Ulster-Scots Online

DCAL – Ulster-Scots Strategy — Your views are needed!!!

By KilsallyNo Comments

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Iain Carlisle <[email protected]>
Date: 25 October 2012 16:38
Subject: DCAL – Ulster-Scots Strategy — Your views are needed!!!
To: Iain Carlisle <[email protected]>

Dear All,

As you know the Department of Culture Arts & Leisure have produce a strategy for Ulster-Scots which is currently open for Public Consultation until 27^th November.

The Ulster-Scots Community Network (USCN) are keen to encourage as many Ulster-Scots groups as possible to respond to the consultation. This is the only chance our community really have to influence future policy decisions.

The consultation is open to the entire Ulster-Scots community and other interested parties – so your views are important and will be very much appreciated.

We at USCN fully appreciate that many Ulster-Scots groups are effectively managed by a few volunteers – and as such, responding to weighty policy documents is a time consuming and often thankless job.

With this in mind – we have attached our planned response – with which you may or may not agree.

Groups are welcome to use some or all of the material from our response – or to simply drop an email to [email protected] stating that you agree with the position adopted by USCN – this will greatly add to the weight attached to our response.

Please find attached a copy of the DCAL Consultation and the planned response from Ulster-Scots Community Network – I would again encourage as many of you as possible to make a response in one of the ways outlined above as we believe this is an important opportunity to make your views known.

With best regards,

Iain

Iain Carlisle

Ulster-Scots Community Network

68 -7 2 Great Victoria Street

Belfast

BT2 7BB

T. 028 90 436710

E. [email protected]

W. www.ulster-scots.com

Consultation on Ulster Scots language, heritage and culture strategy.pdf.pdf Download this file

DCAL Strategy Response Oct 2012.doc.doc Download this file

Jul 25

School children ‘could study Ulster-Scots for GCSE’

By KilsallyNo Comments

25 July 2012 Last updated at 11:36

School children 'could study Ulster-Scots for GCSE'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-18983567

By Robbie Meredith

BBC News

School children in Northern Ireland could be given the opportunity to study Ulster-Scots to GCSE or A Level.

The proposal is included in a strategy produced by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL).

The areas for action include promotion of Ulster Scots language and culture in education and the media.

DCAL have also produced a similar strategy for developing the Irish language.

The Strategy for Ulster Scots language, heritage and culture is currently out for public consultation.

It includes a number of proposals aimed at children in primary and secondary education.

These include developing a "an A-Level in Ulster Scots language, heritage and culture".

There are also plans to develop a GCSE level qualification, and to establish a unit in the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and assessment (CCEA) to provide learning and exam materials on Ulster-Scots.

The strategy also includes plans to increase the number of Ulster Scots programmes on television and the development of a "dedicated Ulster Scots language, heritage and culture radio station".

The strategy has been welcomed by leading Ulster-Scots activist Lord Laird who said that Ulster Scots had stamped its culture on other parts of the world particularly America.

"Seventeen presidents of the United States came from Ulster. Twelve men stood on the moon and two of them were Ulster men – people whose ancestors a few generations before came from Ulster," he said.

"I had no part in the writing of the Belfast Agreement. But in the Belfast Agreement it says that the Ulster Scots language, culture and heritage has equal status to that of Irish.

"A lot of people voted for it. We have found over the years we have not been able to cash in that cheque, for want of a better word, but we are slowly beginning to do this."

Consultation for the proposals ends on 27 November.

Jun 22

Belfast City Council – Community Festivals Fund 2012-13

By KilsallyNo Comments

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Iain Carlisle <[email protected]>

Dear All,

Belfast City Council Community Festival Fund is now open – this is only relevant to events delivered within the Belfast City Council area. Follow the link for more details,

Regards,

Iain

Belfast City Council is pleased to announce that the Community Festivals Fund 2012/13 (T2) is now open.

This fund will support community based festivals taking place between 1 October 2012 and 31 March 2013

Deadline: 12 noon on Friday 10 August 2012.

The fund is operated by Belfast City Council in partnership with the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and welcomes applications from community groups or community led partnerships with arts and festival organisations. The community must play a strong part in the development and delivery of the festival. Grants of up to £10,000 are available.

Full details can be found here: www.belfastcity.gov.uk/culture/festivalsfund.

We will be running community based information sessions, details are on our website. Advice is also available via telephone 02890 270227, email [email protected], or an appointment can be arranged.

Christine Osborne O'Toole, Arts Development Officer