Annual Report 2024/25 - Delivery Plan Implementation and Next Steps
Supporting Projects
The Delivery Plan and wider community planning processes are supported by a number of work-streams and projects. This section provides an update on progress and next steps.
Evidence Base
Profiles providing a snapshot of the community, with comparisons to Shetland-wide and National data for each of the Protected Characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 were published on the Shetland Partnership Website.
The Community Planning Support Team has continued to work with SIC’s Development Directorate and Public Health to create a simple and clear way to use data. Using tools such as Power BI and MapInfo to help with strategic development and improvement activity.
Work has started on updating Locality Profiles, however delays to the publication of up to date nationally produced lower-level geographies population data has pushed the planned schedule for these updates back until 2026.
Demonstrating Impact: Monitoring & Evaluation Frameworks
During 2024/25, the Management and Leadership Team commissioned and took part in outcomes training, building a shared understanding of how to define activity and monitor impact. A self-assessment with the Improvement Service was also completed, helping the Partnership to identify strengths and areas for improvement, such as tackling inequalities and improving collaboration on resources.
Community Participation
Work progressed on a Participation Hub and Toolkit for the Shetland Partnership website. This will include resources on why and how to involve communities, national standards, methods of engagement, and examples of good practice. Publication is expected during 2025/26.
Strong, Honest & Trusted Relationships
The Shetland Partnership Network met six times in 2024-25. The Shetland Partnership Network aims to help partners create a sense of shared ownership of community planning and to create a safe environment for open and honest conversations around the challenges and opportunities to tackle inequalities in Shetland. The Network brings together representatives of all community planning partners in Shetland and offers opportunities for information sharing, developing ideas and building relationships.
The following events took place over the last year.
- April 2024: The focus was on the Shetland Partnership’s Delivery Plan Project to reduce stigma across our communities.
- August 2024: Members learned more about, discussed, and provided feedback on Shetland’s Climate Change Strategy.
- October 2024: Skills Development Scotland and Shetland Arts Development Agency hosted the event, highlighting the work both organisations are doing with a focus on careers and young people.
- December 2024: As part of the Compassionate Communities work, members had the opportunity to experience online training through the Human Library—a registered international non-profit headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark.
- February 2025: Feedback from the Shetland Partnership Place-Based Approach Consultation and the Shetland Place Standard Consultation was presented. Additionally, a draft Shetland Partnership Communications Strategy—aimed at enhancing awareness of community planning and the Partnership’s website—was shared and discussed.
Feedback from these events highlighted the value of learning from each other and building collaboration around key local challenges.
Understanding and Sharing Resources
The Management and Leadership Team, and the Network, provide opportunities for partners to share information on resource challenges.
The Deep Dive Profiles remain an opportunity to discuss resource allocation across organisations, to achieve early intervention and potential to reduce spend on crisis interventions. The work around data is also a further opportunity for understanding and sharing resources.
Effective Partnerships and Partnership Agreements
Initial coordination began in 2024/25 to take forward the Strategic Alignment workstream designed to streamline Shetland’s strategic plans, reporting processes and partnership groups. Work to date has focused on engaging managers and project officers to identify existing partnerships and associated reporting requirements. This early scoping will provide the foundation for more detailed mapping and recommendations in 2025/26.
Impact Assessments
Statutory partners have legal duties around impact assessments. For example, the Council has in place templates, guidance and other resources, for individual impact assessments.
The Council has been working on an Impact Assessment policy, and a link will be made between Place and Wellbeing Assessment and Impact Assessments, to be delivered as part of the Place-Based Programme.
Risk Register
The Management and Leadership Team continued to maintain and review risk registers for both the Partnership and Shetland overall, with reviews taking place on a four-monthly cycle.
Regional & National Understanding
Partners make use of opportunities to strengthen external bodies’ awareness of Shetland’s unique characteristics and opportunities. Examples include:
- Officers working with the Scottish Government to shape data zone geographies, enabling more accurate information at both locality level and in national datasets covering island regions
- Contributing Shetland perspectives into the development of Scotland’s new Population Health Framework (2025–2035), ensuring island contexts are considered within national prevention priorities and place-based approaches.
Effective Communication
A Shetland Partnership Communications Strategy 2025-28 and a Communications Plan for 2025-26 were approved in March 2025. The Strategy and Plan outline how the Shetland Partnership will engage with and inform stakeholders over the period 2025 to 2028. They aim to build awareness of community planning, the Partnership’s role, Shetland’s strategic direction, and the resources available.
The strategy aims to support collaboration, encourage participation in shaping future plans, and ensure that communications are timely, coordinated, and aligned with the Partnership’s goals.
The 2025-26 Communications Plan includes monthly information sharing with staff across Partner organisations. The goal is to ensure that staff in Shetland Partnership organisations have access to high quality information about the Partnership – covering key issues facing Shetland and its communities, ongoing improvement projects, inspiring local stories, and access to local data.
Support to Embed Outcomes within Organisations & Partnerships
This will be progressed, in 2025/26, through the Demonstrating Impact and Effective Partnership work-streams.