OPPORTUNITY: Join the Scottish Languages Panel

Young Scot
VO102925

Volunteering details

Young Scot’s YSHive is looking for a diverse group of 15 young people aged 11 to 25 to volunteer on the Scottish Languages Panel. You’ll join conversations and connect with likeminded young people, design a discussion day event focused on the Scots and Gaelic languages and help inspire key stakeholders to action commitments on Scots and Gaelic.

Project information 

For those aged 11-25 (inclusive) living in Scotland

For Gaelic or Scots speakers. We expect you to have experience of speaking and understanding Gaelic and/or Scots, but you are not expected to be a fluent speaker. All sessions will take place in English.

4 session commitment over 3 months between April and June 2025. 2 sessions will be in-person at Young Scot’s office in Edinburgh and 2 will be online on Zoom.

About the project so far
The original Gaelic and Scots Languages Panel was established in early 2022 by Young Scot in partnership with Scottish Government (SG). It was aimed at giving young people the opportunity to tell SG what they think the priorities should be for implementing SG’s Scots Languages commitments. These commitments included proposed actions around schools’ education, the new Scottish Languages Bill, the creation of a recognised Gàidhealtachd and a review of Bòrd na Gàidhlig. The Panel refined their work on these SG commitments to three key categories to take forward:

Education and Work: Opportunities and gaps in resources that are found in both formal (e.g. school) and informal (e.g. meeting with friends) settings.

Culture and Arts: The use of traditional and youth-friendly media and resources to provide the space to explore and champion the Gaelic and Scots languages.

Community and Society: Being part of existing online and offline communities as well as creating spaces for young people to engage with the Gaelic and Scots languages.
The Panel have also been monitoring progress on the Scottish Languages Bill, which is now at Stage 3 in Scottish Parliament proceedings. The Bill gives the Gaelic and Scots languages official status in Scotland, makes changes to support Gaelic and Scots and includes changes relating to Gaelic and Scots education.

What you’ll do as part of this project
The Panel will meet 4 times over 3 months. You’ll work with dedicated Young Scot staff and collaborate with other young Gaelic and Scots speakers during the following sessions:

Introduction Session (in-person): Learn about the previous work on this Panel and establish your key interests and priorities going forward as a group.

Planning Session for Gaelic and Scots Languages Discussion Day event (online): Design how the event will be delivered as a Panel; exploring its content, overall ambitions and who should be invited.

Take part in the Discussion Day event (in-person): Inspire Government, Local Authorities, Community Groups, Stakeholders and other young people to take positive action on the Gaelic and Scots languages and support the continued development of a creative network of people making change across Scotland.

Wrap-up Session (online): Reflect on the Discussion Day event and evaluate its impact as a group. Reflect on the previous Panel’s manifesto commitments and develop further ‘calls to action’ to give to key decision-makers, influencing national action for Gaelic and Scots.
During these sessions we will support you to understand of the work of Scottish Government around the Scots and Gaelic languages. We’ll help support your ideas, insights and recommendations which will be given to Scottish Government to action going forward.

Experience required

For Gaelic or Scots speakers. We expect you to have experience of speaking and understanding Gaelic and/or Scots, but you are not expected to be a fluent speaker. All sessions will take place in English.  