We are excited to launch the Clan Donald Lands Trust (CDLT) Youth Council, which will report directly to the charity’s CEO and Board of Trustees. To continue our work in building a better future for Sleat and Skye, our local young people should have a voice in our strategic decision making. The purpose of our new Youth Council is to give them that voice.

CDLT Background

• The Clan Donald Lands Trust (CDLT) was created in 1971 via one of Scotland’s first community buyouts of part of the former Macdonald Estates.
• A charitable trust, CDLT, was established with specific purposes.
• Over 52 years, CDLT has injected many millions of pounds into the local economy and employed scores of local people.
• We continue to employ many local persons; this year peaking at 34 persons from 26 families and 16 full-time equivalent jobs.
• As a charity, CDLT has no capital shareholders and, other than external costs, all the money we make or receive directly benefits our local community.
• After a strong Covid recovery in 2022-2023, the charity is in the process of reorganisation and rejuvenation; we are looking to the future of our island and its young people, with CDLT’s established position at the heart of local life and livelihood.

CDLT Youth Council role

We will bring together a group of up to 10 young local people aged 16 to 25. They will be members of our Youth Council for an initial two-year term.

Within that group we will look for representation from young people who have had to move away for work or education but retain a strong connection to this place and wish to return home to make a life here in the future.

Meetings will be a hybrid of in-person and online, for those currently living further afield. We plan to meet once a month.

These are voluntary positions, but travel expenses will be reimbursed. There may be sponsorship, bursary, retainer, and remunerated options in the future.

It is hoped that Youth Council members may in due course apply to become local trustees for the charity and become the next generation of local leaders.

Areas of work for the Council will include:

• Delivering on our charity’s vision, strategy and land rights and responsibilities plan.
• Working with us on an options exercise for the Trust’s buildings and wider estate.
• Working with us on an exciting and recently approved local community asset transfer.
• Shaping our professional community engagement work with our team of expert consultants.
• Community partnership work ideas.
• Working with us to help address local problems, e.g. the housing crisis and economic resilience.
• Social and cultural events – music, art, family fairs etc.
• Environmental management plans including native woodland expansion, sustainable agriculture and food production, wildlife management, and the local coast and marine environment.
• Exploration of renewable energy options for genuine community benefit.

The first stage of fundraising for our options exercise began in December 2022 and reached its goal in July 2023. Using an established sector firm, our multiple-phase community survey work will launch later in the autumn. We want the Youth Council to help take this consultation forward.

Fundraising for stage two started in August and we already have some exciting options.

What will we expect from you?

• Regular, engaged attendance at meetings and training/coaching sessions.
• A willingness to talk openly and honestly with optimism and creativity.
• An ability to work cooperatively with other members of the Council and CDLT trustees and staff, plus external consultants.
• Be a champion for this part of Skye, and passionate about representing local young people and your future on the island.
• A desire to lead by example via the Seven Principles of Public Life: Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty, and Leadership.
• Enthusiasm, and a willingness to learn.

What can you expect from us?

• We will listen to you and consider your views when we are making decisions for the charity.
• The potential for you to benefit from further education certificates. YouthLink Scotland’s Participative Democracy Certificate is currently being explored.
• Opportunities to gain new networks of professional and social contacts.
• The opportunity to build your curriculum vitae (CV) at a leadership level and stand apart from your peers.
• Help building your confidence in professional working at all levels, including coaching from our staff and consultants.
• Gaining skills that will help in your future career.
• The potential for paid work placements, sponsorship, bursary and future employment opportunities.
• Our trust in you to effectively represent local young people.

Next steps

Please write to us by email (no more than 1,000 words) at sandra@clandonald.com to tell us:

1. A little about you as a person, including where you live, how long you have lived here and what Skye means to you. If you have had to move away, tell us about that decision and your aspiration to return home to live and work.
2. Your personal career and life goals.
3. What you do in your spare time.
4. What qualities you have that you feel make you a good fit for the CDLT Youth Advisory Council.
5. Whether you have Gàidhlig, and if so, to what level (spoken and written).

We look forward to hearing from you. Please get in touch with Sandra if you have any queries.