Item 8 Glasgow City Council
14th August 2009 Report to: Executive Committee
Report by: Council Business Manager – Councillor Aileen Colleran
Contact: Dawn Corbett Ext: 74604
DRAFT GAELIC LANGUAGE PLAN 2009 to 2012
Purpose of Report:
In common with other public bodies across Scotland, the Council is required under the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 to produce a Draft Gaelic Language Plan. We must submit our Plan to Bòrd na Gàidhlig, the national body with responsibility for advising and monitoring all Language Plans, by September 2009.
The first draft of our Gaelic Language Plan was put out to public consultation from September to December 2008. We have now revised our Draft based on comments received and on Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s most recent guidance and template on Language Plans which we are obliged to follow.
Our Plan sets out the actions we will take, along with some partner organisations, to help achieve the objectives of the National Plan for Gaelic to secure the status and future of Gaelic as a living language in Scotland and as a distinctive aspect of our country’s cultural heritage.
Recommendations:
The Executive Committee is asked to approve the Draft Gaelic Language Plan 2009 to 2012 for submission to Bòrd na Gàidhlig.
Ward No(s): Citywide: 9
Local member(s) advised: Yes No consulted: Yes No
Introduction
1. We have been asked by Bòrd na Gàidhlig, the national body with responsibility for advising and monitoring Gaelic Language Plans, to produce a Draft Gaelic Language Plan as required by the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005. We must submit our Draft Plan by September 2009. Bòrd na Gàidhlig will then consider our Draft Plan and, it is hoped, approve it in the Autumn.
2. We consulted on the first draft of our Plan, which we published in English and Gaelic, between September and December 2008. It was circulated to all Services, partner organisations and neighbouring councils and was available in libraries and on our web-site. We organised meetings in all the Council’s Gaelic Medium Education (GME) establishments with parents, pupils, staff, Gaelic tutors and Gaelic learners. We estimate that about 300 people attended these meetings. We also received over 170 responses to our on-line questionnaire on the Draft Plan.
3. Feedback on our Draft Plan was generally positive and people were keen to see the Council deliver on its proposed commitments, especially in relation to GME education and adult learning.
4. With over 10% of Scotland’s Gaelic speakers, the largest number outwith the Western Isles, Glasgow can be seen as the centre for Gaelic culture in mainland Scotland. Our Draft Pan for 2009 to 2012 shows the actions we will take to encourage wider use of Gaelic and a greater appreciation of its place in our city. It explains the historical context of Gaelic in Glasgow and outlines its current importance in terms of education, the arts and leisure, the city’s economy and the media.
Main areas in our Draft Plan
5. Our Draft follows the guidance and template provided by Bòrd na Gàidhlig. Chapter 2 details our proposals to raise the profile of the Gaelic language under the heading of Core Commitments; these cover :
o Identity (page 20) o Communications (pages 21 - 22) o Publications (pages 23 - 24) o Staffing (pages 25 - 26)
6. Notable proposals include : introducing more signage in Gaelic as the Office Modernisation Programme progresses; Gaelic awareness training for staff with some involvement in Gaelic; Gaelic equivalents of teaching materials in English; greater Gaelic presence on our web-site; pilot of Gaelic learners classes for staff.
7. Chapter 3 reflects the priorities of the National Plan under the themes of :
o Language Acquisition – Gaelic in the home; in education, including adult learners (pages 25-29) o Language Use – Gaelic in communities; in the media and arts; in tourism, heritage/recreation (pages 30-32) o Language Corpus – Gaelic Orthographic, place names, translation, research (pages 34-35)
8. The main commitments for Language Acquisition are : continuing the expansion of Gaelic Medium Education at all levels – nursery; primary and secondary, along with teaching resources; looking at Gaelic learning in other primary and secondary schools in the city;
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expanding adult Gaelic learners’ classes, including “taster” sessions.
9. The main commitments for Language Use are : developing more leisure and sporting activities in Gaelic for pupils in GME; working closely with the city’s Gaelic community; evaluating the current Gaelic Arts Strategy.
10. The main commitments for Language Corpus are : research into place names in the city; research into Gaelic medium Education in Glasgow
Resourcing our Plan
11. We will meet the resource requirements for this Plan from a combination of our existing budgets, Scottish Government funding for specific educational programmes and bids to the Gaelic Language Act Implementation Fund (GLAIF).
Recommendation
The Executive Committee is asked to approve the Draft Gaelic Language Plan 2009 to 2012 for submission to Bòrd na Gàidhlig.
Service Implications
Financial : Will be met from existing resources Legal : None Personnel : None Service Plan : None Environmental : None
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GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL
DRAFT GAELIC LANGUAGE PLAN
This plan has been prepared under Section 3 of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005.
August 2009 FOREWORD
Glasgow is taking up the challenge to raise the profile of Gaelic in our city in order to help safeguard the future of the language.
This draft Gaelic Language Plan has a crucial contribution to make in this process and sets out how Glasgow City Council will use and promote the language in the provision of our public services.
It describes how we will play our part in helping achieve the aspirations and objectives of the National Plan for Gaelic and the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 in securing the status and future of Gaelic as a living language in Scotland and as a distinctive aspect of our country’s cultural heritage.
We recognise the important contribution the language has made to defining the historical identity of Glasgow. We are doing much today to support the development of Gaelic language and culture in our city, especially through education and arts and cultural activities.
Our draft plan for 2009 to 2012 shows the actions we will take to encourage wider use of the language and a greater appreciation of its place in our city. Its success will depend on contributions from lots of different people and different organisations. We are confident we can help ensure that Gaelic has an important place in the future of Glasgow.
George Black Chief Executive
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CONTENTS
Summary
Structure of our Draft Plan
Chapter 1 Introduction
Setting the context Our vision Overview of functions of Glasgow City Council Gaelic in Glasgow Public consultation exercise Next steps
Chapter 2 Core Commitments
Identity Communications Publications Staffing
Chapter 3 Policy Implications for Gaelic: implementing the National Plan for Gaelic
Language Acquisition Language Usage Language Status Language Corpus
Chapter 4 Implementation and Monitoring
Contact Details
Glossary
Feedback form
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SUMMARY
Glasgow City Council recognises that Gaelic is an integral part of Scotland’s heritage, national identity and cultural life. We are committed to the objectives set out in the National Plan for Gaelic and are ready to play our part in helping ensure that Gaelic has a sustainable future in Scotland.
It is clear, however, that the position of Gaelic is extremely fragile. With fewer than 60,000 speakers across Scotland at the 2001 Census, Gaelic faces an uncertain future unless we take action to halt its decline. Gaelic is one of the languages recently identified by Unesco in its Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger as being under threat. If the language is to be sustained and its position strengthened, the Scottish Government, the public and private sectors, community organisations and individual Gaelic speakers, will need to work together to:
• enhance the status of Gaelic;
• promote the acquisition and learning of Gaelic;
• encourage the increased use of Gaelic.
We have prepared our Draft Gaelic Language Plan within the framework of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005, with regard to the National Plan for Gaelic and the Guidance on the Development of Gaelic Language Plans and in the context of Scotland’s largest and most metropolitan city.
Our Plan sets out how we will promote and develop the use of Gaelic in our business and when communicating with the public and our key partners.
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STRUCTURE OF OUR PLAN
There are four sections in our Draft Gaelic Language Plan:
Chapter 1 – Introduction
This chapter provides background to the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 and the preparation of Gaelic Language Plans. It describes Glasgow City Council’s vision for Gaelic in Glasgow, the structure and responsibilities of our organisation and the historic and current position of the Gaelic language in the city.
Chapter 2 – Core Commitments
This chapter sets out how Glasgow City Council will use, and enable the use of Gaelic in our main business functions. It covers corporate identity, signs, communication with the public and the use of Gaelic on our website. It sets out the basic minimum level of Gaelic language provision which we are committed to providing during the period of our first Plan.
Chapter 3 – Policy Implications for Gaelic: implementing the National Plan for Gaelic
This chapter describes how Glasgow City Council will help implement the National Plan for Gaelic and how we intend to promote the use of Gaelic in service planning and delivery, especially in education. It also considers how we will take account of Gaelic and our Gaelic Language Plan when drafting new policies and considering new strategies.
Chapter 4 – Implementation and Monitoring
This chapter sets out how our Gaelic Language Plan will be taken forward, and how its implementation and outcomes will be monitored.
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CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION
Setting the Context
The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 was passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2004. It aims to secure the status of the Gaelic language as an official language of Scotland, commanding equal respect with the English language.
The 2001 Census shows the difficulties facing Gaelic; just 58,652 people said they understand, speak, read or write Gaelic; this represents only 1.2% of the country’s population. However, the Census also showed that the rate of decline in the language had slowed and that the number of speakers in younger age groups had actually risen.
Under the 2005 Act, Bòrd na Gàidhlig can ask public bodies to prepare Gaelic Language Plans. This is to help the public sector in Scotland play its part in creating a sustainable future for Gaelic by raising its status and profile and creating practical opportunities for its use.
Bòrd na Gàidhlig asked Glasgow City Council to start work on preparing our Draft Gaelic Language Plan in September 2008.
The 2005 Act requires public bodies to involve interested parties in the drafting of Gaelic Language Plans. We consulted the general public and partner organisations on our Draft Gaelic Language Plan from September to December 2008. This new Draft Plan takes into account the views provided during the consultation process. We will submit our Draft Gaelic Plan to Bòrd na Gàidhlig in August 2009.
Our vision for Gaelic
We have a vision for Gaelic in our city. By 2020, the place of Gaelic in a thriving, multi- cultural Glasgow will be obvious to all. We’ll see it around us - in our buildings, on our streets, in our shops; we’ll hear it in conversations, in our schools and in the media; we’ll enjoy it in all the arts, especially music, dance and theatre.
“By 2020, we’ll hear Gaelic being spoken by our young people in Buchanan Street, without them feeling self-conscious about it, and people will recognise the language as Gaelic.”
Overview of the functions of Glasgow City Council
Our set-up and functions
Glasgow City Council is one of 32 Scottish all-purpose councils set up in 1996 and is the largest council in Scotland. We have 79 councillors, elected from 21 multi-member wards of three or four members. The Labour Party has the largest number of councillors (47), followed by the Scottish National Party (20), the Scottish Liberal Democrats and the Green Party (each with 5) and the Conservatives and Independent (each with 1).
Our decision making structure is based on an Executive Committee, supported by four Policy Development Committees, two Scrutiny Committees and a number of regulatory type and other committees.
Our annual expenditure is almost £2.4 billion and we employ some 25,000 staff in the following Departments:
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Chief Executive’s Office Corporate Services Department Development & Regeneration Services Education Services Financial Services Land and Environmental Services and Social Work Services
We provide services in the context of a defined set of policies and strategies described in our Council Plan 2008 to 2011. Our over-riding vision is to achieve “A prosperous city for all Glaswegians”. We have five main aims, which we call our key objectives. These are:
o improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our services; o increasing access to lifelong learning; o making Glasgow a cleaner, safer city; o building a prosperous city; and o improving health and wellbeing.
Our key objectives shape what we do and how we use our resources. They are backed up by individual outcomes and targets which contribute to achieving our goals.
We often work in partnership with Government (both Scottish and UK) and other public bodies. These include the Glasgow Community Planning Partnership, which brings together major groups from the public, private and voluntary sectors, and our five community health and care partnerships (CHCPs) which bring the Council and colleagues in the NHS together at a local level. We also work with the private sector.
The Chief Executive is our principal policy advisor and has overall responsibility for translating our policies into strategies and action plans for service delivery. He is supported in this role by the Council's Management Team. Each Service department also has specific responsibilities for leading policy and strategy development within its own area.
In the last two years some of our services have become “arms-length external organisations” (ALEOs), operating separately from us. These include Culture and Sport Glasgow, Glasgow Community and Safety Services and City Building Glasgow. The two most recent ALEOs are ACCESS, a joint initiative with Serco (a private sector company), which deals with ICT and property and Cordia, which deals with home care, school and other catering and janitorial services. Further information can be found on our web-site www.glasgow.gov.uk
Our city
Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city and a key centre for commerce, industry, retail and increasingly, tourism, with nearly three million visitors each year. The city has a population of 581,000 within a wider metropolitan area of 1.7 million people. It is Scotland’s most multi- cultural city. At the 2001 Census, 5.5% of our residents were from black and ethnic-minority communities. In recent years people moving to the city from abroad through Glasgow’s Asylum Seeker programme and through migration from countries joining the European Union such as Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, have boosted our population by an estimated 10,000.
Glasgow has been a fast-growing city in terms of both economic output and jobs since the mid-1990s. It has enjoyed strong jobs growth, particularly in the service sector related to retail and tourism (including sport and cultural events). However, its manufacturing sector continues its long-term decline. The unemployment rate has dropped steadily from 15.1% in 1996 to 7.8% in 2006, but it is still higher than the rate for Scotland (5.3%).
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The Scottish Government’s Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) shows that Glasgow continues to have the largest number of deprived local areas. Over a quarter of the city’s working-age residents (26%) claim a benefit such as Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Incapacity Benefit or Lone Parents Benefit or other income-related benefits; this compares to 17% across Scotland. The employment rates for disabled residents, black and ethnic- minority residents, young people (aged 16 to 19) and those aged over 50 are all significantly below the Glasgow average. Many adults have low levels of skills and a high percentage of residents (21%) have no qualifications, especially those aged 50 to retirement age.
The current economic down-turn is already affecting the city in terms of inward investment and employment. Many of the city’s large developments have been delayed or are no longer going ahead. Between February 2008 and February 2009, the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance rose by 41%, to 20,265. Between January and February 2009, there has been a 10.6% increase in the number of people claiming JSA. The Council, however, is working to lessen the effects of the recession.
Gaelic in Glasgow
Historical context
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language closely related to Irish and Manx Gaelic and was once spoken across practically all of Scotland. In a recent history of the Gaelic community in Glasgow1, it is suggested that, in the later eleventh and twelfth century, Glasgow and its surrounding areas were predominantly Gaelic speaking. Place names across the city provide evidence of the position the language once had in Glasgow.
Many Gaelic derived place names survive today - Garscube – gart (‘field’) + sguab (‘sheaves of corn’); Barlinnie – blar (‘field/muir’) + leanach (‘swampy’); Gartnavel - gart+an ubhal (‘field of the apples’) and Blochairn - blar +carn (cairn, burial mound) are a few examples2. Due to a number of historical factors the language began to decline in the medieval and late medieval period, initially retreating into the Scottish Highlands and Galloway and Ayrshire. It retained some importance in Glasgow, however. A waulking song3 'Is Mise a' Bhean Bhochd', dating from the mid/late 16th century is regarded as perhaps the earliest reference to Glasgow in surviving Gaelic verse. Glasgow is mentioned in other waulking-songs as a ‘trading centre' (late16th century) and as a place to be wondered at in 'Latha bha 'n Ridire ag Òl' (early 17th century). The first Gaelic book printed in Glasgow was a catechism of 1651 and an edition of Gaelic psalms was published in 16594.
Scottish Gaels remained our city’s major immigrant group until the19th century and the influx of immigrants from Ireland. Many of the Highland immigrants came from Argyll (70% according to the 1851 Census). The 1901 Census records a total of 18,536 people in Glasgow able to speak Gaelic or Gaelic and English. This figure represented about 2.5% of the population, or 1 in every 40 people in the city; the real number, however, was probably much higher at over 20,0005.
Contemporary context
Official discouragement and neglect hastened Gaelic’s decline across Scotland in the past two centuries. In recent decades, however, there has been a fresh interest in the language.
1 Glasgow - Baile Mòr nan Gàidheal - City of the Gaels, edited by Sheila Kidd , produced by Roinn na Ceiltis oithigh Glasschu, 2007. 2 Ibid ; Gaelic in Glasgow : The Onomastic Evidence, Simon Taylor, pages 1-19. 3 Waulking is a process for making Harris Tweed more airtight, usually by hand. Songs were composed to keep the beat when the cloth was being waulked. 4 Ibid, Some Notes from my Gaelic Scrapbook, 1500-1800, Ronald Black, pages 20-54. 5 Ibid, Highland Migration to Glasgow in 1851, Charles W.J. Withers, pages 130-149. 7
With over 10% of Scotland’s Gaelic speakers, the largest number outwith the Western Isles, Glasgow can be seen as the centre for Gaelic culture in mainland Scotland.
At the 2001 Census just under three thousand people in our city could speak, read and write (SRW) Gaelic, accounting for just 0.5% of the city’s population. If the definition is widened to include those who can understand, speak, read or write Gaelic, the figure rises to 10,034; nevertheless, this still represents a small proportion of residents - just 1.7%, well below the proportion from the ethnic minority communities.
Gaelic speakers in the city cover all age groups; this differs from the overall picture in Scotland where the older generation predominates; indeed, almost half of those with some knowledge of Gaelic are under the age of 44. Glasgow showed the greatest gain across Scotland in the number of speakers (+163) between the 1991 and 2001 Census.
Since 2001, the number of Gaelic speakers and those learning the language in the city has increased. Both the development of Gaelic-medium education (GME) and the opening of Scotland's first Gaelic-medium secondary school in 2006, mean that the number of younger people using Gaelic continues to grow. The Gaelic speaking population is concentrated in the west end of the city and in the south side (see map, page 14). A study by Glasgow Caledonian University in 2001 showed that half of the residents of Glasgow have Scottish or Irish Gaelic in their recent family background.
Education
Glasgow pioneered the development of Gaelic-medium education. The city opened the first Gaelic-medium unit in 1985 and the first ever all-Gaelic Primary School in 1999; in 2006 we were the first to deliver secondary education in an all-Gaelic school – Sgoil Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu (SGG- the Glasgow Gaelic School). SGG has the largest role, by far, of any GME facility in Scotland.
Gaelic-medium education in the primary school means that children are educated in the Gaelic language following the same curriculum as children in an English-medium school. Children go through an “immersion” phase where all subjects are delivered in Gaelic (usually from Primary 1 to Primary 3). This ensures that all children acquire appropriate fluency in Gaelic by Primary 3 (whether they come from a Gaelic-speaking family or not).
In the secondary sector we also aim to deliver the curriculum through Gaelic. At present we are working towards this goal and deliver about two thirds of the curriculum in Gaelic including Mathematics, Gaelic, History, Geography, ICT, Science and RME. The Glasgow Gaelic School provides a range of cultural opportunities for children, ensuring that Gaelic culture is a vibrant part of the school’s ethos. This includes opportunities to learn Pìob Mhòr, Clàrsach, accordion, drumming and fiddle. Pupils at the school successfully participate in events such as the National Mòd and various Fèisean (festivals).
The popularity of Gaelic-medium education has grown considerably in recent years. In the 2007 to 2008 academic session, the number of pupils in Gaelic-medium education in Glasgow increased by 11% against a 4% increase nationally. In the academic session 2008 to 2009 there were approximately 400 in the primary and secondary at SGG.
The school’s Primary 1 intake has almost doubled in the last three years, increasing from 40 to 75. Some 13% of all primary pupils in GME in the country are in Glasgow. 6 Secondary school pupil numbers too continue to grow. In 2008 to 2009 there were 100 pupils and the School’s first intake in Year 4 (S4). One in four secondary school pupils in GME in Scotland are in Glasgow. SGG is due to increase its roll in the 2009 to 2010 session, with an estimated 325 pupils in the primary and 150 in the secondary school.
6 Annual Pupil Numbers in GME, 2008-2009 Survey, University of Strathclyde. 8
The curriculum at SGG is the same as in other secondary schools in the city. There are also a small number of pupils in the Gaelic medium unit at Hillpark Secondary School. This unit is due to close and all Gaelic-medium secondary education will be delivered at the Gaelic School.
After the opening of a third facility in Pollok in Autumn 2008, we now provide 140 GME places in pre-5 education. In a Gaelic-medium nursery, the curriculum is delivered through Gaelic by Gaelic-speaking staff, helping the children develop fluency and understanding of the language.
Our partners, Culture & Sport Glasgow (CSG), provide Gaelic classes, courses and events for adult learners and parents of children in GME. Classes take place in the Glasgow Gaelic School and various community venues. There are 3 sessions per year, with about 60 learners per programme. A Family Learning Group is held on Saturdays in the Gaelic School and can attract up to 120 children and parents.
Stow College offers a Higher course in Gaelic and an Access course which allows students to progress to Gaelic (Learner) Higher level. The University of Glasgow’s Celtic Department which opened in 1901, provides Gaelic courses and degrees at undergraduate and post graduate level and the University of Strathclyde is the main provider of Gaelic teacher education in the country. One in five of all students studying Gaelic or Celtic studies in Higher Education in Scotland, are studying at a university in Glasgow7.
A comprehensive body of research has been developed, including the work of Professor Bialystok of York University in Toronto, which indicates that children who are bilingual at an early age out-perform children with only one language in a range of thinking skills8. Moreover, Scottish research into attainment in Gaelic-medium education indicates that pupils make significant progress in Gaelic-medium and indeed, out perform English-medium pupils in English at Primary 79.
Arts & leisure
In 2004, in partnership with An Lòchran, the Gaelic Arts Agency, we were the first local authority in Scotland to appoint a Gaelic Arts Development Officer and in November 2005 a Gaelic Arts Strategy for Glasgow was adopted by the city. Through this strategy (2006- 2009) Glasgow has initiated and developed a year-round Gaelic Arts programme.
Glasgow provides a home for much of the infrastructure related to Gaelic arts, culture and language. Comunn na Gàidhlig and Comhairle nan Leabhraichean (The Gaelic Books Council) have offices here. The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama offers courses in traditional music and the National Piping Centre and the Piping College have strong Gaelic links. BBC Scotland /Alba has its headquarters in the city and the largest Gaelic Broadcasting Department is in Glasgow. BBC Alba broadcasts an ever-increasing range of services for the Gaelic speaking audience and the new Gaelic Digital Service launched in 2008 offers further opportunities for development.
Glasgow’s Gaelic community already contributes to the Gaelic life of the city in many ways, for example through:
• 25 Gaelic and Highland associations which hold concerts, ceilidhs, dances and various other events during the year;
7 The Economic Impact of Gaelic Arts and Culture within Glasgow, Dr D Chalmers and Prof. M Danson, February 2009, p 12. 8 E. Bialystok – “Bilingualism in Development, Language, Literacy and Cognition” (2001). 9 Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education – Improving Attainment in Gaelic (2005).
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• four adult Gaelic choirs and two junior Gaelic choirs which compete successfully at the National Mòd and across Scotland; • a city Mòd held annually, and Fèis Òigridh (Youth Festival) at which 10 Gaelic- medium Units in schools in or near Glasgow participate; • Gaelic religious services held in the city on a regular basis; • several pubs with a Gaelic/Highland focus which provide Gaelic entertainment; • Fèis Ghlaschu, a festival for children and young people, with over 100 young people attending, with broad involvement of their families; • Ceòl’ s Craic, Gaelic club held monthly with performances from professional and emerging artists, language classes, workshops and screenings. The Club won ‘Best Club of the Year’ at the Scottish Traditional Music Awards in 2007 and has introduced the first all Gaelic literary festival as part of the programme; • the inclusion of Gaelic events in Aye Write!, Glasgow’s annual book festival held in the Mitchell Library; • the inclusion of Gaelic events in the annual children’s arts festival ‘Inspiration’; • Sports such as shinty – Camanachd.
Our city hosts the annual Celtic Connections Festival which continues to grow and is now of international importance; some 120,000 tickets are now sold at this event and it brings in an estimated income of £6 million to the city. The festival continues to expand its celebration of the Gaelic language through a wide range of events. This year, through Ceol’ s Craic, it hosted a three day all-Gaelic festival, with a programme of music, workshops and a film festival.
A thriving Irish Gaelic cultural scene also exists in and around Glasgow. Activities include classes in language and traditional music, song and dance, music festivals, Gaelic team games, step-dancing schools and informal pub sessions.
In 2007, An Lòchran and the City Council asked Glasgow Grows Audiences (GGA) Limited to research Gaelic arts and culture in Glasgow and devise a strategy for audience development10. The research concluded that there is great potential to grow a new audience for Gaelic arts and culture in the city, going beyond what many people narrowly perceive as Gaelic arts – social dancing and singing – to a ‘more contemporary and sociable’ programme of activities. Gaelic Arts Strategic Development (GASD), the national organisation which supports Gaelic Arts in Scotland carried out a survey of people who have attended the monthly Gaelic club, Ceòl ‘s Craic. The draft national Gaelic Arts Strategy includes a commitment to develop audiences for the Gaelic arts in the urban context.
The economy
Glasgow Caledonian University and the University of the West of Scotland has recently published a study, The Economic Impact of Gaelic Arts and Culture within Glasgow11, which was funded by Glasgow City Council. The study shows that about one in six jobs in Scotland for which an ability to speak, read and write Gaelic is needed are in Glasgow; this represents some 113 full time equivalent posts; almost all are well paid jobs requiring high skill levels and professional abilities.
The study also estimates that the Gaelic media sector employs 120 to 140 people and contributes between £2.5 million and £3 million directly to the city’s economy. At least another £200,000 comes through theatre, Fèisean, music and other arts. In total, Gaelic arts and cultural activities bring £3.55 million to £4 million into the Glasgow economy and support almost 200 workers in professional and associated employment.
10 Gaelic Arts and Culture, Audience Development, Audience Research, April 2007 : Glasgow Grows Audiences. 11 The Economic Impact of Gaelic Arts and Culture within Glasgow, Dr D Chalmers and Professor M Danson, February 2009. 10
The city benefits too from Gaelic services contracted out by businesses and organisations across Scotland. Increasing numbers of school-leavers, graduates and learners are entering the labour market with Gaelic and are able to fill the growing number of positions where knowledge of the language and culture are essential.
HECLA Consulting has undertaken research into the Gaelic Labour Market in Scotland for Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Careers Scotland and Highlands and Islands Enterprise; this study too looked at the types of employment available for Gaelic speakers.
The Gaelic speaking community in the city and the increasing number of people interested in Scotland’s cultural heritage indicate a revitalised enthusiasm for the language and its contribution to the distinctive identity of the city.
Consultation on our Draft Plan
Public consultation is essential in the development of any Gaelic Language Plan. As part of the initial development of our Draft Plan, we held meetings with members of the city’s Gaelic community early in 2008. A much wider public consultation exercise on our Draft Gaelic Language Plan ran from September to December 2008. The Plan, which was published in Gaelic and English and included a questionnaire which could be returned on-line or by post, was available on the Council’s web-site; it was sent to a cross-section of partner agencies and Gaelic organisations and was available in all the city’s public libraries.
Meetings were organised in all the Council’s Gaelic Medium Education (GME) establishments with :
• parents at Lyoncross and Rowena nursery schools; • parents of pupils at Glasgow Gaelic School (SGG) – both primary and secondary schools; • all SGG secondary school pupils and Primary 7 pupils; • GME pupils at Hillpark Secondary School; • GME staff from all establishments; • Gaelic tutors employed by CSG; • Gaelic learners at SGG and Govanhill Neighbourhood Centre; and • West Area Committee.
In all, we estimate that about 300 people attended these dozen meetings. The majority were conducted in English and Gaelic; a couple were held almost exclusively in Gaelic.
We received 172 responses to the questionnaire (165 in English). The largest group was Glasgow residents. Most people seemed broadly satisfied with the Draft Plan, with eight out of ten agreeing that it is important for the Council to support Gaelic and six out of ten feeling it reflected the right priorities for Glasgow.
However, one in five respondents disagreed with the Council supporting Gaelic, with 15% strongly disagreeing that it is important for the Council to promote Gaelic. Some people found nothing at all useful in the Plan. Indeed, they were totally opposed to any effort or money being spent on promoting Gaelic, maintaining that it is of little relevance to most Glaswegians.
On the other hand, those who were more supportive of the language cited the section on the development and promotion of Gaelic education in the city as the most useful part of the Plan. Many praised the Council’s commitment to all areas of the Gaelic language, but especially its efforts in promoting Gaelic education. The areas of the Plan which promoted the Gaelic language in a cultural sense and made linkages to tourism were generally seen to be beneficial and useful.
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Those attending all the meetings were generally positive about the Draft Plan and keen to see the Council deliver on the commitments set out. At the same time, people were very eager to suggest how the Draft Plan might be improved. Suggestions included :
• a statement of what a vision for Gaelic in Glasgow would look like and emphasising inclusiveness;
• expansion of GME provision - early years provision; primary school; “wrap-around”;
• better Gaelic resources in the schools and improved provision at SGG;
• potential for providing support to parents through Gaelic learners’ classes in local libraries, mother and toddler groups and more “joined-up” provision;
• more publicity for existing learners’ classes;
• benefits of more signage in Gaelic, but put in context;
• more information in Gaelic on the Council’s web-site;
• greater co-operation between organisations involved in Gaelic and greater encouragement to partners to support the Plan;
• more funding for Gaelic activities – traditional arts events; sports eg shinty;
• BBC Alba available on Freeview.
We have considered the comments received in revising our Draft Plan. We have already undertaken a survey of those attending Gaelic language classes run by Culture and Sport Glasgow and, through a newsletter, have told learners how we will address the issues they raised (improved publicity for classes, more structured learning, investigating the possibility of accreditation). The Council agreed a motion on 12 December 2008 to write to the Chairman of the BBC Trust asking him to consider an early launch for BBC Alba on all digital platforms, including Freeview and cable; it also agreed to support the e-petition to the Scottish Parliament to make BBC Alba available on Freeview. We are also negotiating support for a “Glasgow input” to CNAG’s week long activities for GME pupils.
Next steps
The Corporate Policy Section in the Chief Executive’s Office has co-ordinated the development of our Plan. We have set up a group of officers from different Services whose remit includes Gaelic issues and we are developing a Gaelic Community Forum to bring together the city’s Gaelic community organisations to help support the Plan’s development. Some of these organisations have already contributed ideas which have helped shape this draft. Establishing partnerships over the lifetime of the Plan with a wide range of organisations - in the education, arts/culture, broadcasting, leisure and tourist sectors – will be crucial to the success of our Plan.
Many of the actions we propose in our first Plan focus on people who already have some knowledge of Gaelic - native speakers, pupils in Gaelic-medium education or those who would be willing, with support, to improve their Gaelic. We believe it is important that we use these groups to create a more secure base for the language in the city and that education is key to its future success.
12
It is equally important, however, to involve people without Gaelic. So, we will also work to raise the profile and visibility of Gaelic more generally among Glaswegians through publicity, promotions and arts and cultural activities. This will ensure a greater number of Glaswegians appreciate the importance of the language to our heritage.
We have little robust information on the numbers of people participating in Gaelic activities in the city. We have no information on the number of our staff who either have some knowledge of Gaelic or who would be willing to learn the language. So, establishing baseline information will be a major task in the early stages of developing our Plan. In some cases, we will be able to establish or ‘fine-tune’ our targets only after we have gathered the necessary information.
The Chief Executive is responsible for monitoring progress on our Plan. We will produce a report each year on this and, towards the end of the current Plan period in 2012, will publish a final review report, before developing a new Plan building on the progress already made.
13
14
CHAPTER 2 - CORE COMMITMENTS
In its statutory Guidance on the Development of Gaelic Language Plans, Bòrd na Gàidhlig states that creating the right environment for the use of Gaelic in public life is vital to language regeneration. The Bòrd has identified four core areas of service delivery that it wishes public bodies to address when preparing Gaelic Language Plans. These are:
Identity: corporate identity signage
Communications: reception telephone mail and e-mail forms public meetings complaints procedures
Publications: public relations and media printed material websites exhibitions
Staffing: training language learning recruitment advertising
We recognise that action in each of these four key areas can help raise the visibility and profile of Gaelic and bring greater opportunity for Gaelic speakers and learners to use the language. This section of our plan details our core commitments under these headings.
In considering how to develop our Gaelic provision, we have noted the requirements under the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 and Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s Guidance on Development of Gaelic Language Plans.
We are an urban local authority with Scotland’s largest multi-ethnic population. While the number of Gaelic speakers in the city is high in terms of Scotland-wide figures, Gaelic speakers represent a very small percentage (under 2%) of the population of our city.
We see our first Gaelic Language Plan as a starting point for developing our Gaelic provision. Our core commitments set out the minimum level of Gaelic language provision which we commit to providing from 2009 to 2012. We will encourage our Services, and, where appropriate, our arms-length organisations, to exceed this basic level of provision.
Each commitment is set out as follows: 1. Information on current practice 2. Key actions 3. Target date 4. Responsible Service(s)
15
Section 1 - Identity
Gaelic in the corporate identity and signs of a public authority can enhance the visibility of the language, increase its status and make an important statement about how it is valued and given recognition.
Glasgow City Council recognises the importance of raising the visibility of Gaelic and promoting a positive image of the language. All our core commitments assist in the implementation of the Scottish Government’s National Outcome “We take pride in a strong, fair and inclusive national identity”
Current Practice Actions Target Date Lead Service
Corporate Identity
The City Council currently We will develop corporate July 2010 Chief Executive’s does not have an agreed guidelines for the use of the policy for the use of Gaelic in Gaelic language, including its corporate identity recommendations for future Plans. Signs
The Council does not have a We will audit current provision; Beginning in All Services policy for the use of Gaelic in Signage in Gaelic (Welcome 2010 its signage; /Failte) will be placed in However, building names reception areas in our main city and/or welcome signs are in centre offices on a rolling Gaelic in Gaelic Medium programme. Education facilities, the City Chambers and Education We will increase the use of July 2012 All Services and Services’ Head Quarters Gaelic in external and entrance ACCESS signage as we take forward our Office Rationalisation Prog- ramme in city centre offices and introduce it as we upgrade or replace signs in other buildings
We will identify any ‘welcome’ December Land & road signs to Glasgow that 2011 Environmental could include Gaelic and Services introduce when being renewed
We will bring forward recomm- October 2011 endations on introducing Chief Executive’s bilingual signage in specific and Land & areas eg in Partick or Govan as Environmental part of a community project; Services also around Gaelic Medium Education units when signs are being renewed
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Section 2 - Communications
The ability of people to use Gaelic in contacting the Council by mail, e-mail or telephone creates practical opportunities for using the language. Seeing Gaelic on forms makes it more visible and enhances the prestige of the language. Glasgow City Council recognises the importance of creating opportunities for the practical use of Gaelic in some everyday situations. Starting from a very low base, we will work towards progressively increasing our level of provision in this area. This commitment assists in the implementation of the Scottish Government’s National Outcome “We take pride in a strong, fair and inclusive national identity”
Current Practice Actions Target Date Lead Service
Reception
The Council does not make We will introduce Gaelic On completion Chief any Gaelic provision in awareness training for of the staff Executive’s; reception areas reception staff in the City skills audit in Education Chambers and Education early 2010 Services Services Head Quarters
Telephone
The Council does not make A Gaelic speaker will be December Chief Executive’s any provision at present for recruited for the Shared Service 2009 handling telephone calls in Centre; Gaelic Administrative staff in December Education Education Services supporting 2009 Services Gaelic Medium Education will learn key phrases and appropriate use
Mail and e-mail
The Council currently does not When correspondence is On completion Chief have an agreed policy on how received in Gaelic, a reply will of the staff Executive’s; to respond to Gaelic mail and be sent in Gaelic skills audit All Services e-mail For staff with Gaelic in their job Chief remit and job titles, e-mail Executive’s; signatures and generated Education messages (such as ‘Out of Services Office’) will be bilingual
For staff with Gaelic in their job Chief remit, voice mail messages will Executive’s; be bi-lingual Education Services
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Current Practice Actions Target Date Lead Service
Forms
The Council does not make We will audit existing forms and July 2010 Education any provision at present for the make recommendations for Services use of Gaelic in forms developing wider usage of the language in formal communications, where there is a customer requirement
Where translations of general Over lifetime of All Services forms become available Plan through Bòrd na Gàidhlig or other councils, we will consider whether to introduce them
Public meetings
The Council currently does not Reflecting our current good December Chief Executive’s have a policy on holding public practice, we will formalise our 2009 Education meetings in Gaelic; where the procedures for the use of Services subject matter relates Gaelic in public meetings where principally to Gaelic, the option there is reasonable demand or to conduct the meeting in where the subject matter is of Gaelic is usually available particular interest to Gaelic speakers
Complaints procedure
The Council does not make We will make a Gaelic December Chief Executive’s any provision at present for translation of our complaints 2009 including Gaelic in its leaflet available online complaints procedures
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Section 3 - Publications
The use of Gaelic in a range of printed material, in work with the media and on the web-site can increase the visibility of the language, enhance its status and help develop new terminology and enhance existing terminology.
Glasgow City Council is committed to increasing the use of Gaelic, with an initial focus on where the subject matter relates specifically to Gaelic issues.
Current Practice Actions Target Date Lead Service
Printed material
The Council currently does not We will develop guidelines for Over lifetime of Chief have a policy on publishing publications in Gaelic where the Plan Executive’s; material in Gaelic subject matter relates to Gaelic CSG issues, including language, education or culture and will produce a leaflet in Gaelic on the Council’s services
Publications relating to our On approval of Chief Executive’s Gaelic Language Plan will be Language Plan bi-lingual
We will use Glasgow Magazine Ongoing Chief Executive’s and Insider to promote Gaelic related information through bi- lingual articles.
We will audit current Gaelic Summer 2010 Education teaching materials and develop Services more.
We will audit current library Summer 2010 CSG provision and increase Gaelic language materials, including language sacks in targeted libraries
Public relations and media
The Council currently does not We will audit current usage of December Chief Executive’s have a policy on providing Gaelic in press releases aimed 2009 press releases in Gaelic at the Gaelic media
We will develop guidelines for June 2010 Chief Executive’s producing a Gaelic or bi-lingual press release where the subject matter relates to Gaelic language, education or culture
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Current Practice Actions Target Date Lead Service
Website
Information on Gaelic Medium We will continue to expand ongoing Chief Education is provided in Gaelic-related information on Executive’s; Gaelic, plus links to Gaelic our web-site, making it ACCESS organisations accessible from one location eg information on GME; press releases in Gaelic; Gaelic Language Plan etc
We will identify key corporate Over the Chief information which could be lifetime of the Executive’s; made available in Gaelic eg Plan ACCESS guidelines on access to information, Freedom of Information; Data Protection; Council Tax payment, refuse collection etc
Exhibitions
The Council does not make Officers will consider whether Over the All Council any provision at present for the content and/or target lifetime of the Services; CSG including Gaelic in exhibitions audience indicate that it should Plan contain information in Gaelic, in addition to English
We will commission at least one Over the Chief Executive’s display board in Gaelic for use lifetime of the at smaller events Plan
Library service will contribute to Over the CSG the development of a touring lifetime of the static GME exhibition with other Plan relevant partners; it will visit a cross-section of libraries in each of the 5 Community Health and Care Partnership areas
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Section 4 - Staffing
To deliver services through the medium of Gaelic will mean that the job skills and language skills of staff will need to be developed, especially where Gaelic is identified as a designated skill. Advertising posts in Gaelic will show that Gaelic can be used in public life and that Gaelic speakers have an important role to play.
Glasgow City Council recognises the importance of seeing Gaelic as an important job skill and of enabling staff to develop their Gaelic skills if they wish to do so.
Current Practice Actions Target Date Lead Service
Training
The Council currently does not We will provide a programme of On completion Chief make any provision for offering Gaelic awareness training for of the staff Executive’s; staff training on Gaelic staff, initially targeting those skills audit in CSG with some involvement with early 2010 Gaelic
We will make material on June 2010 Chief raising Gaelic awareness Executive’s; available on staff intranet, ACCESS Connect
We will develop information for On approval of Chief Executive’s staff on our Gaelic Language Draft Plan Plan and its policies as these are developed
Language and learning
The Council currently does not We will pilot two courses for On completion Chief make any provision for Gaelic staff to learn Gaelic at lunch of the staff Executive’s; all learning for staff time /after-work using Ulpan, skills audit Services initially targeting those with some involvement with Gaelic
We will enable staff who Over the Chief Executive’s already speak Gaelic to lifetime of the develop their competencies, Plan including literacy
We will publicise the availability Chief Executive’s of Gaelic learning resources on our internal on-line learning platform
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Current Practice Actions Target Date Lead Service
Recruitment
Where the ability to speak or We will formalise Council policy Immediate Education write Gaelic is an occupational that where a certain level of Services; requirement, the candidate’s Gaelic skills is necessary for a Chief Executive’s linguistic ability is taken into post, this will be specified account at present during the recruitment process and that such job interviews will be conducted in English and Gaelic
We will recruit a Gaelic By Autumn Chief Executive’s Development Officer with 2009 responsibility for promoting, implementing and monitoring the Gaelic Language Plan
We will draft guidelines on the By end of Chief Executive’s designation of Gaelic posts December 2009
We will devise a promotional By June 2010 Education campaign on GME among Services teaching staff in English medium schools
Advertising
Currently all Gaelic essential / We will formalise our current Immediate Chief Executive’s desirable posts are advertised position that where the ability to bilingually. speak or write Gaelic is an occupational requirement, job adverts will be bi-lingual
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Chapter 3 – Policy Implications for Gaelic and implementation of the National Plan for Gaelic
Policy implications for Gaelic
We recognise that the priority areas identified in the National Plan for Gaelic will be implemented mainly through our Gaelic Language Plan; however, we will also be able to promote and develop the language through our existing policies. We will examine current policy commitments to identify areas where we can incorporate Gaelic and the priorities of the National Plan. We see this development as corresponding to the normalisation principle which aims to include Gaelic as an everyday part of life in Scotland.
Overview of the National Plan for Gaelic
The National Plan for Gaelic identifies four interlinking aspects of language development which need to be addressed, and within them sets out a number of priority action areas:
1. Language Acquisition
Increasing the number of Gaelic speakers by ensuring the language is transferred within families and by securing effective opportunities for learning Gaelic, through:
• increasing the use and transmission of Gaelic in the home • increasing the number of children acquiring Gaelic in the home • increasing the uptake and availability of Gaelic-medium education • increasing the number of adult Gaelic learners progressing to fluency
2. Language Usage
Encouraging greater use of Gaelic, providing opportunities to use the language, and promoting access to Gaelic forms of expression, through:
• increasing the use of Gaelic in communities • increasing the use of Gaelic in tertiary education and places of work • increasing the presence of Gaelic in the media • increasing the promotion of Gaelic in the arts • increasing the profile of Gaelic in the tourism, heritage and recreation sectors
3. Language Status
Increasing the visibility and audibility of Gaelic, enhancing its recognition and creating a positive image for Gaelic in Scottish public life, through:
• increasing the number of bodies preparing Gaelic Language Plans • increasing the profile and prestige of Gaelic • increasing the visibility and recognition of Gaelic
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4. Language Corpus
Strengthening the relevance and consistency of Gaelic and promoting research into the language, through:
• increasing the relevance and consistency of the Gaelic language • increasing the quality and accessibility of Gaelic translations • increasing the availability of accurate research information
Commitment to the Objectives of the National Plan for Gaelic
Glasgow City Council is committed to ensuring that the National Plan is implemented, and in this section we explain how we will achieve that aim under the four headings set out in the National Plan.
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THEME 1 : LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
Rationale Glasgow City Council recognises that, for Gaelic to flourish, more people need to learn the language. This means that we will focus on action in the home, in education and in adult learning to achieve this aim.
We know that inter-generational transmission is crucial to increasing the number of fluent speakers. Research by Glasgow Grows Audiences’ (2007) into audience development in Gaelic arts and culture in the city found that, although a majority of survey respondents reported having a moderate, if not fluent level of Gaelic, very few said they speak Gaelic ‘always’ or ‘mainly’ at home; in fact, two thirds said they always or mainly speak English at home. Eight out of ten pupils at the Glasgow Gaelic School do not have Gaelic as the home language of their family. Previous research by the City of Edinburgh Council suggests a low level of inter-generational transmission, particularly within families where one partner does not have fluency in the language. We will support families to use the Gaelic language in the home and will work with key partners to advocate a national framework of support. These key partners will include Bòrd na Gàidhlig, CnamP, CNSA and CNAG.
Gaelic in the Home
Key target areas: • Identify current Gaelic language usage within the home of Gaelic Medium Education (GME) parents and help increase usage. Objective Action Target Date Lead Services/partners 1. Increase awareness of 1. One dedicated event and up to three October 2009 for 1st publicity Education Services importance of Gaelic usage in the related publicity initiatives held each year, initiative, with further initiatives home, with focus on GME with a focus on GME parents and families throughout each year parents and families with one with one fluent parent fluent parent 2. At enrolment stage, gather information on January 2010 enrolment and Education Services parental experience of GME annually thereafter Chief Executive’s 2. Develop fluency amongst Use SGG’s facilities to tell parents of local Ongoing Education Services Gaelic Medium Education (GME) and national opportunities to learn and use parents Gaelic (CSG classes, Fèis Ghlaschu, Mòd Ionadail etc) 3. Identify and support post-GME Establish database of former GME pupils First trawl during academic year Education Services potential parents and invite to appropriate events to encourage 2009 to 2010 Chief Executive’s continued engagement with the language
25 Rationale
Glasgow has been at the forefront of developing Gaelic-medium education. The teaching team at SGG is pioneering the delivery of secondary courses across a range of subjects through the medium of Gaelic; because of this, the school has national status as a centre of innovation in supporting the creation of a secondary Gaelic-medium curriculum.
Gaelic in Education
Key target areas: • Early Years GME provision to be increased as per strategy recommendations • Primary 1 entry to GME to increase to 110 children in 2012 from a baseline of 75 in 2008 • Transfer rate from Primary GME to Secondary to be maintained at 95% or above of SGG P7 pupils annually • S1 entry to Secondary GME to increase to 79 pupils in 2012 from a baseline of 42 in 2008 • Year on year increase in number of courses delivered through Gaelic medium in Secondary GME from baseline of 10 subjects • From Year 2, year on year increase in number of Gaelic after-school clubs set up from current baseline. Objective Action Target Date Lead Services/partners
1. Expand uptake of GME Early 1. Devise and launch an annual publicity December 2009 and each year Education Services Years education campaign targeting local and city thereafter Chief Executive’s newspapers, libraries etc. 2. Conduct feasibility study on developing June 2010 Education Services “wrap-around” GME provision, within context of Child Care Strategy 3. In partnership with Taic/CNSA, devise End of Year 1 Education Services; strategy for developing playgroup provision Taic/CNSA; CnamP for two to three year olds 4. Conduct a feasibility study to explore End of Year 1 Education Services expansion of GME primary provision 5. Short-life Working Group develops strategy Group set up during Year 2, and Education Services for GME Early Years provision across the report agreed by conclusion of city. Strategy will include baseline, potential Year 2 (Academic Session) for growth and service recommendations
26 Objective Action Target Date Lead Services/partners
2. Expand uptake of GME 1. Provide additional publicity on option of December 2009 and each year Education Services Primary education GME in all Early Years establishments and thereafter other public venues 2. Monitor projections for GME uptake as per Ongoing Education Services our Gaelic Admissions Policy 3. Review After School Care (ASC) provision During Year 2 Education Service; linked to GME Chief Executive’s 4. In partnership with the provider, we will End of Year 3 Education Services; seek to develop ASC Gaelic services, with CSG; ASC target of 50% of ASC staff competent in Gaelic 3. Expand uptake of GME 1. Devise three year plan to expand the End of Year 3 Education Service/LTS Secondary education delivery of secondary school subjects through Gaelic at SGG 2. Highlight the advantages of GME primary 1st newsletter by May 2010 and Education Services pupils continuing onto GME secondary six monthly thereafter through school newsletters and senior pupils 4. Develop a GME Recruitment 1. Review current procedures on strategic End of Year 1 Education Services Policy and Procedure recruitment of GME teachers and support staff and devise new policy 2. Investigate possibility of employing and During Year 1 Education Services; Job training Gaelic speaking Child Development Centre Plus; DRS; Officers and Language Pupil Support CnamP Assistants, and offering Gaelic language training to current CDOs and LPSAs 5. Expand Gaelic Learners’ 1. Conduct feasibility study on introduction of Pilot in 5 schools during Year 2 Education Services provision in Primary Schools GLPS (GLPS), outwith SGG 2. Network of After-school Clubs in Gaelic Over lifetime of Plan Education Services set up and associated training needs met 3. Gaelic Awareness Education pack devel- Pack developed and piloted in Education Services oped for inclusion as an Environmental Year 1; evaluated thereafter Studies option 4. Additional materials provided to support Additional materials introduced Education Services other related Environmental Studies units in Year 2; evaluated thereafter
27 Objective Action Target Date Lead Services/partners
6. Re-introduction of Gaelic 1. Short-life Working Party prepares plan for Plan agreed by end of Year 1 Education Services Learners’ Secondary provision re-introduction 2. Application for funding support for During Year 2 Education Services peripatetic appointment; appointment made; course delivery begun 3. Evaluation of project, with End of Year 3 Education Services recommendations for subsequent action
7. Expand Museum Education 1. In liaison with SGG, develop and deliver a Options developed by end of Education Services Service in Gaelic (Education minimum of three options each academic Year 2 Services) session for service delivery via Gaelic Education Services 2. Develop a training programme to increase Programme developed by end of the number of potential deliverers of museum Year 2 education through the medium of Gaelic 3. Museum Education promotes creation of Year 3 Education Services; Gaelic Museum Collection CSG
8. Continue GME CPD for 1. Organise Annual Glasgow GME Confer- Each academic session Education Services Teachers ence and publish report within 2 months 2. Organise CPD Twilight events Throughout academic year
28 Rationale
Comments from our public consultation exercise on our Draft Gaelic Language Plan suggested that people would be interested in learning Gaelic and that a proposal for ‘taster’ sessions might be useful. In addition, there is an interesting element of “inter-generational transmission” developing in Glasgow which we would like to encourag: it is enthusiam among the parents of pupils in GME to learn the language or, if they already have some knowledge, to improve it, in order to support their children’s learning. We will work in partnership with CSG and other learning providers to expand learning opportunities.
Gaelic in Adult Learning
Key target areas: • Increase participation in Gaelic Adult Learners classes by 30% by end of Plan period from baseline of 170 • Undertake research into learners opinions’ of current Gaelic Adult Learners classes • All libraries have access to Gaelic learning material by Year 3. Objective Action Target Date Lead Services/partners
Expand Gaelic learning in the 1. Develop action plan for Adult learners’ End of August 2009 CSG community. classes arising from survey findings 2. Pilot at least one learning programme in an 1st pilot during 2009 to 2010 CSG area currently not providing Gaelic 3. Contribute to the Community Learning & Ongoing CSG Development Review Group for Gaelic 4. Identify programmes for CPD for tutors, Ongoing CSG (Summer Schools, sharing best practice etc) 5. Audit current provision of learners’ Year 1 CSG materials in libraries 6. Establish better links between learners and During Year 1 CSG cultural activities on offer in Gaelic 7. Develop links with local colleges and Over the lifetime of the Plan CSG/Universities/ universities and other councils to promote Colleges/other progression in Gaelic language learning and councils/CLAD produce relevant information
29 THEME 2 : LANGUAGE USE
Rationale
Glasgow City Council recognises that, for the Gaelic language to thrive, people need more opportunity to actually speak the language, including using Gaelic in an increasingly wide range of daily activities. Indeed, we know from a recent survey of our Adult Gaelic Learners that attendance at the classes is the only opportunity for many to speak Gaelic with other adults. We need to open up greater opportunities for learners to practise. In this section we set out our proposals for increasing Gaelic usage through : Gaelic in communities; Gaelic in the media and arts; Gaelic in Tourism, Heritage and Recreation. We have already described our actions in terms of Gaelic in our workplace on pages 16 to 22.
Gaelic in Communities
Key target areas: • Develop greater liaison opportunities between Council service departments and Gaelic organisations • Develop a range of social, recreational and sporting activities for adults and young people in Gaelic. Objective Action Target Date Lead Services/partners
1. Develop a sense of shared purpose 1.Co-ordinate and host up to two GCF meetings Ongoing Chief Executive’s between the Council and Gaelic each year community groups 2. Input to the Glasgow Gaelic Language Initiative Education Services; Chief being developed by CNAG in Glasgow Executive’s; CNAG 2. Extended provision of social 1. Conduct audit of activities in Gaelic for young December 2009 CSG; Education Services activities in Gaelic aimed at GME people outside of school CNAG Secondary Pupils 2. Conduct feasibility study into programme of iniat- End of Year 1 CSG; Education Services; ives and investigate delivery partners. e.g. setting Chief Executive’s; CNAG up a Youth Group along Òigridh Uibhist model and if feasible, develop a regular programme of Mid Year 2 CSG; Education Services activities for each school session (1each month) 3. Offer sports activities for school Devise a programme to enable Gaelic speaking 1st programme CSG; Education Services pupils through medium of Gaelic pupils and other Gaelic speakers to train as sports developed by end of coaches e.g. in shinty, netball, football Year 1 4. Extended provision of social 1. Provide opportunities for both adults and families Ongoing CSG/An Lòchran/ Partner activities in Gaelic to use Gaelic in informal settings Agencies 2. Investigate potential use of Gaelic speakers as Year 2 CSG/Colleges/Universities/ volunteers in GME An Lòchran/CnamP
30 Gaelic in the Media Key target areas: • Increased visibility of Gaelic in Council media • Evaluate the Gaelic Arts Strategy 2006 to 2009 and develop the Gaelic Arts Strategy for the period 2009 to 2012 • Support the development of the Gaelic artistic community. Objective ction Target Date Lead Services/partners
Promote Gaelic in the media Provide news releases and job adverts in Gaelic Ongoing Chief Executive’s when appropriate Provide Gaelic speaking spokespersons to the Ongoing Chief Executive’s; Education Gaelic media where appropriate Services Provide an increasing range of information in Ongoing Chief Executive’s; Education Gaelic on the Council’s web-site Services
Gaelic in the Arts Develop Gaelic Arts in Glasgow 1. Evaluate the current Gaelic Arts Strategy (2006 Evaluation published CSG/An Lòchran/ Partner to 2009) by end of Year 1 Agencies 2. Develop the Gaelic Arts Strategy 2009 to 2012 End of Year 2 and identify funding streams/infra-structure to . support it 3. Build links in the Arts Strategy to Council During Year 2 All Council Services Services, particularly Education Services 4. Support the National Gaelic Arts Agency in Year 1 onwards CSG/ National Gaelic Arts developing the National Arts Strategy Agency
31 Gaelic in Tourism/ Heritage / Recreation Key target areas: • Raise the profile of the language to encourage visitors • Raise the profile of the language at a series of events and developments relating to sport and recreation. Objective Action Target Date Lead Services/partners
1.Tourism development in the city 1. In liaison with tourist agencies, audit Audit completed during Year 2. Glasgow Marketing to incorporate aspects of Gaelic current usage of language in tourist activity Bureau/ Visit Scotland/ heritage 2. We will audit the city’s festivals and During lifetime of Plan Chief Executive’s/CSG/ recommend bilingual titles to organisers other partners where appropriate 3. Devise strategic plan to raise awareness of Plan agreed in Year 3. Gaelic 2. Commonwealth Games to 1. In liaison with 2014 Commonwealth Programme agreed during Chief Executive’s/CSG/ incorporate Gaelic as an aspect Games Team, identify appropriate Year 3 for implementation in Commonwealth Games of the event opportunities to include and promote Gaelic subsequent Plan period Planning Group
32 THEME 3 : LANGUAGE STATUS
Rationale
Glasgow City Council recognises that the status of a language is affected by its presence in the everyday environment and the extent to which it is used, valued and seen to be valued by the organisations which play an important role in our daily lives. We recognise too the importance of a positive image for Gaelic.
Gaelic Plan
We have developed our Draft Gaelic Plan through working with the Gaelic community in the city - speakers, learners and supporters of the Gaelic language and Gaelic heritage, and with input, through our consultation exercise, from non-Gaelic speakers too. We will implement our Plan with the help of the Gaelic Community Forum for Glasgow (GCF) and other partner organisations.
Image and visibility of Gaelic
We know that because of centuries of neglect and disparagement of the language, some speakers may be reluctant to use Gaelic outwith their home or selected environments. We aim to celebrate the existence of Gaelic in Glasgow and encourage speakers and learners to use it in a variety of settings, both formal and informal.
The actions we intend to take to increase the visibility of Gaelic are set out earlier in Chapter 2 of our Draft Plan (pages 16 to 22) and cover the areas of :
o signs
o correspondence
o publications
o public meetings
o web-site
33 THEME 4 : LANGUAGE CORPUS
Rationale Glasgow City Council recognises the need to strengthen the relevance and consistency of Gaelic, to translate more information into Gaelic and promote research into the language. We recognise that there will be a need for translation services and will work to make sure there is access to these services as required.
We will support the development of a cohesive bank of knowledge about Gaelic within the city and the development of a definitive place-name list for the city within the lifetime of the Plan.
Gaelic Orthographic, Terminological and Place name development Key Objectives: • Help publish a complete list of Gaelic place names for the city. • Translated materials are readily available. Objective Action Target Date Lead Services/partners
Place-name lists are adopted 1. Appropriate supporting organisations will Agreed list published by end Chief Executive’s/partner officially for use in the City be approached to provide help in developing of Year 3. agencies/Glasgow and an agreed list of place names. Strathclyde Universities 2. A draft list will be subject to academic consultation with University Celtic Departments and following this adopted and published on the City Website as the Standard Gaelic Place-name List for Glasgow.
Translation and Interpretation Translation Services organised 1. Explore potential of using translation Approach agreed by end of Chief Executive’s for Service usage services provided by other councils 2009 2. Monitor usage and review, to ensure cost- End of Plan period Chief Executive’s effective practice. All Services
34 Rationale There is still a lack of information on attitudes to key aspects of policy concerned with the revival of Gaelic. We support national efforts to provide further data concerning all aspects of Gaelic language development and renewal. We will identify the key issues relating to the language for both the city’s Gaelic speaking community and its wider population, so that service delivery can best meet the needs of the people of the city.
Gaelic in Surveys and Research
Key Objective: • The city possesses robust information on Gaelic related issues. Objective Action Target Date Lead Services/partners
1. Accumulate definitive Early 1. Identify numbers of children in Early Years Ongoing Education Services Years GME information education, according to postcodes and eventual uptake in GME primary 2. Provide annual report 2. Accumulate and track demand 1. Identify numbers of children in Primary and Ongoing Education Services for GME Secondary GME according to postcodes and track changes each year 2. Provide annual report 3. Research undertaken on 1. Survey parents choosing GME on reasons Results published by end of Education Services reasons for GME choice for their choice Year 1 Chief Executive’s 2. Report on key considerations for future Recommendations GME planning implemented from Year 2. 4. Desk study of current research 1. Identify Gaelic related study materials and Study published by end of Chief Executive’s/ provision undertaken ongoing developments Year 2 Partner agencies 2. Secondary study of related research e.g. Study completed by end of minority language status in other countries, Year 3, with possibility of immersion education in other countries, research commissions in research into other Celtic language issues subsequent Plan 5. Establish statistical Establish dossier collating all research End of Year 3 Education Services measurement frameworks to information accumulated through the Plan so Chief Executive’s support evaluations that longer term tracking can take place
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CHAPTER 4 – IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING
Timetable
This Gaelic Language Plan will formally remain in force for a period of 3 years from this date or until a new plan has been put in place. In Chapters 2 and 3, we have set out the individual target dates for implementing specific commitments in our Plan.
Publicising our Plan
We will publish Glasgow City Council’s Gaelic Language Plan bilingually on our website and we will also:
• issue a press release announcing the Plan;
• make copies of the Plan available in our public offices and reception areas,
• make the Plan known to employees via our Intranet;
• distribute copies of the Plan to our Non-departmental Public Bodies and agencies, agents and contractors, where appropriate;
• distribute copies of the Plan to Gaelic organisations;
• distribute copies of the Plan to other interested bodies; and
• make copies available on request.
Administrative Arrangements for Implementing our Gaelic Language Plan
This Plan is the policy of Glasgow City Council and has been approved by our elected members and our Corporate Management Team. The Chief Executive is responsible for making sure that we deliver the commitments set out in this Plan.
We will put general information about our Gaelic Language Plan on our intranet and explain what the Plan means for our staff. As we develop policies on the handling of Gaelic enquiries, correspondence and other matters, we will issue appropriate guidance and information.
Where we think it is appropriate, we will try to make sure that our arms-length organisations through discussion and the monitoring of their annual reports, adhere to the principles contained in our Gaelic Language Plan.
36 Resourcing our Plan
Glasgow City Council will meet the resource requirements for this Plan from a combination of our existing budgets, Scottish Government funding received for specific educational programmes and bids to the Gaelic Language Act Implementation Fund (GLAIF).
Monitoring the Implementation of our Plan
Our Language Plan covers the period 2009 to 2012. We have set up a Gaelic Officers’ Group within the Council which will meet quarterly to co-ordinate actions and oversee and evaluate progress on our Plan.
Implementation of our Plan will be monitored through our strategic planning processes of our Budget and Service Plans and our Annual Performance Reports (both service level and corporate). Monitoring will be carried out through :
o discussions at the Gaelic Officers’ Group
o liaison with the Executive Committee Member with responsibility for Gaelic
o reports to the Corporate Management Team
o reports to each meeting of the Gaelic Community Forum (GCF)
o annual report to Bòrd na Gàidhlig
o surveys, questionnaires, course evaluations, as appropriate
o external evaluations, if appropriate
o overall progress report for Plan period to GCF and Forum response included in final Plan report
37 CONTACT DETAILS
The senior officer with operational responsibility for overseeing the preparation, delivery and monitoring of Glasgow City Council’s Gaelic Language Plan is:
DAWN CORBETT HEAD OF CORPORATE POLICY AND SERVICE REFORM CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S OFFICE GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL CITY CHAMBERS GEORGE SQUARE GLASGOW G2 1DU
TELEPHONE NUMBER : 0141 287 E-MAIL ADDRESS : [email protected]
Queries about the day-to-day operation of the plan should be addressed to:
DOREEN MONTGOMERY CORPORATE POLICY MANAGER CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S OFFICE GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL CITY CHAMBERS GEORGE SQUARE GLASGOW G2 1DU
TELEPHONE NUMBER : 0141 287 5932 E-MAIL ADDRESS : [email protected]
38 GLOSSARY
Bòrd na Gàidhlig / BnaG – National Gaelic Language Board set up under auspices of Gaelic (Scotland) Act 2005
BBC Alba – BBC Gaelic language service
Ceòl ‘s Cràic – monthly Gaelic arts event in Glasgow
CnamP - Comann nam Pàrant, the National Gaelic Medium Parents’ Organisation.
CNSA – Comann nan Sgoiltean Araich, the National Gaelic-medium Pre-5 Assoc
CNAG – Comann na Gàidhlig, the National Support Agency for Gaelic
CSG – Culture and Sport Glasgow; a company limited by guarantee with charitable status set up in April 2007 to provide cultural and leisure services for the city of Glasgow
Fèisean nan Gàidheal – National Community Arts/Performance Organisation
Fèis Ghlaschu – Glasgow Children’s Community Gaelic Arts Festival
GCF / FGG – Glasgow Gaelic Forum / Fòram Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu – Gaelic community forum made up of community organisations supporting the language.
GME – Gaelic Medium Education
GLPS – Gaelic Learners’ in Primary School scheme aimed at introducing the language to primary aged children (equivalent schemes in French, German etc).
An Lòchran – Glasgow’s Gaelic Arts Agency
LTS – Learning, Teaching Scotland
Mòd Ionadail / Mòd Ghlaschu– Glasgow Local Mòd
Mòd Nàiseanta – The National Mòd
Oigridh Uidhist – Uist Gaelic Youth Group
Radio nan Gàidheal – national Gaelic radio service provided by the BBC
RME – Religious and Moral Education
SGG – Sgoil Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu / Glasgow Gaelic School
Ulpan – new course / methodology for teaching and learning Gaelic
Unesco – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
CPD – Continuous professional development GDO – Gaelic Development Officer QIO – Quality Improvement Officer (Education)
LES – Council’s Land and Environmental Services Department DRS - Council’s Development and Regeneration Services Department
39 FEEDBACK FORM
Thank you for taking the time to read our Gaelic Language Plan. We hope you found it interesting. We would like to know what you think about it. Please fill in this short form and send it back to us. This will help us to improve our Plan.
Q1. Are you responding as a ……….? (Please tick the main option that applies)
Glasgow resident? Resident of a neighbouring Council? Member of a Gaelic organisation based in Glasgow? Member of a Gaelic organisation based outside Glasgow? Business investor? Glasgow City Council employee? Pupil at a Gaelic Medium Education school? Parent of a pupil at a GME school? Student studying Gaelic? Adult learning Gaelic? Teacher/lecturer in Gaelic? Other?
If other, please specify:
Q2. How best describes your ability with the Gaelic language? (Please tick the main option that applies)
No ability at all Some / limited ability Can speak Gaelic Can read Gaelic Can write Gaelic Can speak, read and write Gaelic Other
If other, please specify:
40 Q3. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about our Plan?
Neither Strongly Tend to Agree Tend to Strongly Don’t Agree Agree nor Disagree Disagree Know Disagree It is important that the Council promotes Gaelic. The Plan is easy to read. The Plan is well laid out.
The Plan reflects the right priorities for Gaelic in Glasgow.
The Plan makes the Council’s proposed priorities clear. The Plan covers the issues I am interested in.
Q4. Which, if any, parts of our Plan did you find useful?
Q5. Which, if any, parts of our Plan did you not find useful?
Q6. Do you have any recommendations on how we could improve our Plan?
Q7. Do you have any other comments on our Draft Plan?
41 Sex: Male Female
Age:
Under 16 16 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 49 50 to 59 60 to 74 75+
Do you have a long-term illness, health problem or disability that limits your activities or the work you can do?
Yes No
How would you describe your cultural or ethnic background? (Please tick one box only)
White Mixed
Scottish Any mixed background
Irish
Other British
Any other white background
Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British Black, Black Scottish or Black British
Indian Caribbean
Bangladeshi African
Pakistani Any other black background
Chinese Any other background
Any other Asian background
Thank you for taking the time to complete this form.
Please send this form to : Freepost NAT 2359 Glasgow City Council Corporate Policy Section Chief Executive’s Department City Chambers, George Square Glasgow G2 1DU
You can also e-mail your comments to: [email protected]
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