Community development

A community’s resilience is at the heart of how it survives and thrives.  With the impacts of COVID-19 on rural and island communities over the last year, kindness and solidarity have been essential in providing support to vulnerable and isolated members of the community.

With winter now fast approaching and the potential impacts of adverse weather, it’s timely to highlight the support available and how communities can utilise their strengths to prepare for, respond to, and recover from challenges.

A consultation, seeking the views of those who travel to, from, in and around Abington, Douglas, Leadhills and Wanlockhead, is taking place as part of an ambitious feasibility study to improve active travel infrastructure in those areas.

Find out about some current rural development jobs and vacancies in rural areas.

Development Manager - John O’Groats Mill Trust 

A group of Moray’s independent funders have come together to form the new Moray Funders’ Forum with the aim of making sure that available resources are getting to the right places.

The South of Scotland’s largest community buyout is set to go ahead following one of the most ambitious community fundraising campaigns ever seen – with the community of Langholm in Dumfries and Galloway raising the final funds needed in the nick of time.

The world’s first Smart Village for young people is on the hunt for digital champions age 18-28 from across Angus, Lanarkshire, Outer Hebrides, Rural Perth and Kinross and the Scottish Borders.

Residents of Carstairs Junction are being encouraged to get involved in projects identified in the new Community Action Plan, 2020 – 2025, to help make the Junction a better place to live, work and play.

Projects from across the UK which are working to create resilient rural communities are invited to apply for grant funding of up to £10,000 from The Prince’s Countryside Fund.

‘Supporting local businesses helps protect local jobs’ is the message behind a campaign launched by the Stranraer Development Trust.  The campaign encourages people to ‘Support Stranraer’, with the aim of building back confidence in the community and encouraging people to feel confident about enjoying local facilities and buying from local businesses.

As we enter uncharted waters, the Young Rural Change Makers Programme is a online initiative to help young people, like you, build confidence, develop new skills, be part of a network and thrive in the rural area you call home.

Am I the right fit for this programme?