Inclusive Cairngorms

Inclusive Cairngorms is an advisory forum to the Cairngorms National Park Authority on inclusion and equalities issues. Click here for meetings and papers.

Remit

The purpose of Inclusive Cairngorms is to:

• promote social inclusion in the Cairngorms National Park to help create a Park for All;
• ensure the involvement of all groups in the promotion of the four aims of the Cairngorms National Park.

Inclusive Cairngorms will achieve this by:

• providing a voice and an ear for socially excluded people from both within and outwith the Cairngorms National Park;
• creating wider links with people of all ages and backgrounds nationally and internationally;
• providing information and advice to the CNPA and other organisations on social inclusion and equalities issues and policy development through the CNPA Equality Schemes and Equality Impact Assessments;
• ensuring inclusion and equalities issues are kept alive, and on the active agendas of the CNPA and other organisations, and lobbying where necessary; and
• sharing information and spreading best practice on ways to promote equality and inclusion.

Meetings and Membership

Inclusive Cairngorms meets quarterly, around the National Park. Meetings are themed, include guest speakers and case studies, and have standing agenda items on disability, young people, low incomes and CNPA public duties (which includes Equality Schemes, outdoor access and planning).

Sub-groups are convened as and when required, for example women’s interest group, Equality Scheme sub-groups, planning sub group.

Membership of the group is open to a wide range of interests covering the six equality strands and the wider social inclusion agenda of the CNPA. This covers disability, race, gender, age, faith, sexual orientation and other groups who traditionally face barriers in accessing the countryside, for example people on low incomes, and from inner cities.

Most equality strands are represented, and there are currently over 70 members from a wide range of voluntary, public and private and charitable organisations within and outwith the Park.

The group is currently chaired by Jim Brown of Blackrock Productions and formerly of the Big Issue Foundation Scotland. Morag Redwood of Highlands and Islands Equality Forum is the vice-chair.

If you are interested in joining or finding out more about Inclusive Cairngorms please contact Elspeth Grant, Social Inclusion officer elspethgrant@cairngorms.co.uk or telephone 01479 870506.

Working with the CNPA

Inclusive Cairngorms provides a useful resource to the CNPA in delivering the Cairngorms National Park Plan, Corporate Plan and general policy development. Through its involvement, Inclusive Cairngorms has a key role in assessing the impact of CNPA policies and projects on equality groups.

The Group’s main areas of interest in CNPA's work are:

• Outdoor Access including core paths, access authority duties, outdoor access delivery, health walks;
• Visitor Services including information about outdoor recreation, ranger services, visitor information centres, visitor facilities, sign posting and promotion of the Park;
• Communities including community action planning support in accessing funding;
• Housing and Planning including affordable and sustainable housing, Local Plan; and
• CNPA Equality Schemes including corporate activities, for example communications and HR