Community vision – the future

Theme 6. Flourishing families

Attracting young families to the town is vital. A new primary school building is planned, and The Times rated McLaren High School in the top 5% of all Scottish secondary schools. Because we have excellent schools, more young families are moving to Callander. Their fresh ideas and skill sets will help to build a stronger, more cohesive, community.

Retaining young families should be a priority for Callander. We can encourage this by expanding early years childcare for children under two years, providing social support for young adults through their teens, and offering all residents the chance to gain employment, new skills, and meaningful qualifications.

If we want to encourage new, innovative, businesses to move into Callander, we need a workforce with the right qualifications and skills. Forth Valley College is keen to establish an outpost in Callander if the right facilities are available. This would be a significant resource for Callander and our neighbouring communities.

Solutions

i. Young people’s space

Our young people need a safe place to socialise out of school hours. It should also provide confidential support and counselling services for young people who may be reluctant to seek help elsewhere.

Finding and securing the right space will take time but there are some inspiring examples of structured and unstructured young people’s spaces across Scotland to learn from, and funding is available from multiple sources.

ii. Upskilling and lifelong learning

Callander and the surrounding villages have ambitions to equip our workforce with the twenty-first century skills needed to boost our local economies.

The new primary school building should include facilities that allow Callander to become a rural centre for lifelong learning. Forth Valley College and other SVQ-accredited providers could offer skills training and courses for meaningful qualifications to people of all ages.

iii. Early years childcare

Stirling Council, the National Park and community groups should encourage and support new businesses offering childcare facilities for children in Callander aged between six months and five years, provided those businesses have the necessary accreditation.