New settlement officer appointed in the Outer Hebrides

To support talent to stay or come to the area, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (CnES) are funding the dedicated post.

North Uist born, Kareen MacRury will offer a helping hand to help people who want to enjoy and adapt to island life in Uist.

The 12-month post is part of a pilot project that seeks to reverse population decline in Uist.

A key part of Kareen’s role will be to work with partner agencies and other organisations across the Outer Hebrides to gather vital information regarding housing and other issues that people face when moving into the area.

As well as providing guidance to people who want help to stay on the islands, Kareen will be on hand to help people planning to move to the islands. She will signpost them to the required services, while offering information on access to local services, networks and provision of overall guidance about the community.

The aim is to support the development of further projects and initiatives to help address population decline. The intended outcome is that with the right support, those moving to the area will likely stay, make a long-term commitment to the area and even encourage others to move there.

Kareen said:

“Becoming the settlement officer is an exciting opportunity. I am passionate and enthusiastic about retaining and attracting economically active people to move to the islands to live and work and helping them to experience that by becoming an islander you’re embracing a life less ordinary, full of adventure and community spirit in a place where everyone is welcomed.”

Kareen’s post is one of three settlement officer posts, which are being established across the Highlands and Islands to assist people moving to the region, provide relocation advice and gather information about any challenges they encounter along the way, to inform future actions.

Posts are being recruited on a 12-month pilot basis in three local authority areas – Outer Hebrides, Argyll & Bute and Highland.

While the Scottish Government develops the criteria to formalise a repopulation zone methodology, these pilot areas are taking steps to test new interventions and gather local data on the ground to support population growth and address their own particular challenges.

HIE is currently undertaking a number of areas of research and evaluation which will help inform further thinking in relation to repopulation and talent attraction.

CnES recognises the impacts of depopulation on its islands communities and aims to support measures to reverse the decline and ensure their sustainability. Uist, as the initial pilot area, will benefit from both the direct intervention and partnership working with communities and agencies to identify and direct support where needed.

Meanwhile HIE is recruiting posts in the Outer Hebrides www.hie.co.uk/about-us/vacancies/ourohjobs

Current Comhairle nan Eilean Siar vacancies can be viewed on their  website (cne-siar.gov.uk)

Oifigear ùr tuineachaidh air fhastadh ann an Innse Gall

Bidh daoine a tha a’ coimhead ri bhith a’ fuireach, ag obair agus ag ionnsachadh ann an Uibhist cinnteach à fàilte bhlàth gu beatha sna h-eileanan, le cuideachadh bho oifigear ainmichte tuineachaidh ùr.

Gus taic a chur ri tàlant a thighinn no a dh’fhuireach san sgìre, tha Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd ’s nan Eilean (HIE) agus Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (CnES) a’ maoineachadh na dreuchd shònraichte seo.  

Bidh Kareen NicRuairidh a rugadh ann an Uibhist a Tuath, a’ tabhann cuideachadh do dhaoine a tha airson in-imrich agus tlachd a ghabhail à beatha eileanach ann an Uibhist.

Tha an dreuchd 12-mìosan seo mar phàirt de phròiseact pìleit a tha a’ coimhead ri stad a chur air crìonadh san àireamh-sluaigh ann an Uibhist.

Bidh prìomh phàirt de dhreuchd Kareen an lùib a bhith ag obair le buidhnean com-pàirteachais agus buidhnean eile air feadh Innse Gall, gus fiosrachadh deatamach a thional a thaobh taigheadas agus cùisean eile ris am bi daoine a’ dèiligeadh nuair a tha iad a’ gluasad a-steach don sgìre.   

A thuilleadh air a bhith a’ toirt seachad stiùireadh do dhaoine a tha a’ sireadh cuideachaidh le thighinn a dh’fhuireach sna h-eileanan, bidh Kareen ri làimh gus daoine a tha a’ planadh air imrich do na h-eileanan, a chuideachadh.  Stiùiridh i iad gu na seirbheisean riatanach fhad ’s a tha i a’ tabhann fiosrachadh mu chothrom air seirbheisean ionadail, lìonraidhean agus stiùireadh san fharsaingeachd mun choimhearsnachd.

Is e an t-amas, taic a chur ri leasachadh air tuilleadh phròiseactan is iomairtean gus cuideachadh le dèiligeadh ri crìonadh san àireamh-sluaigh. Is e a’ bhuil a thathar a’ sùileachadh gum bi iadsan a tha a’ gluasad don sgìre, leis an taic cheart, a’ roghnachadh fuireach agus gealltanas a thoirt don sgìre, agus fiù daoine eile a bhrosnachadh gu gluasad don àite. 

Thuirt Kareen:

“Is e cothrom brosnachail a th’ ann a bhith nam oifigear tuineachaidh. Tha mi dìoghrasach agus dealasach mu dhaoine a tha gnìomhach gu h-eaconamach a ghleidheadh agus a tharraing gu na h-eileanan gus fuireach agus obair, agus an comasachadh gu bhith mar eileanaich a’ gabhail ri beatha nach eil cho àbhaisteach, làn chothroman agus spiorad coimhearsnachd ann an àite far a bheil gach neach di-beathte.”

Tha dreuchd Kareen mar aon de thrì dhreuchdan tuineachaidh, a tha gan stèidheachadh air feadh na Gàidhealtachd ’s na h-Eileanan gus daoine a tha a’ gluasad chun na sgìre a chuideachadh, comhairle ath-ghluasad a thoirt dhaibh agus fiosrachadh a thional mu dhùbhlain sam bith air an tig iad tarsainn air an t-slighe, agus comhairle a thoirt seachad mu ghnìomhan san àm ri teachd.  

Tha na dreuchdan gam fastadh air bunait pìleit de 12 mìosan ann an trì sgìrean ùghdarrasan ionadail – Innse Gall, Earra-Ghàidheal is Bòd agus a’ Ghàidhealtachd.  

Fhad ’s a tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba a’ leasachadh nan slatan-tomhais airson modh-obrach sòn ath-shluaghachaidh a dhèanamh foirmeil, tha na sgìrean pìleit seo a’ gabhail cheumannan gus eadar-theachdan ùra fheuchainn a-mach agus dàta ionadail a thional sa choimhearsnachd mar thaic do chuideachadh le fàs air àireamh-sluagh, gus dèiligeadh ri an dùbhlain shònraichte fhèin.

Gu làithreach, tha HIE a’ gabhail àireamh de raointean rannsachaidh is luachaidh os làimh a chuidicheas le tuilleadh beachdachaidh fhiosrachadh, a thaobh ath-shluaghachaidh agus tarraing tàlaint. 

Tha CnES a’ tuigsinn buaidh di-shluaghachaidh ann an coimhearsnachdan nan eilean agus ag amas air taic a chur ri ceumannan airson dèiligeadh ri crìonadh àireamh-sluaigh a thilleadh, agus seasmhachd a dhèanamh tèarainte. Gheibh Uibhist, mar a’ chiad sgìre pìleit, buannachd às an dà chuid eadar-theachd dhìreach agus an obair com-pàirteachais le coimhearsnachdan is buidhnean gus taic a chomharrachadh agus a stiùireadh gu far a bheil feum air.

San eadar-ama, tha HIE a’ fastadh dhreuchdan ann an Innse Gall hie.co.uk/about-us/vacancies/ourohjobs

Faodar dreuchdan a tha bàn gu làithreach aig Comhairle nan Eilean Siar fhaicinn air làrach-lìn (cne-siar.gov.uk).