Strengthening Gaelic
Ambition: Gaelic is used – spoken, heard and valued – across community life in Uist, with learners and speakers supported at every level.
Strengthening Gaelic
“My name is Sìne and I am nineteen years old. I live in South Uist, I work in the care home, Taigh a’ Chridhe Uile Naomh. In this job I teach Gaelic every day, mostly to the residents.
I think it is so, so important to keep my Gaelic strong for the elderly. You get a lot more out of it if you speak Gaelic with them. You can see the difference when they hear a young person speaking their first language”.
Action
Groups who link with this action
Community Action
N1.1 Promote Gaelic classes and opportunities for all levels – especially returners and confident speakers.
Cothrom
Volunteer Centre Uist
Fèis Tìr a’ Mhurain Tir An Eorna +FnanG
Comann Eachdraidh Uibhist a Tuath
CNES Gaelic Plan
Uist Primaries
Early Years
Repopulation Zone
UHI NWH
Attend or promote a class, or host an informal session in your home or workplace.
Encourage school leavers to continue using their Gaelic by engaging with them in Gaelic at every opportunity.
N1.2 Create Uist Sound Guides: practical phonics resources for common words/phrases in Uist dialects.
Uist Primaries
Early Years
CEUT
Ceòlas
Help record audio or test the resource as a learner.
N1.3 Promote events and spaces as positive spaces for Gaelic: all levels welcome.
Cothrom
Tagsa Uibhist
UCVO
Caraidean Uibhist
Volunteer Centre Uist
Alba FC
Fèis Tìr a’ Mhurain Tir An Eorna +FnanG
Comann Eachdraidh Uibhist a Tuath
Ceann na h-Àirigh
Taigh Chearsabhagh
Sgioba Gàidhlig CNES
Improvement Plan Sgoil Lionacleit
Uist Primaries
Early Years
Repopulation Zone
North Uist Agricultural Society
Visit Outer Hebrides
Ceòlas
Co-Chomunn Eirisgeidh
Cothrom LTD
Cidsin Ceilidh
Buidhnean taigh-òsta nan Eilean
North Uist Development Company
Lionacleit Library
Host a ‘Gaelic-Friendly’ event, or state it is to encourage use of Gaelic.
Use the #cleachdi events website to promote events.
N1.4 Support individuals to create and run their own Gaelic events, with a small grants scheme
UCVO
Volunteer Centre Uist
Ceòlas
Fèis Tìr a’ Mhurain Tir An Eorna +FnanG
Repopulation Zone
North Uist Agricultural Society
North Uist Development Company
Have an idea? Apply for funding or ask for help from your local Trust or Community Council to get it off the ground.
e.g. exercise classes led by a young Gaelic speaker.
N1.5 Support all Gaelic-related events being cross-promoted via a shared community websites.
Uist Beò, Cothrom
UCVO
Caraidean Uibhist
Comunn Eachdraidh Eirisgeidh
Ceòlas
Fèis Tìr a’ Mhurain Tir An Eorna +FnanG
Comann Eachdraidh Uibhist a Tuath
Ceann na h-Àirigh
Dannsairean Màiri
Taigh Chearsabhagh
Improvement Plan Sgoil Lionacleit
Uist Primaries
Early Years Am Paipear Visit Outer Hebrides
North Uist Development Company
Lionacleit Library
Add your event and tag it as Gaelic or bilingual – don’t be shy!
N1.6 Develop a ‘Return to Gaelic’ support pack or engagement opportunities.
Ceòlas
UHINWH
Cothrom
Ceut
Share your story of returning to Gaelic – or help mentor someone else.
Consider joining the “Tillidh Mi” Gaelic returners course.
N1.7 Deliver informal community sessions that facilitate Gaelic conversations.
UCVO
Comunn Eachdraidh Eirisgeidh
Ceòlas
Comann Eachdraidh Uibhist a Tuath
Taigh Chearsabhagh
Offer your space, invite friends, just show up and try a word or two. Support the shops running Gaelic hours.
N1.8 Showcase best practice in welcoming new residents: share why Gaelic matters in Uist and signpost newcomers to classes and support.
Caraidean Uibhist
Comann Eachdraidh Uibhist a Tuath
Taigh Chearsabhagh
Repopulation Zone
Visit Outer Hebrides
Ceòlas
Offer to help with a Uist welcome pack for visitors or tell your new neighbour how Gaelic has shaped your way of living.
N1.9 Expand bilingual signage in Uist signage in shops, services, public spaces and community halls.
Tagsa Uibhist
UCVO
Comunn Eachdraidh Eirisgeidh
Ceòlas
Fèis Tìr a’ Mhurain Tir An Eorna +FnanG
Comann Eachdraidh Uibhist a Tuath
Ceann na h-Àirigh
Taigh Chearsabhagh
Improvement Plan Sgoil Lionacleit
Uist Primaries
Early Years
Repopulation Zone
North Uist Agricultural Society Public Bodies with a National Gaelic plan
North Uist Development Company
Lionacleit Library
Are you a business owner? Add Gaelic signage or ask for help to create/translate it.
N2.0Encourage use of Gaelic in everyday life with incentives: e.g. “speak Gaelic or order in Gaelic, get 10% off” days.
Local cafés, shops, tourism businesses.
Support these events, or start your own “Speak Gaelic event”.
N2.1 Encourage use of Gaelic in the home through pro-active steps where there are families with Gaelic who lack the confidence to use it daily or where it wasn’t used in their own family growing up. Help to break the cycle of starting in English.
Early Years
Repopulation Zone
Uist Primaries
Lionacleit Libraries
Encourage them and explain the importance in terms of improving their own Gaelic and creating a legacy of next generation usage. Support their use of Gaelic.
N2.2 Identify and fill provision gaps for Gaelic learning and Gaelic usage.
Gaelic Officers, Cothrom, UHI NWH, CNES, Ceòlas
Fèis Tìr a’ Mhurain Tir An Eorna +FnanG
Repopulation Zone
Tell us what’s missing in your area – you’ll be helping shape what comes next.
Offer your skills to provide e.g., Gaelic story sessions for families.
N2.3 Promote Gaelic reading with children in the home using the range of resources available for learners and fluent speakers.
Uist Primaries
Early Years
Repopulation Zone
Acair, Gaelic4Parents, Comhairle nan Leabhraichean, CBeebies na Gàidhlig. Storlann, Comann Nam Pàrant
Lionacleit Library
Buy one of the new children’s books and pass it to a friend who is learning/has Gaelic, to encourage them and their child(ren) to read Gaelic together.
N2.4 Create informal peer group sessions: groups of people who meet with a Gaelic focus but with other common interests.
Caraidean Uibhist
Alba FC
Comunn Eachdraidh Eirisgeidh
Ceòlas
Early Years
Repopulation Zone
Offer to be a buddy or help run a taster group in your area.
OUR VISION FOR 2030
Managing the Plan
The Uist Gaelic Stakeholder Group will oversee Plana Gàidhlig Uibhist, meeting quarterly to review progress, update actions, and respond to new opportunities. This regular review will keep the plan active and relevant, allowing it to adapt as local circumstances change. The Group will also include a representative of the Gaelic Youth Forum, once established.
www.planauibhist.scot will act as a central point for updates, practical tools, and examples of what’s working. It will also help individuals, groups, and organisations find ways to contribute or lead on particular actions.
Social media and regular updates in Am Pàipear will help keep Plana Gàidhlig Uibhist visible and connected to the wider community.
Local ambassadors will be appointed across the islands to encourage progress and to share progress on social media.
The aim is steady, continuing and practical progress and not just a one-off campaign soon put aside. By involving individuals, communities, and working closely with local organisations and public bodies, we can create the conditions for Gaelic to be more present and more widely used in everyday life across Uist.