Shetland Anchor Project praised for helping families with cost-of-living

Established in 2018 by the National Lottery Community Fund, the Shetland Anchor Project, places families at its core and helps them identify and solve problems to prevent crisis happening in the first place.

It offers practical help, such as food parcels and clothing, as well as a friendly ear to anyone experiencing poverty, isolation, health or social problems, living in Shetland, particularly as the islanders experience higher costs of living compared to the UK average.

A team of academics from Robert Gordon University, worked with the Shetland Partnership, from 2022 to 2023, and gather feedback from families, project workers and a range of key stakeholders from health and social care, education, police and the third sector to assess the impact of the Shetland Anchor project on families living in poverty in Shetland.

The Anchor team was praised for working closely with families in need to help them access fuel vouchers, food or children’s clothing, and for establishing face-to-face contacts that have built up trust and broken-down barriers with support services.

The report highlights that Shetland’s Anchor support is seen as being a ‘listening, befriending and ‘boundary spanning’ agency linking service, that has grown organically in response to the needs of its users and community, and commends the project’s leaders for thinking ‘outside the box’.

Professor Catriona Kennedy, Associate Dean for Research at Robert Gordon University, who led the study said: “A key part of Anchor Shetland’s success, has been the project’s problem-solving and practical approach. If a child needs shoes or a warm coat, Anchor workers prioritise this, without the need to know why in the first instance. This speaks to the non-judgemental, openness, compassion, humanity, and kindness we identified as part of the Anchor approach, building trust, and encouraging long-term independence and sustainability.

“There is a sense of place and belonging for leaders, workers, and communities. Passion for improvement is visible and permeates throughout Anchor. Shetland is their community, and they want it to be an inclusive and fair place to live and work. A commitment to early intervention, prevention and interdisciplinary working underpins Anchor. By drawing services together, such as social work, the Shetland Family Centre and a ‘No door is wrong door’ policy, Anchor is taking a multiagency lead, to ensure people have a better and fairer society in Shetland.

“RGU is committed to transforming the lives of people and communities and works hard to contribute to the economic, social and cultural development across Scotland. We are proud to have worked with the people of Shetland to assess the Shetland Anchor project and believe lessons can be learned, to tackle child poverty in other areas of Scotland.”

RGU researchers commended the Shetland Anchor Project for ‘being brave and creative in doing things differently’ and described the project workers as working with the child and family, in a way akin to a ‘professional friend’ to support those in need.

This is illustrated by one parent who used the Shetland Anchor project.  He said: “A project worker from the Anchor Support Service was the first person in a long time who really helped me. I wouldn’t have what I do now if it hadn’t been for her. She listened to me, connected me with agencies, telephoned, sent emails, shared information and attended meetings with me. The agencies I’d dealt with before, were often dismissive and unhelpful.

“An Anchor worker came to my child’s school and helped me have my voice heard. She took me to a hub for food and clothes which was a life saver. She helped me access a chrome book for the kids to do their homework. She gave me energy support for my quarterly bills and provided a food parcel for Xmas. The project worker has been my anchor. I think the project’s great, and I cannot think of anything it could do more of.  It just needs to do what it does, for more people.”

Another parent said: “It’s a team of people, there to listen without judgement, to support you to find the right direction to take when life is difficult, and you don’t know who or where to turn to. When things are so overwhelming Anchor shows kindness and care to help build bridges and take down the walls, to direct you down the right path while always shadowing your journey.”

Emma Macdonald, Leader of Shetland Islands Council, added: “I am very proud of the work of many Council staff and partner organisations, for their commitment to develop a whole family approach that suits our island communities.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank the families who were involved in developing the support now in place, and to those who participated in this valuable piece of research.”

The report was co-produced by Professors Catriona Kennedy, Flora Douglas, and Gary Spolander from Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen and Emma Perring and Lynsey Hall from Shetland Islands Council and funded by the Scottish Government.

Main image provided by Anchor Project Shetland. Gallery image shows Professor Catriona Kennedy, Associate Dean for Research at Robert Gordon University