Anchor Website
Method, Participation and Barriers
Method of Engagement and Reason Chosen
A website was chosen so that people could get information quickly and discretely, reducing the feeling of being stigmatised when needing to figure out where to ask for help. The method was also easily sharable in the community and, as long as the site was kept up to date, it would not become redundant. This was, however, only one of many methods Anchor were using to share information and raise awareness for families.
Participants and Promotion
Those involved were the Anchor officers and the families they work with, who were asked to test the site pages before they were finalised. Feedback was collected so that any necessary adjustments could be made. Once created, the site was promoted on the Council website and through the Council social media channels.
The use of language on the site was found to be important. The original language, which described who the service was for, referred to struggling families, which could be stigmatising. A piece of work was carried out by Each and Every Child to better understand what language was best. Their initial work in Shetland related to how to use language for and about care experienced young people. This helped Anchor to reframe their language: for example, rather than using language about struggling families, a water analogy was used to signify the feeling of being under pressure. A branding expert was brought in to help with the visual aspect of the webpages and create a brand. Sea related images, including boats with people on board, were used to aid the idea of keeping financially afloat. Images can be helpful for understanding and can soften the appearance of organisations making them seem more approachable.
Overcoming any Barriers to Participation
Language was identified as a potential barrier. Traditional public sector terminology was avoided in favour of more inclusive, non-stigmatising language. Consulting with reframing experts helped ensure that user-friendly language was selected for the pages.