Report from Wallace Currie (Communications & Marketing Chair)
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the Rural Youth Action Network (RYAN) Residential in Inverness alongside Jillian Kennedy (National Vice Chair) as representatives of SAYFC. It was an exciting gathering of various rural youth groups, including island communities from Shetland, Orkney, Harris, and Lewis. The event provided a fantastic platform to connect with other organisations working towards empowering rural youth and giving them a voice.
The weekend kicked off with collaborative icebreakers and discussions around key issues facing young people in rural Scotlandโcovering everything from transport accessibility to housing challenges. One particularly insightful exercise used a radar chart to highlight regional disparities in quality of life, helping us identify areas where improvements could be made.
We also visited Knock Farrell Farm, an inspiring small-scale, high-efficiency farm run by Joe and Lorna. Their 40-acre operation feeds 250 people year-round through veg box schemes, demonstrating the potential of sustainable, community-focused food production. The visit sparked fascinating discussions on access to farming, skills development, and the future of small-scale agricultureโtopics that align closely with SAYFCโs own goals of supporting young farmers.
One of the most valuable aspects of the event was the engagement with policymakers. We had conversations with politicians, including Mairi Gougeon (Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands), who has been a strong advocate for SAYFC. These discussions reinforced the importance of creating direct lines of communication between rural youth and decision-makers.
Overall, RYAN is still in its early stages, but the enthusiasm and proactive energy were clear. There is a real opportunity here to collaborate, strengthen rural youth representation, and drive meaningful change. SAYFC has a role to play in supporting this initiative, and Iโm excited to see how we can be involved moving forward. Huge credit to Mia and Josh for making this event happenโhopefully, itโs just the start of a much bigger movement!
