Voluntary Action Shetland (VAS), our partner organisations and their staff represent the voluntary sector at a number of strategic working groups. This means that voluntary groups have a voice through VAS and other third sector organisations to these partnerships, and have someone through whom they can get information on their proceedings and business.

Below is a table showing partnership names, a brief explanation of their membership and function, and the name of the representative on the groups. If no organisation name is given, the representative is from VAS, otherwise organisation and contact details are provided. You will find full contact details for VAS staff at Staff.

Please also see the page on representation through Shetland's Community Planning Partnership strategic partnerships and practitioner groups.

Group	Function	Third Sector Representative	Associated Document or Website	Meeting Dates
Association of Community Councils	This association supports the work of the 18 community councils throughout the islands.	Support for the Association is now provided through SIC and Michael Duncan Michael.Duncan@shetland.gov.uk	ASCC website
Carers' Strategy Group (formerly Carers' Link Group)	Membership: carers and representatives from NHS (Primary and Palliative Care), SIC (Community Care, Social Work, Psychological Services), Shetland Islands Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), VAS, Shetland Befriending Scheme, Shetland Care Attendants Scheme, Mind Your Head, Advocacy Shetland, RVS Remit: help address the needs of carers across Shetland.	Kirsten Harcus kirsten.harcus@shetland.gov.uk 01595 743980 Jim Guyan Carers' rep	Shetland Virtual Carers Centre

Child Protection in the Community Sub-Committee	Membership: SIC youth services, sports, education, child protection and representatives from local trusts and VAS. Remit: to assist voluntary and community groups to meet the requirements of the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003 and to achieve best practice in their work with Shetland children.	Wendy Hand wendy.hand@shetland.org 01595 743902
Community Learning and Development Partnership	Membership: SIC CLD (Community Works, Adult Learning & Youth Services) and partners who work with community organisations and the community.	Ayesha Huda
Community Safety and Resilience Group	Remit: to deliver on the ‘Safer’ strand of the Shetland Performance Framework, namely: “Shetland stays a safe place to live and we have strong, resilient and supportive communities.” (See link right)	Catherine Hughson	TOR Community Resilience August 2018
Compact Implementation Group	Remit: Sets out shared principles, joint undertakings and commitments to improve the working relationships between the public, voluntary and community sectors in Shetland. It will provide a platform for improved cooperation, understanding and respect. Designed to clearly state what each party can expect from each other which can be summarised as a shared commitment to build mutual trust, confidence and a appreciation of the roles and contribution of public, voluntary and community sector bodies for the benefit of Shetland.	Wendy Hand	Shetland Compact
Criminal Justice Partnership
Criminal Justice Forum		Lincoln Carroll
Data Sharing Partnership	Multi agency partnership was formed to deliver electronic data sharing and manage the organisational changes necessary to ensure effective, efficient and secure sharing of information.	Wendy Hand
Employability Working Group	Membership: SDS, Youth Services, Job Centre Plus, VAS, Through Care After Care, Train Shetland, Moving On Employment Project, Shetland College, Adult Learning, NAFC, Cope Ltd, Health Improvement (NHS), Community Planning and Development, Eric Gray Resource Centre, Shetland Community Bike Project, Schools Service, Social Work, Life Skills, Annsbrae, Shetland Learning Partnership. Provide advice and progress Shetland Partnership approach to employability ensuring positive impact on those who experience barriers to learning and employment.	Wendy Hand
External Transport Forum	ZetTrans led group of local transport service provider and users and reps from Northlink and Loganair; represents the interests of users of transport from Shetland to the mainland.	Catherine Hughson
Health Action Team	Remit: Formulating and reviewing Shetland's Joint Health Improvement Plan annually in order to deliver on the Community Planning Board's Priority of improving health and reducing heath inequalities.	Catherine Hughson
Fuel Poverty Working Group	Membership: SIC Policy, Home Energy Scotland, CAB. Remit: Promote awareness of fuel poverty issues and identify means of alleviation	Karen Eunson
Shetland Children's Partnership	To assist the development of the next integrated Children and Young People's Plan.	Wendy Hand	ICYPG feedback form May 2018 Emotional Wellbeing and Resilience
Integration Joint Board for Shetland (IJB): Shetland Islands Health and Social Care Partnership (replaces the Community Health Partnership: CHP)	The Integration Board has delegated responsibility from the Health Board and Local Authority, for planning and resourcing service provision of adult health and social care services.	Wendy Hand Third Sector Representative Jim Guyan Carers' Representative	Integration Joint Board
Mobile Phone and Internet Safety Sub-Committee, Shetland Child Protection Committee	Membership: NHS Shetland, Children’s Services, Police Scotland, Shetland College, SIC Social Work and the OPEN Peer Education Project. Remit: raise awareness of safe use of Internet and mobile phones.	Una Murray una.murray@shetland.org 01595 745074	MPIS feedback form February 2018
North Isles Learning Partnership	Representatives including Shetland College, SIC Adult Learning, local schools, Train Shetland, NHS, SIC Community Work, Voluntary Action Shetland, Global Yell, Bluemull Development Company, work together to widen participation in lifelong learning and community activity to involve people who have been less likely to take part; identifying local needs and gaps in learning provision and developing responsive projects.	Ayesha Huda
Novel Psychoactive Substances Working Group, NHS Shetland (Working group of the Alcohol and Drugs Forum)	Membership: NHS Shetland, Police Scotland, Children’s Services, CADSS, SIC Social Work, Schools Services, Children’s Rights Officer and the OPEN Peer Education Project. Remit: to address and deal with NPS use in Shetland, to raise awareness and reduce harm. Education Mapping Group: maps out what drugs education is being delivered in schools in Shetland.	Una Murray
Palliative Care and End of Life Focus Group	NHS and multi-agency group supporting those with terminal illness.	Karen Hannay
Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Strategy Group	Membership: NHS Shetland, Children’s Services and the OPEN Peer Education Project. Remit: supporting the development and delivery of the NHS Shetland Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Strategy 2014-24.	Una Murray
Shetland Community Resilience Forum	Communication – share information and updates on activity and issues, within the Forum and with own networks. Assist the sharing of relevant local and national information. Collaboration on key projects and community led activity linked to Shetland’s Partnership Plan. Coordination of activity for example between the Coronavirus Support Hub and Community Anchor Organisations including longer term planning around the future and links with Community Led Support. Act as a sounding board for the Shetland Partnership in the recovery phase to inform service and policy development.	Wendy Hand
Shetland Public Protection Committee	This is a multi agency committee with a significant role in ensuring cooperation and communication within and between agencies to promote appropriate support and protection for adults and children incorporating Shetland Domestic Abuse Partnership.	Wendy Hand	Safer Shetland website minutes biennial report
Shetland Alcohol and Drugs Forum	This forum exists to support and inform the work of the Shetland Alcohol and Drug Partnership (SADP) by ascertaining, coordinating and expressing the views of service providers, service users and those in need of services. Represents: service providers in field of drugs & alcohol; misusers and their families, carers and partners, and the wider community.	Una Murray	SADF feedback form February 2018
Shetland Sport for All group	SIC, Active Schools, Disability Shetland, sports clubs; to encourage inclusion in sports and physical activity.	Ability Shetland
Shetland Domestic Abuse Partnership	Multi-agency partnership working together to tackle and address domestic abuse throughout the isles.	See Shetland Protection Committee
Shetland LEADER Programme Local Action Group (LAG)	Representatives from business, local authority & other public sector agencies, and the third sector, representing local social, economic and environmental interests. Oversee implementation of the EU LEADER Programme including disbursement of LEADER and other funding.	Wendy Hand Karen Eunson Alec Miller	Shetland LAG Website
Shetland LGBT Charter Group	SIC, NHS Shetland, VAS, Shetland Arts, Police Scotland and the Shetland Children’s Rights Service. Development of local LGBT charter mark with the help of the local LGBT community group with the aim of supporting local organisations to meet the needs of Shetlands LGBT community.	Wayne Leask wayne.leask@shetland.org 01595 745074
Shetland Mental Health Forum	NHS HIT, Dementia Nurse, SIC, Shetland Bereavement Support Service, Mind your Head, Moving On, Link Up, CADSS, Advocacy Shetland, Befriending. Remit: to support and inform the work of SMHP, by ascertaining, co-ordinating and expressing the views of service providers, users and those in need of services. Broadly based, representing the interests service providers in the field of Mental Health, families, carers and partners of those people who experience mental health issues and of the wider community.	Karen Hannay karen.hannay@shetland.org 01595 743923
Shetland Mental Health Partnership	Multi-agency strategic partnership, led by NHS Director of Public Health. Responsible for the development of the Shetland wide mental health strategy covering all areas: service delivery, training, crisis support, suicide prevention, mental health promotion. Third sector representation includes Moving On Employment Project, Advocacy, Link Up and Mind Your Head.	Karen Hannay karen.hannay@shetland.org 01595 743923
Shetland Partnership Network	The role of the Network is to set the strategic direction for community planning in Shetland.	Catherine Hughson	Shetland Partnership e-update
Shetland Partnership Board Locality Planning			Yell Unst & Fetlar Current Initiatives May 2018 Yell Unst & Fetlar July August 2018 Yell Unst & Fetlar May June 2018 Yell Unst & Fetlar What We Know May 2018
Shetland Partnership Performance Group	The role of the Performance Group is to oversee the development and support the delivery of the Single Outcome agreement (SOA) through coordination across all relevant groups and agencies involved in community planning.	Catherine Hughson
Shetland’s Public Engagement Network	This is a network of local individuals and organisations who are interested in health and social care and who want to be involved in how services are designed and delivered. Meetings are held four times yearly, between NHS Patient Focus Public Involvement meetings. Replaces PPF	Helen Rankine helen.rankine@shetland.org 01595 743953 Advocacy Shetland	SPEN Facebook page Agenda 15/4/19
Shetland Together, Police Scotland	Representatives of local police and young people come together to discuss current issues of mutual concern.
South Mainland Learning Partnership	Representatives include SIC Adult Learning, Community Work, Voluntary Action Shetland, NHS, Care Centre, youth workers, local schools, Shetland College, Ness Learning Centre; work together to widen participation in lifelong learning and community activity and health to involve people who have been less likely to take part; identifying local needs and gaps in learning provision and developing responsive projects.	Ayesha Huda
Strategic Planning Group for the Integration Joint Board comprising the CHCP Strategic Management Team and the Integration Steering Group	Responsible for developing and finalising the strategic commissioning planning for the integrated functions and budgets management, co-ordination, development and integration of all community health and care services through the Integration Joint Board	Wendy Hand
Third Sector Forum	see own page
Welfare Reform Group	SIC Policy, Housing, Social Work, Criminal Justice, Shetland Library, Job Centre Plus, Hjaltland Housing, CAB Remit: to provide information on and mitigate the impact of Welfare Reform.	Karen Eunson