Capital Gaelic – further development and consolidation (360G-BNG-2324_3026)

This application for funding is to continue the Capital Gaelic project in Edinburgh for a further period, by extending the contract of the Capital Gaelic Development Officer (CGDO) until the end of March 2024 (it may be possible to extend this slightly, depending on funding decisions from further Capital Gaelic partners). The CGDO would lead ongoing work to establish the foundations for a sustainable Capital Gaelic approach - a co-ordinated and creative partnership approach to embedding Gaelic as a vibrant part of life in Edinburgh for the benefit of all citizens and visitors.  A key aim of the partnership is to build a bridge between learning in a classroom setting to meaningful and sustainable opportunities to use the language in employment and socially, across generations.  This positioning of partnership and stakeholder collaboration as crucial to improving learner experience aligns with expectations of HMIE and expressed in the recent OECD report on Curriculum for Excellence, and the subsequent response from Professor Kenneth Muir, commissioned by the Scottish Government. To achieve these aims, and for Gaelic to have a sustainable future in Edinburgh, we need:  1.       Meaningful opportunities to use Gaelic beyond classroom settings, particularly for young people where the development of youth employment opportunities for Gaelic speakers is crucial. 2.       Wider knowledge, understanding and respect for Gaelic among the general population for Gaelic to truly flourish. As lead partners, the Council and the National Library of Scotland (NLS) initiated and continue to support a multi-agency group to identify opportunities, share knowledge, expertise and resources, and collaborate to energise the delivery and embedding of Gaelic as an integral part of life in the city.  In this next phase, we aim to build momentum, and expand the Capital Gaelic Network to include new member organisations (the Scottish Parliament, the Royal Botanic Garden and Historic Environment Scotland); and to develop wider opportunities through the National Officer Network with the aim of increasing collaborative work amongst Gaelic Officers throughout Scotland.