A new national approach to supporting the Gaelic language will place economic opportunity at the centre of policy, aiming to create jobs, strengthen local businesses and help communities thrive in the areas where the language has its deepest roots.
The initiative, called Tog, meaning “to raise” in Gaelic, will bring together public bodies, local authorities and business leaders to ensure that funding for Gaelic delivers practical and measurable economic benefits.
The group will work with communities and employers to help businesses use Gaelic in their daily operations, support entrepreneurs, and focus investment in ways that boost growth in rural and island economies where the language continues to play a central role in cultural life.
The launch took place in Inverness with Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes outlining a vision where the future of Gaelic is linked not only to heritage and identity but also to prosperity and long term sustainability.
Launching Tog, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said:
“Tog marks a new approach, one that puts jobs and local prosperity at the heart of how we support Gaelic.
“By working with local authorities and communities we can ensure investment delivers real benefits, helping to unlock the language’s potential and creating opportunities for generations to come.
“This builds on recent progress including the Scottish Languages Act 2025, which made Gaelic an official language of Scotland on St Andrew’s Day and enables targeted support to be provided in areas where the language is traditionally spoken.”
The emphasis on jobs is seen as a crucial shift by those who have long argued that language policy must connect directly to economic wellbeing if Gaelic speaking communities are to flourish in the decades ahead.
Action group member Donald Maciver, founder of software management company MindGenius, said:
“Gaelic is one of our greatest untapped economic assets.
“When we place our language, culture and history at the heart of skills, enterprise and community development, we open doors to entirely new opportunities.
“Gaelic can drive prosperity in our rural communities, this isn’t about looking back, it’s about creating a better future.
“Tog enables us to turn our heritage into new industries, new careers and renewed confidence in the places we call home.”
Tog will act as a bridge between national policy and local experience, ensuring that investment finds its way into projects that make tangible differences, such as supporting apprenticeships, helping employers recruit Gaelic speakers, expanding tourism opportunities and creating pathways for young people who want to build their lives and careers in the Highlands and Islands.
The group will also explore ways to help communities make better use of digital platforms, creative industries and heritage-led enterprise as tools for economic renewal.
As Gaelic continues to gain recognition, most recently through its new official status under the Scottish Languages Act, there is growing confidence that a more targeted economic approach will help secure the language for generations to come while strengthening the communities where it has always belonged.
