Work will be done by Scottish Recovery Network, Voluntary Action Shetland, NHS Shetland, and local organisations.
A network of local organisations in Shetland will help bring a national suicide prevention initiative to the islands.
Scottish Recovery Network is partnering with Voluntary Action Shetland, NHS Shetland, and others to bring Creating Hope with Peer Support to communities in Shetland.
Peer support is a mutual relationship where people with shared lived experiences support each other particularly as they move through challenging times.
Creating Hope with Peer Support creates conditions for peer support to thrive, championing support so it is recognised, understood, and valued as a vital part of suicide prevention in Scotland.
Scottish Recovery Network’s projects team – Catriona McDougall and Lesley Smith – will be in Shetland from November 19 to 23, collaborating with services, peer support groups and local communities.
Their visit will bring people together through events and workshops designed to explore the unique strengths and challenges of suicide prevention in remote and rural areas.
The programme aims to create spaces for open and hopeful conversations, mentoring, developing practice and building lasting connections.
Public opportunities include Growing Peer Support in Shetland (20 November) and a Creating Hope with Peer Support practical workshop (22 November).
The team will also facilitate a session with Shetland Fire and Rescue, bringing First Responders together to explore the Creating Space for Distress Framework, a compassionate, human-centred approach to supporting people during crisis situations.
Nicola Balfour, health improvement team lead and suicide prevention lead at NHS Shetland, said: “We are delighted to have the Scottish Recovery Network visit Shetland and providing workshops to help raise awareness and understanding of peer support and its role in mental health recovery and suicide prevention locally.
“The events will provide an opportunity for Shetland to share the local peer support services already available and for everyone to hear more about local activity and opportunities.
“The events are open to all and it a great chance to link into the experience of the national team from Scottish Recovery Network.”
In addition, Scottish Recovery Network is working closely with Shetland Linkup, a drop-in centre for adults experiencing or recovering from mental distress or mental illness, to support the development of new peer support volunteer roles.
Linkup will also share learning from their recent community research into access to services, undertaken as part of Scotland’s National Suicide Prevention Strategy, at the Growing Peer Support event on November 20.
Learning from the visit will be shared nationally to support suicide prevention efforts in other rural and island communities.
Catriona McDougall, projects coordinator at Scottish Recovery Network, said: “We are looking forward to a mutual learning experience with people and services in Shetland.
“We have made some great connections and are excited to be able to bring our Creating Hope with Peer Support project to a wider audience in person as well as share learning from Shetland and the wider Scottish community.”
