Press Release
Imagining Shetland’s futures – two decades ahead...
“What is the key strength of Shetland?”, "What should Shetland do now to achieve a positive future?" These are the types of questions being asked to help inform the long term strategy for Shetland - Shetland's Community Plan.
Professor Peter McKiernan and Dr Gary Bowman from St Andrews University have been assisting the council with a piece of work called Scenario Planning. This is a method of predicting futures, given what we currently know. It involves interviews with individuals and groups from local industry, public and community sector organisations and the local community, as well as workshops in which different scenarios are played out.
Although the council is the co-ordinator for the Scenario Planning exercise, the consultation has involved representatives from a wide cross section of the Shetland community.
“This isn’t a council process. It is a Shetland-wide process” said Dr Gary Bowman.
“We are engaging with as many people as we can to get as wide a flavour as possible for issues affecting Shetland. Representatives from industry are given as much weight as migrant workers or members of the local youth group”.
Dr Bowman describes Scenario Planning as like a “postcard sent back from the future”. By considering how Shetland will be different in 20 years time, it is hoped that this will inform decisions made now to reach a positive future.
The consultation is now being broadened out to everyone in Shetland through an e-survey. This should only take 5-10 minutes to complete and is open to all in Shetland as well as those living elsewhere.
The results from the e-survey will be added to information already gathered and will reveal possible futures for Shetland. This will determine which priorities need to be the focus over the next 20 years and allow the Community Plan to best prepare for every eventuality, ensuring that Shetland has plans in place, for the whole community, for the long term.
Shetland's Community Plan is now seven years old, and with recent significant changes in Shetland, in terms of the economy, development in industries, and the reduction in public sector resources, it is time to establish key priorities for the future.
The survey is available now from:
http://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/scenario_planning
You can also take part by phoning 01595 743 728, or by writing to Scenario Planning, Town Hall, Upper Hillhead, Lerwick, ZE1 0HB.
The questions are as follows;
- What is the key strength of Shetland?
- What is the main weakness of Shetland?
- What is the key aspect of Shetland’s culture that differentiates it from other islands?
- What are three key features of a positive future?
- What are three key features of a negative future?
- What should Shetland do now to achieve a positive future?
More information can be found at www.shetland.gov.uk/policy