know from experience that if we want local people to grasp these opportunities, responsible developers like Vattenfall must start early by raising awareness, sign-posting and providing insights into how the industry works. The Glenkens Skills & Jobs Fair was an excellent opportunity for us to pursue this, and throughout the evening our team had numerous positive conversations with local residents of all ages. These conversations also helped deepen our understanding of the challenges, aspirations and ambitions of the local community, and this feedback will help mould our local employment strategy should Quantans Hill Wind Farm go ahead.  Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Glenkens Skills and Jobs Fair, Dalry Secondary School, 30th September 2025, Evaluation Report Description An account of the resource 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. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CAP_32 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource GCAT Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Glenkens Community Action Plan Steering Group Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2025 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource DGWorks CAP Theme 3 https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/20/637/251121_CAP_SG_Response_to_DGC_Budget_consultation_cover.jpg 1c4dcf3525aca7ee047b0ed9e72b04ab https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/20/637/251121_CAP_SG_Response_to_DGC_Budget_consultation.pdf c9b3d2988f5b6718661d01462f4d6b98 PDF Text Text pdftext_placeholder Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Community Action Plan Description An account of the resource Documents relating to the Glenkens and District Community Action Plan, initially drawn up by Glenkens & District Trust in 2020. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Response to October 2025 Budget Proposals from Dumfries and Galloway Council 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. 1. Introduction The 2026/27 DGC budget proposal consultation is of deep concern to the Glenkens Community Actions Plan Steering Group. The consultation indicates that DGC is considering cuts which will have a disproportionate impact on rural communities across the region, through cuts to education and through cuts to lifeline services which directly support our young people, communities and vulnerable people. This is entirely contradictory to the stated positions and policy of the Council and the Scottish Government to mitigate rural depopulation and to have vibrant and active communities. The real longer-term impact has not been sufficiently considered, and greater savings which would have lesser impact seem not to have been taken into account. Active and thriving rural communities are key to the long term prosperity and wellbeing of Dumfries and Galloway in many ways, from food and energy production to environmental stewardship. Nobody wants to see ghost villages due to urban centralisation. We set out below the policy context that national and local governments have previously committed to; set out the local issues and impacts; and offer proposals for the Council to meaningfully engage with rural communities to find joint solutions to these joint issues. 2. Context 1.1. Scottish Government: The Scottish Government has made clear policy statements over many years about the importance of rural education and the interweaving of school provision and the sustainability of rural communities: Commission for the Delivery of Rural Education, 2011: “Rural schools should be seen as community assets.” Scottish Government and COSLA, 2013: “Local authorities [] should consider rural education holistically for their area, actively seeking solutions to enhance the viability of rural communities.” Addressing Depopulation Action Plan, 2024: Establishes depopulation as a priority area of focus for the Scottish Government. “These protections are intended to ensure that local authorities think very carefully before closing a rural school and consult extensively with the local community about their proposal.” 1.2. Regional context: Dumfries and Galloway is now all classed as rural apart from Dumfries town. Rural communities constitute over 95% of the land mass to the area. Dumfries and Galloway Council has a clear policy focus on Place and Commmunity Planning, which is supported by the South of Scotland Regional Economic Strategy (RES) and, recently, by addtional ScotGov funding to understand the causes of depopulation: D&G Council Local Outcomes Improvement Plan 2023-2033, Prioity 3: Where We Live. Community Planning Partners will focus on place; listen to our local communities; improve connectivity; and help tackle key local issues South of Scotland Regional Economic Strategy 2023 Vision: Our approach to developing our economy will be motivated by thinking and doing differently, to ensure the best outcomes are achieved for the South of Scotland. Regional Economic Strategy Priority Theme 4: Revitalising Towns and Rural Communities 2024: Dumfries and Galloway Council received £30,000 of ScotGov funding to research the causes of local population decline, to inform the development of future policy interventions. Migration Minister Emma Roddick said: “The factors that lead to depopulation are complex and interdependent. This plan cuts right across government – in policy areas including housing, healthcare, transport and education – to help deliver solutions that address the needs of individual areas”. This important report by the University of the West of Scotland and CoDeL is complete and sits with the Council, but has not yet been published and is not referenced in the creation of this budget. The Community Action Plan Steering Group contributed extensively to a case study of the Glenkens within this report and would like to see their community contributions being meaningfully used. 1.3. Glenkens Context: ‘A review of rural education in the Glenkens’, CoDeL, 2024: “Educational opportunities are intricately bound up with community and economic development, as well as housing provision, and should not be seen in isolation. • • The provision of rural education plays critical roles in ... o delivering on national (Scottish) and local (D&G) policy to support thriving rural communities, directly addressing depopulation and developing skills, opportunities and resilience for their long-term sustainability; o sustaining vibrant local economies, through education that meets the recruitment needs of local employers, in the present and the future, and encourages enterprise. Recent rigorous research shows that school closures lead to local rural depopulation in the medium term.” ‘Education & Learning in the Glenkens’, GCAT, 2025. “We want to work in partnership with Dumfries & Galloway Council to create a sustainable and stable statutory educational provision in the Glenkens, from Nursery to senior years, that will attract working-age families into the area and give our young people the best possible start in life. Right now, decisions about school closures often don’t fully consider the long-term costs to the economy, community or environment. We need a better approach - one that sees rural schools as part of a bigger solution to rural depopulation, and a key part of the bigger picture of Scotland’s wellbeing economy.” 3. Overall response to the Budget proposals in the light of this policy context: 3.1. The proposals don’t seem to contain any reductions of senior management positions to reflect the proposed reduced service provision. The third sector has been cutting its cloth to suit available budgets for many years, resulting in a lean, efficient and enterprising sector. It is time now for the Council to consider the cost of itself and to work proactively with the third sector to better deliver the vital services which our communities rely on. 3.2. The proposals don’t seem to be informed by the University of the West of Scotland research into Rural Depopulation that the Council commissioned to inform important policy decisions. 3.3. 69% of the proposed cuts in monetary terms are aimed at children and young people. This will only accelerate the decline of working age people with families living in rural communities. 3.4. Why is the economic importance of our rural areas to the future of Dumfries and Galloway and Scotland not reflected in the proposals? Dumfries and Galloway produces over 80% of the milk and around 30% of the timber produced in Scotland. These rural industries depend on our rural communities. They need them to thrive, and to attract and retain people of working age. 3.5. Why are only rural schools included in the proposal for closure? The 4 Dumfries high schools are no more than a ten minute drive from each other and are currently running at <40% capacity between them. Closing 1 out of 4 urban schools to bring them back in line with Council rules on capacity would have far less effect on the long-term prosperity of Dumfries and Galloway than closing rural schools. 3.6. The proposals don’t include any efficency savings in Adult Health and Social Care or Loan Repayments, both significant cost bases. 3.7. Tackling Poverty and Inequality funding supports Patient Transport, which provides vital access to hospital appointments for people in rural D&G. Without this modest funding that pays for the fuel as volunteers take people to appointments, appointments will be missed and health conditions worsen. There is often no suitable public transport and no taxis in rural areas. This funding mitigates the hyper-local effects of poverty in rural communities in other important ways as well and is spread thinly enough as it is. 3.8. The proposals include wide cuts to ASN children and students, which disadvantages both them and mainstream students. Why are we targeting the most vulnerable in our communities? 3.9. The CAP Steering Group supports the call for more creative partnership working and different ways of achieving the necessary outcomes made in the TSDG response to this consultation. In particular, their responses to the proposals to de-fund Citizens Advice, and Direct Support Payments to children. 4. Conclusion The Glenkens Community Action Plan Steering Group has been working to realise the ambitions of the people of the Glenkens for more than 3 years now. Over this time, it has become clear that we cannot create the thriving, sustainable communities we know we can be without holistic, coherent support at a strategic level from our regional partners such as Dumfries and Galloway Council. The Council commissioned work on regional depopulation in order to create such a holistic, coherent strategy – yet this budget process is proceeding with no apparent reference to that report. We call on the Elected Members to raise the following points with Council officals: • • • • Are our D&G rural communities valued for the contribution we make to regional prosperity? This budget seems to consider us to only be an inefficent cost-base. Where is the strategy to combat rural depopulation? Where are the transformational ideas needed to turn that strategy into action? Why are we still protecting old-fashioned Council models of delivery at the significant expense of our children and our community organisations? It is well past time for change, and the Glenkens stands ready to partner with the Council to pilot innovative and transformational ideas such as Education and Learning Hubs, demand-responsive community transport and more. There is a way to do more with less and it is to make bold decisions based on objective evidence and then re-design the public sector as an enabling service towards enacting those decisions in partnership with communities - not preserving old ways of working that no longer fit. The Glenkens Community Action Plan Steering Group 20-11-2025 Appendix 1: Over-arching responses to the Budget Proposals 1. Policy Disconnect • • • • • • • • • Why has the DGC-commissioned report into Rural Depopulation not been published and used to inform this budegt proposal? When will the report be published? Why are 69% of the proposed cuts affecting children and young people, who make up 15% of the population? This will only accelerate the decline of working age people with families living in rural communities. Why do the proposals all favour reduction in public services rather than a remodelling of our council to deliver services more efficiently, in creative and strategic partnerships with their communities? For example, the work being done in Clackmannanshire. For as long as DGC maintains its ‘No compulsory redundancies’ policy, how will any of the staffing cuts proposed here affect the real bottom line? Staffing costs represent 58% of the total budget, just as they did in 2024/25. Where are the cuts to senior managers to reflect the proposed cuts to delivery staff? Presumably many fewer senior posts will be needed to manage fewer staff and deliver fewer services? Where are adult social care costs in the consulation? They make up 23% of the budget, as they have done with no change since at least 2024/25. Public sector reform is required to make these more effective (as per the Wigan model) before we start removing education services. Has the Council’s debt been renegotiated as low as possible? This represent 7% of the budget, down only 1% from 2024/25 levels as a share of the budget. Why does the Corporate Change fund not feature in the budget? It sat at £3million after the last FY. It can fund a £250k post-event review of the August 2025 Bus Network Review process – why are other uses of it not being put out for consultation? Why are the 4 Dumfries schools that are no more than a ten minute drive from each other and are currently running at <40% capacity between them not in the proposals for closure like the rural schools are? Closing 1 out of 4 urban schools to bring them back in line with Council rules on capacity would have far less effect on the community than closing soe rural schools. 2. Consultation Process concerns • • • • Where are the impact assessments associated with each proposal? How can we make decisions without knowing the true impact? Where are the equalities assessments associated with each proposal under the Public Sector Equality Duty? Why are some of the references in the associated documents not real? Have they been AI generated? Were they logged on the ScotGov Scottish AI Register? Who designed the consultation, and why does it have such leading questions, such as Use schools more effectively by bringing pupils into underused modern school buildings? Was the ‘Scottish Government: consultation good practice guidance’ followed in the creation of the consultation? Appendix 2: Specific responses to budget proposals: 1. Sustained focus of resources • Reduce spending on external [community based] Children and Families services in Social Work - £100k/yr = 0.3% of the £35M funding gap Proposal: Support the TSDG proposals for better ways of supporting Children and Families through their communities. • End funding for Information and Advice services provided by Citizens Advice - £906,000 per year – 2.5% of the £35M funding gap Last year, more than 8,000 people across Dumfries and Galloway received support and advice from this service. This service helped people with more than £8.6m of debt and supported bringing £9.8m back into households and local economies. Proposal: Protect the budget and make a multi-year award to allow them to deliver their services even more efficiently. 2. Modernise delivery of services • Reduce spending on children’s direct payment support - £140k/yr = 0.4% Proposal: Support the TSDG proposals for better ways of supporting children in partnership with communities and support organisations. • Reduce emergency assistance payments through the council's Children and Families service - £40k/yr – 0.1% Proposal: Support the TSDG proposal that the Council better understands the impact of this decision on its duties before making any decision. 3. Maximise use of fewer assets • Consult on the closure of small nurseries - £100k/yr = 0.3% Which nurseries are these? Not stated in FAQs. Consideration needs to be given to the disproportionate effect of closing rural nurseries on the sustainability of their host communities. The use of unidentified ‘private providers’ seems disingenuous – why would the private sector replace the public sector in these cases? Proposal: Allocate the budget on the basis of a strategic view on averting rural depopulation, and recognizing the evidenced negative impact of closing schools and nurseries on rural population levels. • Use schools more effectively by bringing pupils into underused modern school buildings. £2M/yr? 5.7% Which schools would be affected by this proposal? Not stated in FAQs. Significant consideration needs to be given to the disproportionate effect of closing rural schools on the sustainability of their host communities. Why is one of the 4 Dumfries High Schools currently running at <40% occupancy not a proposal for savings? Proposal: Allocate the budget on the basis of a strategic view on averting rural depopulation, as per Council and SG prioirities, and recognizing the evidenced negative impact of closing schools and nurseries on rural population levels. Proposal: Shut one Dumfries High School to bring the other 3 up to DGC-approved levels of minimum occupancy. *Sarah, do you have those numbers about how much each school costs still? I can’t remember where that was. Consult on school closures – 20 / 25 / 50 pupils. £300k - £3M/yr = 0.9 – 8.6% There is no impact assessment on the students or the host communities for these closures, so how can they be assessed? Have the increased travel costs been taken into account in the cost savings? They haven’t been in the past. Have the costs of carrying out the consultations been taken into account in these figures? Proposal: Allocate the budget on the basis of a strategic view on averting rural depopulation, and recognizing the evidenced negative impact of closing schools and nurseries on rural population levels. 4. Develop a smaller more flexibly skilled workforce • Reduce staffing of Early Learning and Childcare support – £200k/yr = 0.6% This represents a 50% reduction of early years support for ASN children are hidden in ‘Early Years’. • Close three Inclusion Bases and shift to outreach support - £40k/yr = 0.1%. Why even contemplate disadvantage both ASN young people and mainstream young people by disrupting both learning environments? Also, the cost saving seems very low for such a dramatic move – is that because no staff can be made redundant? • Share headteachers between small and larger primary schools. - £50k/yr = 0.1% Sharing management of primary schools disproportionately affects rural primary schools. What is the equalities impact assessment of that? Proposal: Stop looking at education as a cost base and start looking at it as the bedrock of sustainable communities. Invest in education fairly across the region to avert ongoing depopulation issues. 5. Budget savings options previously considered • End funding for all Tackling Poverty and cost of living projects - £630,000 per year = 1.8% TPI funding funds Patient Transport, which provides vital access to hospital appointments for people in rural D&G. Without this modest funding that pays for the fuel as volunteers take people to appointments, appointments will be missed, as there is no suitable public transport and no taxis. This funding mitigates the hyper-local effects of poverty in rural communities in other important ways as well and is spread thinly enough as it is. Proposal: Support the TSDG proposal that DGC should protect this much-needed investment in tackling poverty and inequalities to help maintain the community structures and supports that have been created and are relied on, and should indeed commit funding on a multi-year basis to allow better outcomes for the same amount of investment. • Reduce Additional Support for Learning (ASL) teachers in primary schools - £120k/yr = 0.3% As above, this disadvantages both ASN and mainstream students. How will the savings be realised with no compulsory redundancies? Proposal: Stop looking at education as a cost base and start looking at it as the bedrock of sustainable communities. Invest in education fairly across the region to avert ongoing depopulation issues.  Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Response to October 2025 Budget Proposals from Dumfries and Galloway Council Description An account of the resource 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. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CAP_33 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource GCAT Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available CAP Steering Group Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2025 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Glenkens & District Trust CAP Theme 3 education https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/23/638/EarlstonCastle.jpg 48d460268a794a0ce2b0d60dd8659b0f https://glenkensarchive.scot/glenkens_archive/files/original/23/638/earlstoncastle.mp4 702ca50f02624b5e9942374c094ff328 Moving Image A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Glenkens and Loch Ken - Earlston Castle Description An account of the resource Part of flash movie filmed for History Stop. Featuring the Gordons, Covenanters, Allangibbon Cottage, Milton Park. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context HS_MV_2 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource GCAT Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available History Stop buildings heritage