Macaulay College to enhance facilities and double student capacity

Macaulay College CIC provides year-round supported learning experiences for people with additional support needs.

Up to £150,000 investment has been secured from HIE towards the development, which will allow the college to double student numbers, increase turnover and ensure its long-term sustainability.

Based on Macaulay Farm, three miles outside Stornoway, the community interest company was set up 14 years ago by directors Roland Engebretsen and Rebecca Lindsay.

It began with just one student and has now reached full capacity with 24 students and employs 18 people. The current building will be replaced with modern facilities.

The current building will be refurbished and extended, replacing existing facilities with modern facilities that will allow accessibility for all

Students range from school age to adults who can access a broad range of opportunities designed around their individual skills and requirements.

For the majority it provides a long-term destination supporting a happy and productive lifestyle. For some the service is a stepping stone to further education or employment.

Learning options include animal care - the farm is home to pigs, goats, sheep, donkeys, a pony, chickens and more. There are horticulture activities in the polytunnel and polycrub, creativity through arts, crafts, woodwork and drama as well as life skills including enterprise - selling the farm eggs, student art work and greetings cards, candle making and producing jams and chutneys grown on site. There is also support for students to attend Lews Castle College, workplaces, and social and community events.

Donald Murray, development manager at HIE in Innse Gall, said: “As a small social enterprise that has grown steadily, Macaulay College has had significant impact on the local community. We’re really pleased to support them in this exciting latest development, and we look forward to seeing the site transformed into a modern new facility, which will enable it to grow and increase student numbers.”

Rebecca, said: “We are delighted with this funding award from HIE and for their advice and encouragement throughout the development of this project. With most of the grant funding secured for our overall development plans, preparations for the project can proceed.

“The confidence and experience gained in attending Macaulay College has enabled some people to move into employment and further education while for the majority of attendees, the benefits are evident through improved mental and physical health and increased quality of life. This development will make a difference to families and students as well as those who work here and will also reduce pressure on other local, at capacity services. It will allow more families to work while their loved one is supported at the college. It will support the local economy as well as increase what Macaulay College will offer as a wider community resource.”

The project is also being supported by the UK Government Community Ownership Fund, which awarded the project £500,000, CNES Crown Estates, Galson Estate Trust, Muaitheabhal Community Windfarm Trust, Horshader Community Development and Stornoway Trust.

Colaiste MhicAmhlaigh ri goireasan àrdachadh agus àireamh oileanaich a dhùblachadh

Tha pròiseact de £1m le iomairt shòisealta ann an Eilean Leòdhais gu bhith a leudachadh, a’ leantainn dearbhadh air maoineachadh bho Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd ’s nan Eilean (HIE) agus buidhnean eile.

Tha Colaiste MhicAmhlaigh CIC a’ toirt seachad eòlas ionnsachaidh le taic fad na bliadhna do dhaoine le feumalachdan taic a bharrachd.  

Tha suas ri £150,000 de sheilbheachd air fhaotainn bho HIE a dh’ionnsaigh an leasachaidh, a cheadaicheas don cholaiste na h-àireamhan de dh’oileanaich a dhùblachadh, tionndadh-airgid a mheudachadh agus seasmhachd fad-amail a dhèanamh tèarainte.

Suidhichte air Tuathanas MhicAmhlaigh a tha trì mile taobh a-muigh Steòrnabhaigh, chaidh a' chompanaidh le ùidh a’ phobaill a stèidheachadh o chionn 14 bliadhna leis na stiùirichean Roland Engebretsen agus Rebecca Lindsay.

Thòisich e le dìreach aon oileanach agus tha e a-nis air a làn chomais a ruighinn le 24 oileanaich agus 18 neach-obrach an ceann an cosnaidh ann. Thèid an togalach làithreach ionadachadh le goireasan nua-aimsireil.  

Bidh an togalach làithreach air a dhèanamh suas agus air a leudachadh, ag ionadachadh nan goireasan a th’ ann le goireasan ùra a cheadaicheas cothrom do na h-uile.

Tha na h-oileanaich a’ rangachadh bho aois sgoile gu inbhich as urrainn raon farsaing de chothroman inntrigeadh, a tha dealbhaichte mu thimcheall an sgilean agus feumalachdan fa leth.  

Don mhòr-chuid, tha e a’ solarachadh ceann-uidhe fad-amail, a tha a’ cur taic ri dòigh-beatha thoilichte agus thairbheach. Do chuid, tha an t-seirbheis na ceum air adhart gu foghlam adhartach no cosnadh.

Am measg nan roghainnean ionnsachaidh tha cùram bheathaichean – tha an tuathanas na dhachaigh do mhucan, gobhair, caoraich, asalan, ponaidh, cearcan agus gu leòr eile.  Tha gnìomhachdan àiteach-leasa anns a’ phoili-tunail agus sa phoili-crub, cruthachalachd tro na h-ealain, ciùird, obair-fhiodha agus dràma, a thuilleadh air sgilean beatha a’ gabhail a-steach iomairt – a’ reic uighean bhon tuathanas, obair ealain oileanaich agus cairtean fàilte, dèanamh choinnlean, agus silidhean is siutnaidh air am fàs air an làraich. Tha taic ann cuideachd do dh’oileanaich a tha a’ frithealadh Colaisde a’ Chaisteil, àiteachan-obrach, agus tachartasan sòisealta is coimhearsnachd.

Thuirt Dòmhnall Moireach, am manaidsear leasachaidh aig HIE ann an Innse Gall: “Mar iomairt bheag shòisealta a tha air fàs gu cunbhalach, tha buaidh chudromach air a bhith aig Colaiste MhicAmhlaigh air a’ choimhearsnachd ionadail. Tha sinn fìor thoilichte taic a thoirt dhaibh leis an leasachadh bhrosnachail seo aca, agus tha sinn a’ coimhead air adhart ris an làraich fhaicinn air a cruth-atharrachadh gu goireas a tha ùr-nodha, a bheir comas dhi air fàs agus àireamhan oileanaich a mheudachadh.”

Thuirt Rebecca: “Tha sinn air ar dòigh leis a’ mhaoineachadh seo bho HIE agus le an comhairle is brosnachadh tro leasachadh a’ phròiseict seo. Leis a’ mhòr-chuid den mhaoineachadh tabhartais air fhaotainn mu choinneamh ar planaichean leasachaidh iomlan, faodaidh ullachadh air a’ phròiseact a dhol air adhart.”

“Tha a’ mhisneachd agus an t-eòlas a chaidh a chosnadh tro fhrithealadh Colaiste MhicAmhlaigh air comas a thoirt do chuid de dhaoine gluasad air adhart gu cosnadh agus foghlam adhartach, agus a thaobh mòr-chuid de luchd-frithealaidh, tha na buannachdan follaiseach tro fheabhas ann an slàinte inntinneil is chorporra agus meudachadh ann an càileachd beatha. Bidh an leasachadh seo na dhiofar mòr do theaghlaichean agus oileanaich a thuilleadh orrasan a tha ag obair an seo, agus lùghdaichidh e cuideam air seirbheisean ionadail eile a tha mar-thà aig an làn chomais. Ceadaichidh e do bharrachd theaghlaichean a bhith ag obair fhad ’s a tha an luchd-gaoil a’ faotainn taic bhon cholaiste. Cuiridh e taic ris an eaconamaidh ionadail a thuilleadh air nas urrainn do Cholaiste MhicAmhlaigh a thabhann mar ghoireas coimhearsnachd nas fharsainge, a mheudachadh.”

Tha am pròiseact a’ faighinn taic cuideachd bho Mhaoin Seilbh Coimhearsnachd Riaghaltas na RA, Oighreachdan Crùin CNES, Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn, Urras Tuath-gaoithe Mhuaitheabhal, Urras Leasachaidh Coimhearsnachd Horsiadair agus Urras Steòrnabhaigh, còmhla a bhuilich £500,000 air a’ phròiseact.