The SNACC conference is a two-day annual conference held in Washington, DC and available online through webinar. It is sponsored by the American Scottish Foundation, the Council of Scottish Clans and Associations (COSCA), and the Chicago Scots. Saturday’s sessions included discussions on challenges of societies and organizations as well as challenges of highland games.
Our Societies and Organizations –“Meeting the Challenges”
The discussion panel included a representative of several St. Andrew’s Societies and the American-Scottish Foundation. The recurring challenges noted by the members of the panel were:
- Working together within the organization and between organizations that share the same mission.
- Having the expertise to know how to do everything the organization needs- sharing expertise.
- Engaging the next generation as members and leaders. It was mentioned that this is the intent of the Heirs Project.
- Being relevant to a wider group of people. Outreach to interested people beyond highland games.
- Prioritizing the tasks and projects of the organization.
- Funding
Several of these topics are connected to the mission and projects of the Leslie Global Diaspora Foundation (LGDF). The Foundation is building relationships with other Scottish heritage organizations and recently joined the Council of Scottish Societies and Associations (COSCA). The LGDF has memberships with other heritage and genealogy organizations such Scottish Heritage USA and the Ulster Historical Foundation. We have begun to build connections with other clan society foundations to share expertise. We are exploring several ways to engage people not able to attend highland games. The outreach we are cultivating includes frequent blog posting, frequent newsletters, and creation of discussion forums, travel opportunities, and genealogy talks.
Videos and podcasts are being considered for inclusion in the Foundation’s strategic plan.
Highland Games: Challenges and Ways Forward
Seven representatives of highland games talked about the challenges presented by increased costs of hosting a games event and needed funding. Another challenge was recruiting and keeping a cadre of volunteers to do the setup and other tasks associated with the games.
In summary, the Leslie Global Diaspora Foundation is taking on the challenging work of preserving and communicating the rich Leslie history and heritage. The Foundation has been recognized by other clan societies and highland games organizers as a vital way to enhance and expand the reach and impact of clan societies.
Dr. Lewis R. Johnson
President, Leslie Global Diaspora Foundation
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