Community Pop-Ins 2023/24

Shetland Islands Council's Community Planning & Development staff had learned not to brand the events as ‘warm spaces’ due to stigma, so the ‘Community Pop-In’ name was used instead. Community Workers and Adult Learning staff worked to establish pop-ins all over Shetland, at a range of times, offering hot food, activities, and- importantly- signposting to services such as benefit checks and volunteering opportunities. Partner agencies who supported and attended included Transition Turriefield, Social Security Scotland, and CLAN Cancer Support.

Staff worked with SIC Catering to provide hot food and drink free of charge, but the main focus was providing a space that people could feel comfortable in. While details varied from pop-in to pop-in, (such as partner agencies in attendance), the core aspects were replicated across every instance.

The main target demographic was people affected by the cost of living crisis, although all were welcome and the pop-ins were free of charge. Families, the elderly and those facing challenges finding work were the key groups supported, as well as people in transitional periods in their life (i.e. due to bereavement, ill health, retirement, etc.).

Staff looked at events already available in Shetland’s communities, and deliberately targeted the pop-ins at areas that had little already on, and therefore would benefit the most.

The impact of this project was measured by evaluations collecting anecdotal feedback, with staff following up with repeat attendees to find out their experience and how they connected with other services. Many people openly expressed that they were lonely, and how it was good to have somewhere to go without the pressure to pay. Others indicated that they came along just to get out of the house and meet other people, and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to speak openly about life challenges and get support, as this made them feel less isolated. Several new informal social groups were formed as a result of the pop-ins, leaving folk with new connections and support networks. The pop-ins became such a part of the community in some areas that, in some areas, locals have kept the pop-ins going on their own.

Learning from Year 1 of pop-ins was applied to Year 2, with feedback indicating the second round of pop-ins were more successful from building on that experience. Year 1 had seen some pop-ins with very low uptake, so tweaks to the formula were applied which seemed to yield significantly better results. Feedback was positive, and the sustained uptake of the pop-ins proved there was an appetite for this in the community. Repeat attendees and a wider reach were notable, with one pop-in seeing 4 generations of the same family in attendance.

Inviting local groups to engage was particularly successful, as it allowed the project to reach people who had previously not been engaged with. Due to applying the learning from Year 1, staff were able to offer twice as many pop-ins, and the success of the project has proved the need for such informal places in the community context.

Off the back of this successful winter pop-in project, a smaller scale run has been carried out over summer, as the warmer weather does not mean the cost of living crisis had diminished. The continuing focus is an effort to normalise, and destigmatise, getting support. Tweaks to the formula are ongoing so there is a constant vein of experimentation and learning being applied as the project continues.

Going forward, pop-ins will be targeted to the places most in need of them, which might see work expanding to new areas. 98 pop-ins was ambitious, and staff found themselves stretched, so the future programme will see a more focused approach of fewer pop-ins in carefully chosen areas to maximise the benefit.

Community Pop-Ins link to all the Shetland Partnership Plan priorities. With a focus on reducing stigma, increasing social connections and helping with cost of living, there were many benefits. Partnership working with communities and other agencies was key, and Community Workers reflected that the events were more successful and better attended when done in conjunction with communities and others.