POLICY OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES FOR RURAL SCOTLAND A powerful voice for the people of rural Scotland POLICY OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES FOR RURAL SCOTLAND Paul Daly Policy & Communications Officer @ScotRuralAction @_PaulDaly #SRA2017 Presenting a perspective on rural education from rural communities themselves – importance, challenges, solutions & our Manifesto.

ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE A powerful voice for the people of rural Scotland ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE Paul Daly Policy & Communications Officer @ScotRuralAction @_PaulDaly #SRA2017 Presenting a perspective on rural education from rural communities themselves – importance, challenges, solutions & our Manifesto.

https://youtu.be/h7O989zLyzg SRA is a non-profit, apolitical organisation which arose from a Scottish Government commitment following a recognition of policy failure in meeting the needs of rural communities. SRA is grass-roots led and we organise the biennial Rural Parliament, a gathering of 400 rural activists over three days to share knowledge and debate solutions. In 2016, we produced a Manifesto for rural Scotland, from engagement with over 1500 people all across rural Scotland – Uist to Canonbie to Lerwick. The Manifesto recognises 21 issues facing rural communities and proposes a range of activities and solutions. From the Manifesto we produced an Action Plan focusing on five key themes - Digital; Business; Transport; Land; Democracy. We work by advocating on behalf of rural communities on relevant issues and by supporting them to advocate for themselves, on a range of policy issues, as well as taking a proactive approach to the five key themes. We’re perhaps best know for our work on broadband, keeping this high on the policy agenda, seeking and receiving a commitment to 100% superfast broadband coverage by 2021 and identifying a different approach to the roll-out of broadband which we and our members felt would be more effective. We have had a commitment to delivering all of the recommendations in this report. #SRA2017 @ScotRuralAction