HIE Focus magazine issue 3

WINTER 2018 | ISSUE 03

CELEBRATING SUCCESS IN THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS

YOUNG LEADERS GET ON BOARD

Supporting more young people on social enterprise boards

ORKNEY ADVENTURE Meet the globetrotting graduate taking her career to the island of Westray

YEAR OF YOUNG PEOPLE SPECIAL EDITION Focus magazine issue 3.indd 1

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MAKING OUR REGION THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, STUDY AND INVEST hie.co.uk

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CONTENTS

job loading

05 HIE’s chair and CEO discuss their youth 08 Innovation drives business growth 12 Cover story: from South East Asia

to the Orkney Isles with ScotGrad 16 Cultivating social

enterprise in Shetland 18 Young leaders get on board 20 Investment 22 Bringing a taste of Moray

to the world 24 EMSP: growing to meet demand 26 Leading research and innovation

campus for Orkney 28 3,000 young people have their say 30 Why I love running my business

in Skye

CONTACT US Highlands and Islands Enterprise An Lòchran, 10 Inverness Campus, Inverness, IV2 5NA hie.marketing@hient.co.uk +44 (0)1463 245245 hie.co.uk

TO RECEIVE FUTURE ISSUES OF FOCUS MAGAZINE BY POST OR EMAIL PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: hie.co.uk/focus

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>/ Do you want to help your business to be more innovative, improve its processes, or develop new products and services?_ >/ Employ a student or a graduate to work on a technology based project and get 50% of their salary funded._ To find out more, go to hie.co.uk/nih or email us at techplacements@hient.co.uk

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EDITOR’S NOTES In celebration of the Year of Young People (YOYP) and, at 25, being one of the youngest members of staff at HIE, I was delighted to accept the offer to step into the shoes of editor for this issue of FOCUS magazine.

On a recent walk on Nairn Beach the thought kept hitting me: I am incredibly lucky to live in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Moving away from the area to study Journalism in Aberdeen I was very pleased to come back to the place I love, and I know there are thousands of people like me who hope to do the same.

As editor of this issue, I got the chance to sit down with our chair, Professor Lorne Crerar, and chief executive, Charlotte Wright, to discuss the challenges of talent attraction and retention, whilst recognising the huge progress our region has made over the last few decades. It was also great to gain an insight into what they were like when they were younger and who inspired them to be in the positions they are in today.

In this edition we hear from Isobel Thompson, who is currently on a ScotGrad placement with the Westray Development Trust. Although only 23, she has worked all over the world and has now well and truly settled into island life!

We are also working with the Social Enterprise Academy to help get more young people represented on social enterprise boards in Scotland. In fact the Get on Board programme was over-subscribed, demonstrating just how much young people today are committed to social issues.

It was incredibly hard to condense the many wonderful things our region has accomplished over the last few months into one magazine – what a great problem to have! I hope you enjoy reading this YOYP special edition of FOCUS and learning about just some of the ways that we work with young people in our region.

RACHEL TREASURER Digital Marketing Officer

YEAR OF YOUNG PEOPLE

BLIADHNA NA H-ÒIGRIDH

The Year of Young People (YOYP) 2018 aims to inspire Scotland through its young people (aged 8-26), celebrating their achievements, valuing their contribution to communities and creating new opportunities for them to shine. We have focused on the talented young people in our region and you will hear from them throughout the magazine.

Tha Bliadhna na h-Òigridh (YOYP) 2018 ag amas Alba a bhrosnachadh tron òigridh (aois 8-26), a’ comharrachadh na h-euchdan aca, a’ toirt luach air na tha iad a’ toirt do choimhearsnachdan agus a’ cruthachadh chothroman ùra dhaibh. Chuir sinn fòcas air òigridh thàlantach nar sgìrean agus cluinnidh sibh bhuapa tron iris seo.

And to celebrate the YOYP, we have handed the editor’s reins over to one of our youngest members of staff, Rachel Treasurer (25).

Agus airson YOYP a chomharrachadh, tha sinn a’ toirt cothrom deasachaidh do thè òg Rachel Treasurer (25).

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QUESTION TIME Rachel Treasurer chats with chair of HIE, Professor Lorne Crerar, and chief executive Charlotte Wright about the organisation’s ambitions to attract more young people to the region. They also reveal who inspired them when they were younger; and their hopes and dreams for future generations.

Now that 2018 is drawing to a close, how are we going to ensure that the messages of the Year of Young People are embedded into our organisation over the years to come?

CHARLOTTE: The Year of Young People has given us a real focus for what I think is our biggest strategic challenge - ensuring that the population of the Highlands and Islands grows. Over the last few years we have recognised that we need to relate better to, and engage with, young people. We have changed the balance of the organisation itself.

We continue with our graduate placement programme and offer modern apprenticeships so that we create the right opportunities for young people to join us. We practise what we preach and offer support to businesses considering employing a graduate or student through the ScotGrad Programme. Our strategy will continue to have that focus, valuing what young people can bring to the region and enhancing their role in tackling the population challenge for the region long-term.

What are your experiences of working with the younger generation?

CHARLOTTE: What I’ve seen that is positive about your age group is a much more outward looking, global mind-set. They can see that their future might be a series of different stages rather than thinking – where’s my job for life? I see this as a very confident outlook, which I am sure will ensure this generation will succeed.

LORNE: I have two stepsons, one is 25 and the other is 22. What really impresses me is the feeling of opportunity that they have – much more so than when I was their age because I had much less information. I see it as being a very positive thing to be able to understand the wider world and the opportunity that it presents.

CHARLOTTE: We recognise that we are regarded as a fortunate generation. When I was your age I had a flat and a car and that might seem like an unattainable objective for a lot of young people these days, and that is pretty tough.

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And Lorne you have connections to Gairloch?

A young Charlotte in her early 20’s who couldn’t have imagined living and working in the Highlands and Islands

Thinking back to when you were both younger, did you ever believe you would get to the positions you are in today?

CHARLOTTE: When I was young, the Highlands and Islands of Scotland seemed like a place that was a very long way away from where I lived in a little village outside of Newcastle so no, not at all.

I would never have predicted this is where I would be in 2018. I do feel very fortunate and privileged not only to live in the Highlands and Islands, but that I have had the opportunity to work for this organisation.

LORNE: When I was 25 I had no real understanding of where my life was going to go but I was pretty sure that the Highlands and Islands was going to be a part of it because it had already been a very important part of my life and I was committed to my future here.

You’ve both got very close links with the Highlands and Islands. Charlotte, how did you find yourself in Fort William?

My husband and I dived in with both feet and sometimes fortune favours the brave! He now has a great business and I have had a fantastic career with HIE. We picked Fort William because of our love of the mountains - my husband is a mountaineer who has climbed all over the world. It was a bit of a change because I was living in a busy city centre and I did have to adjust. I spend weekends out with my border collie in the hills getting soaked in the rain and I love it!

I love the wider Highlands and Islands, but Gairloch has always been a very special place to me. Having spent much of my childhood there, I continue to be there as much as possible. I think it is the most beautiful place I have ever been and I am lucky to have travelled all over the world. I’m very fortunate to have a large part of my life there. It’s home, and home is where the heart is. I think that is what I most appreciate about being the chair of HIE – that sense of privilege that I have a chance to help the area that is personally very important to me. That is why I’m such a proponent of all that HIE does. It does a great job for the people in our region and for a place that is very important to me.

Who was your biggest inspiration when you were younger?

CHARLOTTE: The truth is a lot of your inspiration comes from those around you and my mum was definitely one of those people. In the 1970s, in a former mining village outside of Newcastle, a lot of mothers didn’t work and mine was a director of nursing at a big teaching hospital in Newcastle. While sometimes I thought, ‘why isn’t my mum at home doing all these things for me?’ – I soon realised that what she gave me was a very strong work ethic and an absolute understanding that it was my right to have a career. That might seem out of context in the 21st century but the 1970s was a very different enviroment.

LORNE: As a young man I was suspended from school a couple of times. I was a very difficult teenager, but just managed to get into university and I am a lawyer by trade. My inspiration came from my subject of law which was about order and I loved it and excelled at it.

It gave me a structure and order to the way I thought. At that time of my life I was a bit of a rebel (and still am) but later in life the biggest inspiration for me was a man called Harry Davis, a Gairloch resident who sadly died not that long ago. He was a Korean war veteran and he was a football legend. He played for Rangers, and was a man of huge integrity. He taught me the most important principle I have ever learnt which is that you can achieve anything, as he did, and if people tell you it can’t be done it most certainly can.

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LORNE: I think at HIE we should all have a great deal of pride in what has been achieved. The Highlands and Islands is a very different place to 53 years ago when HIE’s predecessor Highlands and Islands Development Board (HIDB) came into being. The challenge for me is about what the jobs and opportunities are that we can help create and support in the Highlands and Islands. Secondly, is that it is a wonderful place to live, but we want to be connected to the world outside even more so. I think physical and digital connectivity are important opportunities that we can make the most of to encourage more and more people to live, work and study here.

CHARLOTTE: We have a great story to tell in the Highlands and Islands and the great life opportunities that the region offers. It might not be for everyone, but when I talk to LifeScan Scotland, for example, they have people from all over the world working there. They always say that once they have attracted people to Inverness, they develop a very strong commitment to the area. Yes, it’s a job opportunity but it’s also a life opportunity.

There are lots of exciting things going on in our region that HIE are involved with, for example the spaceport in Sutherland and Liberty in Fort William, what will these projects mean for future generations?

CHARLOTTE: There is a huge amount of activity across the entire region, and these big, strategic projects really encapsulate the level of ambition that we have in the Highlands and Islands. The prospect of watching satellites being launched into outer space from a northern part of our region is amazing. It is great to see something that is not only a first for the Highlands and Islands or Scotland, but the UK. In Fort William the aluminium smelter has been iconic to the area. It was under threat for a while, and we are delighted that we now have an outcome that has protected the aluminium production. There are now plans that will not only develop that operation, but have a lasting impact on the growth of Lochaber.

A young Lorne who has always been passionate about the region... and rugby!

What do you think are the biggest challenges in attracting young people to the region?

What have been the biggest changes in the region in the last 20 to 30 years?

LORNE: I get asked that a lot and my answer is difficult because there is no comparison. The Highlands and Islands has completely transformed from 20 years ago. It’s different in almost everything around the opportunities we have, the connectivity (physical and digital), job opportunities and education opportunities.

CHARLOTTE: I would highlight the importance of the University of the Highlands and Islands - a model of university and college provision which delivers in an inclusive way across all parts. The development, particularly of further education through colleges, has been great to see as there were parts of our region that had no access to college. People either went straight to work or went away to university, meaning there was a choice, and therefore an opportunity, missing. There is now and, while there is still a lot to be done, it has been transformational.

HIE celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015. What would you like to see the region look like in the next 50 years?

CHARLOTTE: Who would have predicted what the internet has done for us even 10 years ago? Clearly, digital has potential to transform our access to global opportunities. I’d liked to think we will see people living, working and studying in all parts of our region, connected to the world but enjoying the special quality of life offered by the Highlands and Islands.

LORNE: We should be helping people that want to live here, without changing the dynamics of the essential features that we all think are just so important. The people that live and grow up here should have the opportunity to fulfil their dreams of continuing to live here with their own families. That is what we should be striving for and it seems to me that goal is very achievable.

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INNOVATION DRIVES BUSINESS GROWTH The Northern Innovation Hub is a pioneering new programme set to be a real driver for positive change in the Highlands: creating higher-skilled and better-paid jobs; attracting more young people to the area; boosting innovation and sharpening the competitive edge of businesses – all the while showcasing the Highlands’ unique offering and world-class sectors.

The Northern Innovation Hub is a £16m HIE-led programme that looks set to have far-reaching impact. Forecast to reach 1,650 businesses over its lifetime, the programme is open to organisations throughout the Highland Council area.

From one-day workshops to intensive support lasting up to a year, the Northern Innovation Hub offers a hugely diverse range of opportunities, all aimed at helping businesses to embrace the latest technology,

DIVERSE SUPPORT WITH WIDESPREAD IMPACT The support on offer is extremely diverse, linked by the umbrella themes of Young People, Growth, and Sectors and Place. The programme will deliver projects in four sectors: life sciences, tourism, food and drink, and creative industries; as well as a young people and technology strand which is open to all sectors.

develop products and streamline processes. Projects are taking place right across the Highlands, with digital delivery used where possible to enable participation and reduce time and travel commitments.

The programme started earlier this year and will run for five to seven years, with funding from the Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal, European Regional Development Fund and HIE.

THEMES YOUNG PEOPLE

ENHANCED GROWTH CAPACITY

SECTORS AND PLACE

OUTCOMES Higher skilled and better paid jobs created Young people are encouraged to enter or remain in the area Increased competitiveness and productivity More connected, innovative and outward-facing economy

THE INVERNESS AND HIGHLAND CITY-REGION DEAL The Northern Innovation Hub is part of the Inverness and Highland CityRegion Deal, a joint initiative supported by a £315m investment from the UK and Scottish Governments, the Highland Council, HIE and University of the Highlands and Islands.

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NORTHERN INNOVATON HUB PROJECTS ACTIVE NOW… NHS MARKET READY Enter the NHS market quicker and more successfully with the expert guidance of professionals with an in-depth knowledge of the market and access to key NHS decision-makers.

IMPACT30 Set up to create future business leaders and help young entrepreneurs to thrive, IMPACT 30 gives people under 35 access to intensive business support from a range of experts.

PATHFINDER ACCELERATOR This programme helps life sciences and technology businesses bring new ideas, products or services to market faster, with less risk, reduced cost and a higher chance of success. (For more on the Pathfinder Accelerator programme, and the success of its inaugural course, please see the next page.)

TECHNOLOGY PLACEMENT PROGRAMME Part-funded work placements for graduates and students in Highland businesses keen to improve productivity and competitiveness through technology.

DIGITAL TOURISM Tailored for tourism businesses, this broad programme of world-class events, networking opportunities and support helps businesses make the best use of leading digital technologies.

NEXUS Based within Aurora House on the Inverness Campus, this physical space for life sciences and technology businesses provides a collaborative environment and product-showcasing opportunities for start-ups, new investors and international life science businesses.

COMING SOON… CODING ACADEMY An intensive, industry-led course to train a new generation of junior software developers, helping to ensure local businesses can find employees with the skills to enable them to make the most of digital technology.

XPONORTH DIGITAL Workshops, digital tools and expert advice to help creative businesses work with their customers to test new product ideas, create new access to finance and increase their profile.

ADVENTURE TOURISM Bringing together adventure tourism entrepreneurs to boost business performance and increase collaboration through a mix of workshops and one-to-one support specifically developed for the adventure sector.

FOOD AND DRINK We’re also developing food and drink projects to support innovation, help businesses to develop products and increase collaboration between industry, academia, research institutes and the public sector.

hie.co.uk/nih Focus magazine issue 3.indd 9

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PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS One of HIE’s key aims is to ensure that businesses and social enterprises in the region have access to funding, investment and support to help them reach their potential and accelerate growth.

FAST-TRACK TO GROWTH The Pathfinder Accelerator is an initiative aimed at helping SMEs and social enterprises bring new ideas to market. Participants develop and test ideas for commercial viability in a stimulating and challenging environment. The programme uses rigorous testing and proven models to help SMEs bring their product or services to market faster, with less risk, reduced cost and a higher chance of success.

Organised by HIE and delivered by specialist coaches from The Leadership Factory and UP Accelerator, the programme will be run in locations across the Highland area as part of the Inverness and Highland City Region Deal. To find out more, FOCUS talked to two recent participants about their experiences with Pathfinder Accelerator.

KARRIE MARSHALL, DIRECTOR CREATIVITY IN CARE/ LAUGHING GEESE www.creativityincare.org Why did you take part in the Pathfinder Accelerator?

I founded Creativity In Care as a community interest company in 2012 based on a model of connection I had developed and used for many years. It’s a way of improving quality of life in care and community settings. I wanted to use the Pathfinder programme to explore how to sell our puppetry-based creative kit.

I knew I needed a very personalised programme to help me change my mindset about money and business. I attended a two-day course at HIE, which led to the Pathfinder programme.

What was the outcome?

I found it tough and exhilarating! The facilitators from Leadership Factory and Up Accelerator are highly experienced. Using their techniques and mentoring I recently secured £45,000 in grants and sales for Creativity In Care.

What was the best thing about it?

The course clarified that I needed to focus on scaling my work. So I’m setting up a new company called Laughing Geese Ltd, while Creativity In Care continues the community arts and care projects it is respected for. The whole experience has been transformative and inspirational, and I know the learning has only just begun.

What would you say to others who might be interested?

If you have a business idea, I would urge you to go on this course.

Be prepared for the unexpected and enjoy the ride.

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MICHAEL O’CONNELL, DIRECTOR AND CO-FOUNDER VISUAL PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT www.vpm-ltd.com What did you hope to get from taking part in the Pathfinder Accelerator?

We produce software that helps manufacturers get clear, real-time information on their production processes. We’re a young company, so I was mainly interested in exploring our business model and any investment and funding options appropriate to us.

What was the outcome?

The programme met my initial goals as well as others – it’s very good at challenging assumptions. It reinforced what we’ve done is right, but also helped us understand our customers better and what’s important to them. We realised that although our software is standalone, it would be possible to collaborate with partners.

We also spent time creating our pitches and getting group feedback, which was invaluable. By the end everyone was much clearer which is really helpful for talking to both investors and customers.

What was the best thing about it?

The instructors, for sure, they had excellent knowledge and contacts – and of course the structure – it was really practical and handson. The other people on the course were also great – it was a very supportive and collaborative environment.

What would you say to others who might be interested?

It’s easy to get wrapped up in day-to-day work and ignore your longer-term strategic goals. I know time is a challenge, but the more you put in, the more you get out.

PATHFINDER ACCELERATOR: THE BENEFITS AT A GLANCE

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Expert leaders and mentors Time to focus on your strategy in a structured way Use of practical, proven techniques and tools Excellent networking opportunities The chance to pitch to a panel of investors and partners A collaborative and supportive group environment

DISCOVER MORE: hie.co.uk/pathfinder 11 11

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AN ISLAND ADVENTURE GLOBETROTTING GRADUATE TAKES HER CAREER TO WESTRAY Early in 2018, Isobel Thompson, 23, arrived on the remote island of Westray, accompanied by ‘the Beast from the East’ and a dusting of snow.

A recent graduate, Isobel left her hometown of Newcastle to take up a 12-month placement with Westray Development Trust.

Supported by ScotGrad, and in partnership with HIE, Isobel secured a job working as a social and economic researcher with the Trust – a unique opportunity to put her knowledge of rural community impact into practice.

Westray was the next adventure! The role of social and economic researcher offered an opportunity to put in to practice what she had learnt at university, and to try and make a difference to a fragile, rural community, which also happened to be a little closer to home.

When she saw the ScotGrad placement advertised she couldn’t apply quickly enough.

It was a combined passion for travel and charity work that brought Isobel to Westray. She studied a bachelor’s degree in Geography and a master’s degree in International Law at Newcastle University.

From the beginning, she knew she wanted to travel and put her studies into action.

“My friends and family back home in Newcastle thought I was mad moving to Westray,” says Isobel. “I was forewarned that it would be isolated, cold and windy. And it is all of those things – and I love it! I have to take a boat just to visit the dentist, but that’s part of the fun.

As soon as I started sharing photos of Westray online, my friends and family were quickly won over by its spectacular scenery. I’m now inundated with visitors!

For her undergraduate dissertation, she spent four months in Northern Thailand, where she worked with young refugees and migrants from Myanmar. The project was all about youth empowerment, and preparing students for life in Thailand. During her time at university, she also travelled to Cambodia and Serbia, and to Malaysian-Borneo where she worked with a scientific think tank researching the impact of palm oil plantations on indigenous people and the environment.

“It may sound funny, but I have a much busier and fulfilling social life here in Westray than I did in Newcastle. I’ve joined the local coastguard, and I’m a member of the island’s sailing and netball clubs.

I quickly realised that if I was going to succeed here, I had to immerse myself completely in island life.”

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Isobel’s job is to evaluate the community benefit of the Trust’s grant and loan scheme. The Trust issues around £150,000 worth of grants each year, which go towards projects that will directly benefit the island and its community. She has created a large database to keep track of these grants, enabling them to gain better quality insights into their impact. The educational grants are always well subscribed, as the Trust contributes 50% towards course fees for local individuals. For example, this summer a girl from the island attended Space School UK at the University of Leicester.

Having completed the database project sooner than anticipated, Isobel has taken on more work related to the Trust’s Höfn Youth Centre.

She is supporting four new youth support workers to take on greater responsibility in its day-to-day running. Another big task was organising a research trip for the Trust to Shetland back in September. She organised meetings with charities across Shetland, where they were able to successfully learn from, and build networks with, these fellow island-based organisations.

She has been delighted at the impact she has been able to make over the past year. Now, almost a year into her placement, and with an additional two-year position as project officer on the horizon, Isobel is excited at the prospect of continuing to live and work on her adopted home of Westray.

She says: “I love living and working here, and I truly feel part of the community. Knowing that the Trust’s work is having a direct, positive impact on the people of Westray, including my friends and neighbours, is highly rewarding.

“The Trust is increasing its work at the moment, as we embark on two new major projects for the island – developing a community quarry, and the creation of several new flats in the island’s main village of Pierowall.

As project officer, I will take a more active role in helping manage these projects, and others – including our already successful Bargain Box community charity shop, and food-growing initiative, Food Miles to Food Smiles.”

I love living and working here, and I truly feel part of the community.

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Relocating from a big city to a rural location can be daunting, but Isobel has whole-heartedly embraced island life, becoming a valued part of the community and enjoying the fantastic opportunities available.

Isobel is a fantastic example of the talented graduates that the ScotGrad programme attracts to our amazing region. Working with ambitious SMEs and social enterprises, they can make a real, tangible difference.

Graduates bring a fresh perspective to a business, and many of ScotGrad’s placements lead to permanent employment. We are delighted that Isobel has accepted a two-year contract with the Trust; this is a very rewarding outcome, and well deserved by Isobel.

Karla Sam-Sin ScotGrad Programme Manager, HIE

ScotGrad offers paid, project-based placements in Scotland for graduates and students throughout the year.

We recruit on behalf of organisations in all sectors, and every project is tailored to their specific needs.

ScotGrad is a Scotland-wide programme operated

by HIE and Scottish Enterprise, in partnership with the Scottish Government, Skills Development Scotland and the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Service.

In the Highlands and Islands, the programme is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund. In the majority of cases, employers receive funding to help support the placement, enabling organisations to attract new talent to enhance business growth.

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DOING THINGS THE WESTRAY WAY The largest of Orkney’s Northern Isles, and home today to a stable community of around 600 people, Westray was up until the 1990s an island struggling with a decline in both its population and traditional industries. However, since it was established in 1998, Westray Development Trust has worked to turn the island’s fortunes around, pioneering a host of regeneration projects, which have included a community-owned wind turbine, a youth club, care provision for the elderly, business loans, and a community food-growing garden. Today, unemployment is amongst the lowest in the Orkney Isles, with fishing, farming and tourism further helping to stimulate the local economy.

Westray Development Trust is rightly proud of its many successes. Here, we look at just two of the many projects that have come to symbolise the community’s collaborative approach to living and the generous spirit of its people.

THE BARGAIN BOX SHOP

FOOD MILES TO FOOD SMILES

The Bargain Box fundraising shop opened in 2017, and its premise is simple. The shop is shared among local community groups, rent free, who use it as a means of fundraising through the sale of second-hand items donated by the community, as well as bake sales and raffles. The shop enables local groups to be self-sufficient. During its first year of operation, the 17 groups collectively raised just short of £19,000. Since the Bargain Box was launched, the Trust has received fewer grant and funding applications from the local community, meaning it can now channel funding into larger projects.

Westray sits at the end of a long and costly food-supply chain. On arriving in Westray, fresh fruit and vegetables are often not very fresh.

The Trust’s Food Miles to Food Smiles Project is a response to this.

Food Miles is a community garden on unutilised land in the centre of Pierowall, which cultivates affordable fresh fruit and vegetables for the local community. Currently in its two-year research phase, the project employs three part-time staff and supplies fresh produce to the island’s three shops, Chalmersquoy hostel and B&B, and Lynnfield Hotel in Kirkwall.

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CULTIVATING SOCIAL ENTERPRISE IN SHETLAND How an extra-tough polytunnel is generating enough profit to safeguard the survival of a Shetland community.

In nine years, Shetland-based social enterprise Nortenergy has stopped over 40 kilometres of plastic piping used by local fish farms from going to landfill by using it instead to build the frames for extra-strong polytunnels.

Nortenergy is a trading arm of Northmavine Community Development Company (NCDC), which was set up 14 years ago to address the community’s fragile economy and declining population. Through the commercial sale of its polytunnels, Nortenergy has generated thousands of pounds for the community, investing the profits back into local regeneration projects, and massively bolstering the community’s self-reliance.

Nortenergy is one of two NCDC commercial enterprises, the other being its community-owned shop in Hillswick, which currently employs nine staff. Other NCDC projects have included the creation of social housing, a community recycling scheme, and an artist residency programme.

COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE GROWS FROM COMMUNITY GARDEN PROJECT In 2009, NCDC constructed 12 polytunnels for local community use, aided by the Scottish Government’s Climate Challenge Fund. The community wanted to reduce its food miles and cultivate its own fresh produce. Eager to build something that would withstand the Shetland weather, NCDC discarded the idea of building traditional greenhouses or polytunnels. Instead, it came up with an alternative: the ‘polycrub.’

The polycrub stretches a twin-walled polycarbonate sheeting over plastic piping, a waste product from the local aquaculture industry.

The unique design means that it acts like a large spring, distributing weather impact evenly along its structure. The design proved so effective, that soon people across Shetland were looking to purchase their own polycrub. The name comes from the ‘planticrub’, a dry-stone structure used in the past to protect young kale plants.

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Nortenergy has been selling polycrubs since 2010, exporting its selfassembly kits across Shetland, Orkney, the Western Isles and the west coast of Scotland, at a rate of around 100 units per year. Two even made it as far as the Falkland Islands, which experience similarly harsh weather conditions.

“The success of the polycrub business, coupled with the ongoing work of NCDC, has transformed community confidence. Increasing numbers of younger people are now moving back to the area to raise families, and our school rolls are slowly increasing. There’s a feel-good-factor in Northmavine.”

HIE INVESTMENT SUPPORTS MAJOR EXPANSION

Reflecting on the continuing success of Nortenergy, Chair of HIE, Professor Lorne Crerar, says: “For many years now we’ve seen social enterprises across the Highlands and Islands developing ideas that not only overcome the challenges of the region’s geography, but capitalise on it. Nortenergy is a great example. The innovation we have seen here is inspiring.

Nortenergy is now planning a £400,000 expansion of the business, after securing a £157,213 investment from HIE in April 2018.

Over the next three years, the social enterprise expects to create 2.5 full time equivalent jobs, and more than double its trading turnover.

Maree Hay has been project officer for NCDC for 11 years, whilst overseeing the Nortenergy business at the same time. Supported

by HIE’s investment, she will soon move over to Nortenergy as full-time manager. She says: “This is an incredibly exciting time for Nortenergy, and for the entire community. We’ve shown that the business has fantastic growth potential, and we’re thrilled that HIE has the confidence to back our enterprise. With a growth in profits, the community company will no longer have to rely on grants and external funding – making Northmavine more self-sufficient.

“The fact that the polycrub is proving so popular in other parts of the country and further afield is a real opportunity for Nortenergy.

As well as generating community income and creating new jobs in Northmavine, the company is helping communities in other fragile areas who face similar geographic or climatic challenges.”

This is an incredibly exciting time for Nortenergy, and for the entire community. We’ve shown that the business has fantastic growth potential, and we’re thrilled that HIE has the confidence to back our enterprise.

MAREE HAY

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YOUNG LEADERS GET ON BOARD Throughout the Year of Young People, we are working with the Social Enterprise Academy to help get more young people onto social enterprise boards.

During the summer of 2018, HIE, the Social Enterprise Academy and the University of the Highlands and Islands hosted two weekend-long ‘Get on Board’ workshops at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig on the Isle of Skye.

14 enthusiastic young people from across Scotland took part, and heard from guest speakers, including members of the Velocity Café and Bicycle Workshop social enterprise in Inverness, and representatives of the Kylerhea-Glenelg community-run ferry. Participants also used the workshops to work towards a City & Guilds Award in Leadership, at SCQF level 9.

David Bryan, business development manager at the Social Enterprise Academy, explains the rationale behind the programme: “Young people have lots to offer social enterprise, however they are hugely under-represented on boards. This is unfortunate, as social enterprises are often established to create jobs, housing and cultural and community facilities to attract and retain young people.

“The Get on Board programme, which was over-subscribed, demonstrated that young people are committed to social issues. The workshops were not prescriptive, but rather designed to encourage peer learning and to develop the participants’ confidence and self-belief.

We’re excited to see what the future holds for these aspiring young social leaders.”

STUDYING BUSINESS AT WEST HIGHLAND COLLEGE

WALLACE HASTINGS A business student at West Highland College UHI in Fort William, Wallace Hastings (24) is interested in how businesses can make a social impact, as well as a profit. Wallace explained why he signed up to Get on Board. He says: “I think it’s good to do things outside your comfort zone. Studying business at West Highland College has given me a grounding in the theory of business, but hearing from people who have actually created something positive in their community, was really inspiring. It’s always interesting to hear why people do what they do - and Get on Board certainly provided that insight, thanks to its fantastic guest speakers.”

Wallace is in second year at UHI, and is already thinking about how he could start a social enterprise. He says: “My mum owns a croft, and I’m looking into how it can work as a social enterprise. I’ve an idea to combine crofting, bread making, and farm equipment sharing – in a way that benefits local people. One of the main things I took away from Get on Board was how a social enterprise can really help to unite a community. That’s something to aspire to.”

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FÈIS ROIS BOARD

RUAIRIDH GOLLAN Ruairidh Gollan (20) joined the Fèis Rois Board of Directors in May 2018. As a former Fèis Rois participant, fiddle and accordion player, and Applied Music student at the University of the Highlands and Islands, the charity’s chief executive Fiona Dalgetty thought Ruairidh would be a great asset to the organisation.

While continuing to study, Ruairidh also helps deliver the Fèis Rois Youth Music Initiative in various Highland primary schools. On graduating, he hopes to remain a director of Fèis Rois, and the board suggested Ruairidh attend the Get on Board programme to develop his key leadership skills.

Tha sinn ag obair le Acadamaidh Iomairt Sòisealta agus Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean tro Bliadhna na h- Òigridh airson barrachd dhaoine òga fhaighinn air Bùird iomairtean sòisealta. Chuir a’ bhuidheann bùthan-obrach ri chèile aig Sabhal Mòr Ostaig le 40 daoine òga air feadh na h-Alba.

Ruairidh says: “I wanted to learn how to better contribute to board discussions, and to effectively communicate my ideas. At Fèis Rois, I aim to represent the views and perspectives of the younger learners – and it’s something that I take seriously. Get on Board was the perfect opportunity to really immerse myself in the world of leadership and social enterprise. I think the organisers struck a good balance of practical and written learning, and my written report will go towards securing my SCQF Level 9 qualification in Leadership.”

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ROUTES TO INVESTMENT So, you’re looking for funding. But what is available? How do you know which type suits you and your business? How much do you need? And where do you look?

Jeff Foot, head of external funding and Investment at HIE, gives us the lowdown.

When you start out, looking for funding can seem daunting, but it’s not as hard as it might seem when you understand a few basics. There are really only three types of money:

1. GRANTS

Money you’re given and don’t have to pay back.

Whether your business generates cash to repay a loan or is likely to offer the rate of growth investors look for tells you what type of money you could look for. But you’ll need a business plan and financial forecasts to understand how much you need and over what sort of timescale.

AND WHERE DO YOU LOOK FOR THIS MONEY? There are many lenders in the market now, and it’s hard to choose which to apply to. Their websites will give an indication of whether they only lend to some sectors or for some kinds of project. For example, some lenders specialise in helping you buy assets like plant and machinery; some provide cash flow against sales invoices; and others will fund building projects.

It is a similar story with investors, with most business angel groups providing information on the kinds of company they’ll look at and what information they require to consider a proposal.

2. LOANS

Money you can use but have to pay back, often with interest and charges, and where you’ll normally have to provide security to the lender.

3. EQUITY INVESTMENTS Money you can use in return for giving investors a share of your company, usually with some level of control over how it’s run, with a view to seeing it grow substantially so they can sell their shares for a profit.

Having identified which funders best match your business, approaching them with a request for funding requires careful preparation. You need to understand what information they want, how they like it presented and the way they would like you to ‘tell your story’. Time spent on this is seldom wasted, as you’ll probably find that there are only a limited number of funders who match your business, so you will have a few opportunities.

HIE can help with all of these aspects. Additional help is available for getting ‘funder ready’ from the financial readiness team at the Scottish Investment Bank – see feature.

If you need to look for funding, the first step is to contact your HIE account manager or local area team and we will help you find the right package for your business or project.

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COAST & GLEN

LOCH DUART

www.coastandglen.com

www.lochduart.com

Coast & Glen was founded by Magnus Houston in 2011, backed by the Prince’s Trust, as a wholesale business in Inverness that supplied local restaurants and hotels with fresh fish and seafood landed by local fishermen.

Loch Duart Ltd is an independent salmon farming company based in Scourie, in west Sutherland, with sites also in South Uist in the Hebrides.

The company grew successfully, with Magnus being chosen as EY Entrepreneur of the year and the IoD young director of the year in 2016.

The company now supplies over 300 hotels and restaurants in the Highlands and Islands, has a growing number of clients across the UK, including London, Edinburgh and Glasgow, and even some in New York and Paris.

Demand from individual consumers for quality produce was also high, which led to the creation of Fishbox. Now catering for over 1,700 customers, subscribers receive a regular delivery of mixed market fresh fish which is available UK-wide through next day courier.

With support from HIE and the Financial Readiness team from Scottish Investment Bank, the company reviewed its strategy for raising finance to expand, deciding to look for external investment instead of crowdfunding, which had been the original choice.

Coast & Glen have now moved to bigger premises in Alness and use a sophisticated algorithm, developed to improve the selection of items for each box, matching customer preferences. Magnus commented that the support from HIE and SIB in the form of advice was extremely helpful, and in many ways as valuable as the finance it enabled the company to raise.

HIE has been working with the business since it was founded in 1999 by three visionaries who believed that a new approach to the industry was needed. Respect for their people; respect for the environment; and above all respect for the animals in their care are the core values of the business. The company is now respected by top chefs the world over, for quality, environmentally friendly prime Scottish salmon.

By 2015, further expansion was constrained by lack of capital, and the directors decided to embark on a fresh round of investment. They already had an existing relationship with a US-based investment company who were keen to increase their holding, and with the assistance of HIE, the Scottish Investment Bank (SIB) was also brought into the picture.

Andy Bing, marketing director and a founder of the company, says: “Once they understood what Loch Duart are all about, and how important an employer the company is in the fragile areas they are based, it really was like pushing at an open door.”

SIB went through a due diligence process to approve the investor for the purposes of the Co-Investment Fund application; and once that was approved, SIB’s investment came through very quickly, matching the American investor’s funding. Since the investment, SIB has been a regular member of the account team alongside HIE. Loch Duart have continued their growth to a point where they now employ over 120 staff.

WHAT IS THE SCOTTISH INVESTMENT BANK? Here Kerry Sharp, head of Scottish Investment Bank (SIB), explains...

SIB is Scottish Enterprise’s investment arm, operating across Scotland in partnership with HIE. It also works with Scottish, UK and international investors to attract business angels, venture capital groups and corporate investors to consider investing in Scottish businesses.

As well as the financial boost from the investment, attracting the right investor can bring extra benefits like access to networks and contacts, better corporate governance and the expertise of investors. So it’s good to focus on attracting the right investor who can bring these softer benefits as well as the hard cash.

Focus magazine issue 3.indd 21

SIB runs two co-investment funds – the Scottish Co-Investment Fund and the Scottish Venture Fund. It works alongside private sector investors, and invests on fully commercial terms with the same rights and protections as private sector investors.

Other examples of successful investments in the HIE region are the Isle of Harris Distillery, which received £1.5m of SIB investment in 2014, and the £2.8m invested in 2017 to facilitate Fyne Energy’s three-turbine windfarm development on the Kintyre Peninsula.

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BRINGING A TASTE OF MORAY TO THE WORLD Meat, fish, shortbread, soup, jam, beer, gin, whisky; Moray is a larder bursting with an incredible bounty of fantastic food and drink.

A focus on high-quality produce and a commitment to provenance sets the region apart from many others. And, of course, as home to almost half of the country’s whisky distilleries, Moray Speyside is the powerhouse of the internationally acclaimed Scottish whisky industry.

With the food and drink industry employing around 17% of the region’s workforce – the highest per head of population in Scotland – its importance to the local economy cannot be understated. Furthermore, the industry’s increasingly important role in the local tourism industry, in particular through the whisky sector, is evident in that producers now also fulfil the roles of host, guide and advocate.

HIE is working closely with the industry to ensure its innovation and future longevity. Donna Chisholm, HIE’s area manager for Moray, explains: “The global food and drink market shifts quickly as consumer requirements change. Moray is well positioned to innovate and respond, with its food and drink sector combining well-established, family-run businesses with younger, fast-growing enterprises seeking to increase their market share.

“To grow and secure their market share, businesses need to innovate and adopt new production technologies, develop new products, update packaging and think about diversification strategies, whilst all the time retaining their all-important focus on provenance and the use of local, high-quality ingredients.”

FOCUS spoke to two very different food and drink producers to learn how they are innovating for the future - see right.

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GORDON & MACPHAIL

DEVELOPING A TASTE FOR GIN Gordon & MacPhail is one of Moray’s oldest family-run businesses, and the Elgin-based whisky wholesaler, retailer and distiller is now set upon a new path – with a distinctly red door at the end.

Gordon & MacPhail launched Red Door Gin in July 2018, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the firm’s revival of Benromach Distillery in Forres. Already a recognised global whisky brand, Benromach has seen year-on-year double-digit growth, with new warehousing planned to the north of the existing site to support expansion.

Named after the distillery’s distinctive doors, Red Door Gin is hand-distilled on-site using eight different botanicals, including sea buckthorn, heather and rowanberries. The gin will create new markets for Gordon & MacPhail, and is already generating demand in the USA, France, Spain and Asia. The company also plans to create a new gin visitor experience at Benromach, which is expected to draw an additional 10,000 visitors per year.

As to how the company will set Red Door apart from other Scottish craft gins, David King, Sales Director at Gordon & MacPhail, explains: “We believe we have a compelling story, a high quality product that tastes great, and distinctive, bold packaging. We also have strong routes to market in the UK through specialist drinks outlets, and access to a network of international importers and distributors.”

The gin was released just months after Gordon & MacPhail announced its ambitious plans to establish a brand new distillery at Craggan, near Grantown-on-Spey, within the Cairngorm National Park.

MACLEAN’S HIGHLAND BAKERY

RISING TO SUCCESS IN MORAY AND BEYOND Maclean’s Highland Bakery began life on the Isle of Lewis, where current managing director Lewis Maclean’s father worked in a bakery. Now based in Forres, the business has experienced steady, structured growth with five shops, 110 employees, and a growing export trade in biscuits - with HIE supporting and advising along the way.

Lewis says that HIE’s International Trade team has offered invaluable help with everything from sales and marketing, to attending overseas trade shows, bringing in consultants, and providing advice on financial areas such as capital expenditure.

He has attended several introductory workshops for businesses entering or recently coming in to exporting, as well as attending specific workshops that were tailor-made to meet the needs of the Maclean business.

“It has been fantastic to be able to export internationally. We’re exporting to Australia, France, Canada, New Zealand, China and the USA, and want to do more in Korea, Thailand and Belgium.

We’ve built international sales up to about £0.5m – about one sixth of our trade – and we’re keen to increase that to £1m.”

Making the move into exporting has encouraged the business to improve its lines and extend productivity. With the business celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, Lewis is delighted by how much it has grown over the last four decades.

He says: “We are now a fourth generation company and it has been great to watch our business grow from strength to strength. HIE’s input has truly been instrumental in the growth of the business.”

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Xanthella one of the exciting businesses based at Malin house

Morag Goodfelow, HIE

OBAN’S MALIN HOUSE IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS

As the port of Oban in Argyll rides the crest of a new business development wave, the European Marine Science Park is growing to meet the demand.

The European Marine Science Park (EMSP) at Oban, based around the headquarters of the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), is acting like a super-charged petri dish for new marine science businesses needing ideal conditions to grow.

The region’s strong aquaculture sector provides a ready demand for bio-tech innovation, and new businesses are steadily being drawn to the site that offers the on-site expertise of SAMS’ undergraduate and post-graduate students together with its world-class ocean research and lab facilities.

In 2013 HIE completed the 20,000ft Malin House. It’s as spectacular in appearance as SAMS’ HQ, and offers small marine science firms the chance of high quality workspaces designed specifically for their sector.

A ‘co-working’ suite, The Moorings, has recently been fitted out in the building and PatoGen, a successful Norwegian company specialising in fish health, has been announced as one of its new tenants.

Welcoming the news, HIE’s senior development manager in Argyll and the Islands, Morag Goodfellow, says: “I know this location will work well for PatoGen. It’s an ideal next step for their continuing success story.”

HIE is already planning a second high calibre development at the park, as Morag says: “The workplace is changing and our buildings reflect the increased flexibility and mobility that we all enjoy. Our tenants are also able to benefit from collaboration opportunities and assets like SAMS’ culture collection of algae and protozoa, as well as world-class lab equipment that would be hard for any small start-up to afford in the early days.”

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Indeed, on the ground HIE organises events designed to encourage its tenants to learn from their neighbours and to work together to commercialise their activities, while on a bigger scale, SAMS is an active partner in specific global working groups tackling the world’s biggest challenges. Morag says: “The EMSP really is a fantastic place for people with good ideas. A tenancy here de-risks initial investment.

There is excellent business advice on hand, a pipeline of brilliant students looking for employment and Oban offers so many great lifestyle benefits – it’s a really buzzing place to live.”

In fact Oban has become such an attractive place for young people with centres such as Argyll College and Ballet West also drawing students to the town, there is now a campaign to build the infrastructure associated with a university town.

Morag says: ‘It’s estimated around 10% of its population are now students which gives the town a really vibrant feel, and of course Oban also has great train and ferry services so it has the benefit of being in a dramatic landscape as well as being very connected.”

Morag explains: “With so much focus on the health of our oceans and farmed fish as a sustainable food source, Oban has the potential to attract students, researchers and businesses from around the world.

With our partners we’re ensuring our welcome sign is out and that we work alongside everyone with ambition to help them succeed here.”

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN OPPORTUNITIES AT THE EUROPEAN MARINE SCIENCE PARK CONTACT: Morag Goodfellow Highlands and Islands Enterprise T. 01546 605414 E. morag.goodfellow@hient.co.uk If you are interested in sites at Glenshellach contact: Kenny Mackenzie or Callum Maclean Graham and Sibbald T. 01463 236977

This buoyancy has led to increased demand for space from businesses in every sector and in response HIE has recently advertised four newly serviced plots on the town’s Glenshellach industrial estate. Centrally placed, Glenshellach already hosts some thriving small businesses and HIE is offering sites in a range of sizes for sale.

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A WORLD STAGE FOR ORKNEY’S BEST Building a campus to house Orkney’s world-leading science, technology and island-life research sector.

With its prehistoric standing stones and stunningly preserved Neolithic settlements; its Norse settlers and Arctic explorers; and the countless numbers of seabirds living on its sea-cliffs; Orkney is a place that has long fired the imagination of many generations.

However, today the wind and wave-swept island archipelago is carving out a new niche in the minds of young and old, local and international, as a hot-bed of world-leading science and technology research.

At the heart of this re-invention is the Orkney Research and Innovation Campus (ORIC); a multi-million pound venture, led by HIE and Orkney Islands Council (OIC), that will see the creation of a world-class academic research campus and business hub in historic Stromness.

ORIC will build and expand upon Orkney’s already well-established renewables and low carbon energy sector. It is centred around the European Marine Energy Centre, Heriot Watt University’s International Centre for Island Technology, environmental consultants Aquatera and a number of other industry-related businesses, currently housed within Stromness’ Old Academy building.

HIE is leading the construction of the new campus, which will incorporate the old academy and former Stromness primary school into a single contemporary-designed space that is sympathetic to the town and its historic pier and waterfront. Designed by Threesixty Architecture and constructed by Kirkwall-based R Clouston Limited, the campus is scheduled to open in November 2019.

The campus will create a 21st century centre of excellence that will stimulate economic prosperity in Stromness and across Orkney.

JAMES STOCKAN, COUNCIL LEADER

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Graeme Harrison (left), HIE’s area manager, Orkney with Andy Smith, site foreman with R Clouston Limited.

Graeme Harrison, HIE’s Area Manager, Orkney explains: “HIE is investing £4.65m in the campus project, including £1.48m of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) money. Orkney Islands Council is investing £2m, including £0.5m of Scottish Government Regeneration Funding, in addition to transferring ownership of the Old Academy and former Stromness primary school to the partnership.

“This significant investment will support the growth of existing businesses and the creation of new ones. Crucially, it will provide more opportunities to attract and retain young people looking to live, work and study in Orkney.

“Heriot Watt University’s International Centre for Island Technology, which has been established for 25 years, has an excellent track record of attracting and retaining young people in Orkney, enabling graduates to find well-paid, secure work in Orkney’s renewables and environmental science sectors. ORIC will build upon this success, positioning Orkney as a place where ambitious young people can thrive and develop a rewarding career.”

James Stockan, Council Leader says: “ORIC seeks to attract both academic and industrial researchers to Orkney, developing the island’s reputation for world-class innovation in science and technology. The campus will create a 21st century centre of excellence that will stimulate economic prosperity in Stromness and across Orkney.”

C project chair

Dr Tracy Shimmield, ORI

LEADING MARINE GEOCHEMIST JOINS ORIC AS CHAIR In October 2018, Dr Tracy Shimmield joined the ORIC project as chair.

Dr Shimmield is an executive member of the British Geological Survey and co-director of the Lyell Centre in Edinburgh, a pioneering global research facility for earth and marine science and technology.

Based between Oban and Edinburgh, Dr Shimmield has previously held positions as associate director of the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), and was the former managing director of SAMS Research Services Limited, based within Oban’s European Marine Science Park.

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Passionate about the academic potential of the Highlands and Islands and its track record of scientific discovery, the new chair joins a board of directors already in close dialogue with Heriot Watt and Robert Gordon universities, and the University of the Highlands and Islands.

She says: “I am very excited to take on this role for the research and innovation campus. Orkney was the centre for innovation for the British Isles 5,000 years ago and I will work with partners to ensure Orkney once again leads discovery and innovation attracting further research and commercial organisations with an interest in carrying out ventures in an island setting. I am very optimistic about the future employment and business opportunities for Orkney and ORIC will be key in developing these from both academia and business.”

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THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME Rising numbers of young people feel positive about their future in the Highlands and Islands.

More and more young people want to stay in the Highlands and Islands rather than move away, according to a large-scale survey carried out this year.

As part of the Year of Young People in Scotland, HIE commisioned ekosgen to carry out research and asked over 3,000 people aged between 15 and 30 living both in and outwith the area about their aspirations and attitudes to the region. It showed that the number of young people who are committed to staying in the Highlands and Islands has risen from 36% to 46% since 2015, while the proportion set on leaving has fallen.

The report is encouraging for the region’s agency and partners who are working together to address some of the key issues that prompt young people to be elsewhere. Residents aged 15-30 comprise only 17% of the whole of the region’s 470,000 population, whereas the Scottish average for this age group is 21%.

“Young people are important because they bring so much dynamism to our communities,” says HIE’s chief executive Charlotte Wright. “We want their new ideas, ‘next-gen’ capabilities and their hard work to contribute to what we already know is a fantastic quality of life here, and one that many of them value.”

The region encompasses centres of urban activity, good connectivity and educational provision in places like Inverness, alongside the islands and more remote areas like north-west Sutherland which are designated as economically fragile.

INFLUENCERS AND OPPORTUNITIES School pupils said they were most influenced about what to do after leaving school by the experience they get outside of school, as well as their friends and family. Most were happy with the subjects they could choose although a considerable number, and particularly those in fragile areas, felt their post-school options were limited by the subject range available in their schools.

Confidence in the range of Further and Higher Education opportunities has risen, but half of those who are students go elsewhere to study, and many do so to access courses that are unavailable in the region. While half of these also acknowledged that they were looking for a contrasting experience to their home environment, this was not the case in every area and less so for female students.

The majority of those surveyed wanted to work in the region, most in their local area. Young people in the region prioritised having a steady job and a good work-life balance (around 70%) above salary or training opportunities. However around two in every five respondents, higher amongst females and those in fragile areas, felt a lack of opportunities locally was a barrier to employment.

THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY The majority of young people feel positively about their connection with the region. Those who are proud of their roots rose from 78% in 2015 to 87% in 2018, with safety and quality of life also rated highly. While there was a reduction among those that felt their needs are being met in the region, participation in community activities as well as arts, leisure and culture was high, particularly among young islanders.

Charlotte says: “It’s really encouraging to see confidence in the region improving among young people. Since 2015, HIE and its partners have introduced initiatives such as STEM hubs that encourage education in science, technology, engineering and maths and worked to address skills shortages and to improve transport and digital connectivity. While progress is being made, it’s clear we need to do more to rebalance the region’s population through talent attraction, retention and return.

“We’ll be continuing to work with our partners including the Highlands and Islands Talent Attraction Forum to develop our strategy further.”

We want their new ideas, ‘next-gen’ capabilities and their hard work to contribute to what we already know is a fantastic quality of life here, and one that many of them value.

CHARLOTTE WRIGHT, HIE’S CHIEF EXECUTIVE

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71%

There is a deficit of young people in the region: those aged 15-30 comprise

17%

71% of school pupils are happy with the subjects they can study although almost half (46%) felt that the range of subjects available will limit their post school options

of the population, compared to 21% across Scotland as a whole

Figures for fragile areas are 50% and 63%

63% 42%

64%

33%

50%

48%

of young people want to work in the region up from 44% in 2015

42%

45% 36%

55%

71%

aspire to full-time employment

40%

would ideally like to work in their local area, with variation across the region

Lack of local opportunities is a barrier to achieving employment goals for

38%

87%

of young people are proud to be associated with their community, up from 78% in 2015

62%

participate in their community, down from 71% in 2015

of young people are committed to staying in the region up from 43% in 2015

33

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WHY I LOVE RUNNING MY BUSINESS IN RURAL DESIGN LTD ALAN DICKSON, DIRECTOR PORTREE, ISLE OF SKYE Architects Alan Dickson and Gill Smith established Rural Design in 2005, following their relocation from Glasgow to north-west Skye. The couple were seeking a better work-life balance, and a place to raise their family. Today, the multi-award winning architectural firm employs 16 people from its base in Portree.

FOCUS asked Alan to explain the enduring attraction of the Highlands and Islands to him and his business.

Why is Rural Design based in Portree?

Rural Design started out its life in the corner of our living room, before moving to an office in Dunvegan. We moved the business to Portree in 2015, in part because our children were beginning secondary school there, and also because our ever-expanding team was based in and around the town.

What do you like best about running your business in Skye?

We came to Skye looking for a beautiful place to build a home and for a slower pace of life.

There would be no point living in such a scenic place, and working 15-hour days, so we try to make the most of our surroundings. I don’t get out fishing as much as I thought I would, but I’d say we’ve almost struck the perfect work/life balance!

What challenges has your location presented?

Ironically for an architecture firm, our main challenge has been accommodation.

Several of our team members are in their early 20’s, and finding an affordable place to live on the island is becoming increasingly difficult for younger people.

How has HIE supported your business to thrive in Portree?

In June we moved into Mill Studio, our brand new custom-designed office in Portree. HIE supported the build by investing £58,000, which helped reduce our borrowing. We are now in a position to expand the business, with several new positions, including a new associate director and interior designer, in the pipeline.

What makes Skye a unique business location?

Skye is incredibly photogenic. The landscape has become central to the company’s brand, and in hindsight, I think it has really enabled us to gain public recognition and to stand out from the competition. When you place one of our homes in a beautiful rural setting, you’ve already more than half won the battle!

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Alan Dickson (front centre) and the Rural Design team.

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SS IN THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS...

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SIGN-UP TO RECEIVE YOUR FREE COPY Full of news and updates from across the Highlands and Islands, FOCUS magazine is a twice yearly publication that showcases the people and organisations that make this such an exciting place to live, work and invest.

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