Over three in-person co-design workshops with senior Council members and community leaders, we developed a shared plan for meaningful community engagement. This first immersion in the local context led to the design of a participatory and creative engagement process, where people could participate in multiple ways: through an online survey, online Minecraft activities, in-person facilitated events, and an inclusive Participation Toolkit enabling residents to host conversations independently, e.g., at coffee mornings or parents’ meetings. 

This specific approach considered different needs led to a successful and inclusive engagement process, where we conducted an epic workshop at Brae High School with 300 young people, and we heard from 525 people, 20% of them living with a disability or a long-term health condition. The WIP report was shared with communities to gather their feedback on the findings and ensure each resident could participate and get their voice heard, supporting the development of a new place-based and people-centred engagement methodology that will inform a longer-term strategy in the Shetland Islands.