Glasgow's Gaelic Community Offered Carbon Literacy Training

Published: 7 June 2022

The online learning modules will be delivered by three teachers from The Glasgow Gaelic School, over four consecutive weeks.

A first of its kind in Scotland, the first sessions on climate change learning will be delivered by a Gaelic speaking trainer to teaching staff in the school. Using this small group of teachers as a pilot group will help shape future sessions and refine the material. 

The course will then be rolled out to parents of Gaelic school pupils following the summer break and then eventually other Gaelic speaking residents.

The course aims to raise awareness of how carbon costs and impacts of everyday activities affects individual's lives and the lives of people around them.  It also encourages positive behavioural and lifestyle changes to reduce our carbon footprint by explaining what the benefits of these activities are on people's lives, the community in which they live and wider societal and environmental benefits.

Other advantages of undertaking the course is giving people the confidence to share their experience and talk about what they've learned within their community, while making the Gaelic language more accessible and visible.

With it being the first carbon literacy training course of its kind, it took a few attempts to translate materials from English to Gaelic as some of the terminology, particularly around new technology, doesn't have a natural translation.

Funded by Bòrd na Gàidhlig and piloted by Glasgow City Council it is hoped that this course can be replicated in other local authority areas with Gaelic speaking communities. 

Gaelic Development Officer in Glasgow City Council, Donald MacPhee, said: "The Council has made huge strides in developing and enhancing the status and profile of Gaelic within the city. When I saw that this carbon literacy training was taking place during COP26 I thought that this would be a good way of bringing a very relevant topic to our Glasgow based Gaelic audience. 
"Climate change and its impact hasn't been covered by our Gaelic services and it adds another layer to the council's plan to hold climate conversations with all of its citizens, as part of the Glasgow Climate Plan."

The hope is that it will not only inform people but inspire then to take action and encourage discussion and participation in others cascade effect on a wider audience. 

Kathrina Sinclair, Faculty Head of Humanities, The Glasgow Gaelic School said: "It's exciting to be part of an initiative that aims to inform people about taking action against climate change while increasing the use and prominence of Gaelic. Courses like this should be translated into different languages to make them more accessible."

The news on the Gaelic carbon literacy training comes as the consultation on the council's new Gaelic Language Plan for 2023 to 2028 enters its final stages.

The Gaelic Plan focuses on increasing the use, learning and promotion of Gaelic in services provided by Glasgow City Council and its arm's length companies. 

The draft plan has been published and anyone with an interest in Gaelic language and culture in Glasgow is invited to send in their feedback and comments, over the next six weeks.

This is the council's fourth Gaelic Language Plan since 2009 and each one has strengthened Gaelic services for the people of Glasgow. 

The consultation will be live until Friday 22nd July 2022. https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=29268