Deprivation and Social Exclusion in Shetland

A piece of research into Deprivation and Social Exclusion in Shetland was published in 2006.  It was commissioned by community planning partners in order to provide evidence that can be presented at a national level, to demonstrate that, although Shetland has a high standard of living and generally high quality of life, there are still individuals and households in Shetland who are living in poverty and are unable to access the many opportunities Shetland has to offer. 

The research described people’s experiences of living in circumstances of deprivation and social exclusion in Shetland, covering issues of access, community, health, housing, income & employment and learning.   It concludes that there are a lot of good things happening that alleviate people's circumstances, but that more can always be done: by service managers (across all agencies) redesigning services to reduce inequalities and by different services working better together.  The evidence continues to be used to develop understanding and reduce inequalities in Shetland.

Shetland's Community Planning Board approved the recommendations, requesting the development of an action plan to address them.

A full copy of the report can be downloaded by clicking Deprivation and Social Exclusion Report

The executive summary can be downloaded by clicking here.

In 2009 although there are positive examples of services developing and evolving to assist people who have a poor quality of life, the general trend is of a worsening picture in terms of numbers of people, and the quality of people's lives. This is because of a general worsening national trend and added challenges to deal with at a local level, but is also because of a lack of understanding of the issues, and a lack of change in the way services are working together and with people to improve their quality of life.

A workshop was held on 9th October, bringing together a broad range of front line services to update understanding and refocus activity. The report can be found here.

For more information contact Emma Perring (01595) 744537 or email Emma.perring@sic.shetland.gov.uk

A signposting booklet has been developed to assist front-line staff to provide clients with the most appropriate information and services available.