Iasmine’s story
Following the Lewis and Harris Youth Conference hosted by CNES CLD, Iasmine reached out, enthusiastic to join YIN and have her voice heard. Find her experience of the conference in both Gaelic and English here!
Gaelic:
“‘S ann a Nis, Eilean Leòdhais a tha mi bho thùs agus tha uidh mhòr agam ann an
Gàidhlig agus brosnachadh ar cànan. Thoisich mi a’ seinn sa Ghàidhlig nuair a ghabh mi pàirt ann am Fèis Taigh Dhonnchaidh airson a chiad turas nuair a bha mi trì bliadhna a dh’aois. Tha mi uabhasach fhèin measail air sgrìobhadh Gàidhlig san fharsaingeachd. Bidh mi a’ gabhail pàirt anns a’ Mhòd Ionadail agus Nàiseanta gach bliadhna agus choisinn mi am bràiste òir airson sgrìobhadh aig a’ Mhòd Ionadail agus Nàiseanta an-uiridh. ‘S i Gàidhlig mo chànan làitheil agus còrdadh e rium sin brosnachadh aig ìre cho àrd sa ghabhas. Gu mì-fhortanach, tha strì no dhà againn air an eilean ri thaobh na h- amasan againn a choileanadh. Mar eisimpleir, ma that hu an
dùil dol air turas dhan tìr mòr gus cothrom a ghabhail, tha e air leth dùbhlanach àite-còmhnaidh fhaighinn aig prìs reusanta, aiseag fhaighinn a tha seasmhach. Tha mise an sàs anns an Comhairle Oigridh Leòdhais agus Comhairle nan Sgoilearan aig Ard-sgoil MhicNeacail, agus bu chaomh gaol don chànan a’ sgaoileadh fad is farsaing.”
English translation:
“I am originally from Ness, Isle of Lewis and have a great interest in Gaelic and promoting our language. I started singing in Gaelic when I first took part in Fèis Taigh Dhonnchaidh when I was three years old. I am a huge fan of Gaelic writing in general. I take part in the Local and National Mòd every year and won the gold badge for writing at the Local and National Mòd last year. Gaelic is my everyday language and I would like to promote it to the highest possible level. Unfortunately, we have a few challenges on the island in achieving our goals. For example, if you are planning to travel to the mainland to take part, it is extremely challenging to find affordable accommodation, to get a ferry that is reliable. I am involved in the Lewis Youth Council and the Students’ Council at Nicolson High School, and would love to spread the love of the language far and wide.”
Iasmine at the Western Isles Youth Conference
Gaelic:
Air an naoidheamh latha deug den Cheitinn dà-mhile sa sia deug, chaidh Co-labhairt Oigridh nan Eilean Siar a chumail anns an Caladh Inn ann an Steòrnabhagh. B’e Young Scot, Pàrlamaid Oigridh na h-Alba, agus Young Islanders a bha os cionn nan gnothaichean fad an là. Thàinig còrr ‘s ceud sgoilearan aig ìre àrd-sgoil às na Hearadh agus Leòdhas chun an co-labhairt far an d’fhuair iad cothrom coinneachadh ri daoine cudromach sna h-Eileanan an Iar. Am measg nan daoine sin, bha Ceannard Foghlam Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Domhnall MacLeòid, agus Ceannard an Seirbheis Slàinte Nàiseanta anns na h-Eileanan an Iar, Gordon Jamieson an làthair aig an co-labhairt. Ghabh an tachartas àite gus guthan oigridh nan eilean fhaighinn air beulaibh ceannardan mòra mun cùisean a tha iomchaidh dhuinn nar eileanaich òga.
B’ann mu iomadh diofar cuspair a bha an co-labhairt leis gun tàinig tòrr dhaoine à diofar roinnean den Chomhairle. Le sin, fhuair sinn cothrom bruidhinn mu naidheachdan mas-fhìor, aiseagan, cuspairean sgoile, agus mar sin air adhart. Bha an co-labhairt ceangailte ri buidhnean eadar-dhealaichte leithid Young Scot, Duais Diùc Dùn Eideann, agus YIN. Air sgàth gun robh an co-labhairt ceangailte ri YIN, b’e an co-labhairt a thug ormsa dol an sàs san iomairt agus mo ghuth a thogail san dòigh sin o chionn’s gun deach mise an sàs san co-labhairt air sgàth na dleastanasan a
th’agam nam ball den Chomhairle Oigridh Leòdhais agus Comhairle nan Sgoilearan.
Gu pearsanta dhomhsa, dh’ionnsaich mi mun iomairtean eadar-dhealaichte a th’againn air an dùthcha gus ar cuideachadh leithid na h-iomairtean a tha buidhnean leithid YIN air chur air bhog o chionn goirid. Fhuair mi cothrom air leth bruidhinn ri sgoilearan eile às an sgoil agam fhèin agus às na Hearadh. Ri thaobh iongnadh, thug e buaidh ormsa an uidhir de dhaoine a bhruidhinn agus a thoisich gearain mun aiseagan. Thug e buaidh ormsa air sgàth gun do thug e orm smaoineachadh mu de cho farsaing sa tha trioblaidean seo agus gu bheil iad air buaidh mhòr a thoirt air mac mathair as aithne dhomh. Nam bheachdsa, tha e uabhasach fhèin riatanach gu bheil ar guthan ri cluinntinn aig an sàr àrd-ìre a tha seo air sgàth gum bheir na co-dhùnaidhean seo buaidh mhaireannach oirnne an-dràsta agus san àm ri teachd. Ach, saoilidh gu bheil iad cuideach a toirt buaidh air na ginnealachdan ri thighinn. Mar eisimpleir, nam biodh cothrom againn àrd-sgoil fa-leth a thogail, bheir sin buaidh nas motha air na ginnealachdan ri thighinn na sinn fhèin an-dràsta. Dh’fharaich mi gun robh buaidh aig mo ghuthsa leis gun tàinig luchd-naidheachd a’ faighneachd ceistean dhuinn mun latha agus ar beachdan mar coimhearsnachdan eileanaich.
Cha chreid nach robh e mìorbhairleach dhuinn uile ar guthan ‘s ar n’aodann fhaicinn air An Là, agus air Radio nan Gàidheal.
Aig an co-labhairt, chaidh guthan a thogail mu cosnadh, aiseagan, Foghlam tro Mheadhan na Gàidhlig, agus iomadh cuspair eile tron latha air fad. Aig deireadh an là, fhuair sinn cothrom ceistean fhaighneachd dhan na ceannardan cudromach air ar beulaibh, agus an sin bhruidhinn iomadh neach mun chuspairean seo. Tron là, bha e follaiseach dhomhsa co-dhiù gun robh tòrr dhaoine san t-seòmar uabhasach fhèin deònach na guthan aca a thogail mu na tha deatamach dhaibhsan agus gu dearbh h-aibhne na h-innbhich riaraichte gu leòr ar beachdan cluintinn.
Mar a dh’innis mi dhuibh roimhe, aig fìor dheireadh an latha, fhuair sinn cothrom ceistean fhaighineach dhan phanail. Air a’ phanail, b’e Dòmhnall MacLeòid a’ riochdachadh Roinn Foghlam Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Gordan Jamieson, a’ riochdachadh Seirbheis Slàinte Nàiseanta nan Eilean Siar, Paul Steele, a’ riochdachadh Comhairle nan Eilean Siar san fharsaingeachd, Nèill MacDhòmhnaill, a’ riochdachadh seirbheisean nam poilis air an eilean, agus Iain Loughton a’ riochdachadh Young Scot. Chaidh iomaidh ceist fhaighneachd dhaibh mu bhapadh, slàinte inntinn, teicneolas sna sgoiltean, eucoir oigridh, agus foghlam. Dh’fharaich mise gun d’ thuirt iad uile gum biodh iad uile tuilleadh is deònach ar beachdan a’ cuir an cèill. Fhreagair iad uile ann an stoidhle a bha ciùin, onarach, agus dòigh a bha fosgailte ri beachdan eile a bharrachd air na beachdan aca fhèin.
English translation:
On 19 May 2026, the Western Isles Youth Conference was held in the Inn Harbour in Stornoway. Young Scot, the Scottish Youth Parliament, and Young Islanders were in charge of the day’s events. Over one hundred secondary school pupils from Harris and Lewis attended the conference where they had the opportunity to meet important figures in the Western Isles. Among those present at the conference were the Head of Education of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Domhnall MacLeod, and the Head of the National Health Service in the Western Isles, Gordon Jamieson. The event was held to bring the voices of the young people of the islands to the attention of key leaders on the issues that concern us as young islanders.
The conference was about a wide range of topics as many people came from different parts of the Council. This meant we had the opportunity to talk about virtual news, ferries, school issues, and so on. The conference was linked to different organisations such as Young Scot, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, and YIN. Because the conference was linked to YIN, it was the conference that led me to get involved in the campaign and raise my voice in that way because I got involved in the conference because of my responsibilities as a member of the Lewis Youth Council and the Pupils’ Council.
Personally, I learned about the different initiatives we have in the country to help us, such as the initiatives that groups like YIN have recently launched. I had a great opportunity to talk to other students from my own school and from Harris. In addition to being surprised, I was struck by how many people spoke up and started complaining about the ferries. It struck me because it made me think about how widespread these problems are and how they have affected so many people I know. In my opinion, it is absolutely essential that our voices are heard at this very high level because these decisions will have a lasting impact on us now and in the future. However, I think they also help to influence future generations. For example, if we had the opportunity to build a separate high school, that would have a greater impact on future generations than we do now. I felt that my voice had an impact as journalists came to ask us questions about the day and our views as island communities.
It was a real treat for us all to see our voices and faces on An Là, and on Radio nan Gàidheal.
At the conference, voices were raised about employment, ferries, Gaelic Medium Education, and many other topics throughout the day. At the end of the day, we had the opportunity to ask questions of the important leaders before us, and then many people spoke about these topics. Throughout the day, it was clear to me at least that many people in the room were very willing to raise their voices about what was important to them and indeed the adults were quite happy to hear our views.
As I told you before, at the very end of the day, we were given the opportunity to ask the panel some questions. On the panel, there was Donald MacLeod representing the Western Isles Council Education Department, Gordon Jamieson, representing the Western Isles National Health Service, Paul Steele, representing the Western Isles Council in general, Neil MacDonald, representing the police services on the island, and Iain Loughton representing Young Scot. They were asked a range of questions about vaping, mental health, technology in schools, youth crime, and education. I felt that they all said that they would be more than happy to share their views. They all responded in a calm, honest, and open manner to other views as well as their own.