At A Place in Childhood (APiC), we believe that children and teenagers are not just future citizens – they are active contributors to their communities today. This belief is shared by Shetland Islands Council and is at the heart of the Children and Teenagers Living Well Locally: Westside Plan 2025, a collaboration with local children and young people. It showcases the power of meaningful, youth-led placemaking, and a commitment to hearing and acing on the voices of our youngest citizens.
A Co-Creation Approach Rooted in Locality
The Westside Plan was developed through an inclusive, place-based process that placed children and teenagers firmly at the centre. Drawing on our tried and tested co-creation methodology, young people from across the Westside of Shetland took part in experiential mapping, in-depth discussion, and creative workshops to express their experiences, concerns, and aspirations for their local areas.
This process isn’t just about gathering ideas – it was about shifting power. The young people involved were positioned as experts on their own lives and environments, and the outcomes reflect a collective vision for a better, fairer, and more vibrant place to grow up.
Why Young People’s Participation in Planning Matters
Embedding the views and experiences of young people into local planning is not just a ‘nice to have’ – it’s essential. Children and teenagers move around and use their local areas in unique ways, and often experience barriers that go unseen by adults.
By actively involving young people in shaping their places, we can create communities that are more inclusive, accessible, and enjoyable for everyone. Participation builds confidence, strengthens community ties, and leads to better outcomes across planning, health, education, and more.
Key Priorities from Young People
The Westside Plan outlines clear, actionable priorities based on what children and teenagers want to see change. These include:
- Improved active travel – safer walking and cycling routes between settlements, schools, and community hubs.
- More things to do – better play parks, places to hang out, and community events that are fun and inclusive.
- Better public transport – more reliable and accessible buses that enable young people to travel independently and enjoy leisure activities in other settlements.
- Caring for the environment – stronger action on climate change, and protecting the local landscape and wildlife.
Young people also highlighted the need for more intergenerational spaces and a stronger say in decisions that affect them – not just during this project, but long into the future.
A Plan That Links to Multiple Agendas
The Westside Plan is not a standalone document – it directly supports and strengthens a wide range of national and local strategies. These include:
- Local Place Plans – contributing lived experience to spatial planning and development priorities.
- Play Sufficiency Assessments – evidencing where play opportunities exist and where they need improvement.
- Community Learning and Development Plans – showing how informal learning and youth work can respond to local needs.
- Children’s Services Planning – ensuring services are responsive to what matters most to children and teenagers.
- Climate and Wellbeing Strategies – highlighting how young people want to see environmental and wellbeing outcomes delivered locally.
In this way, the plan demonstrates how co-creation with young people can inform and enhance strategic planning across sectors and the whole community.
Continuing the Journey in Shetland
We’re absolutely delighted that our partnership with Shetland Islands Council is continuing. Building on the success of the Westside Plan, we’re now working together to offer training and support to staff and community partners across Shetland – equipping them to lead this approach in more localities.
This means more children and teenagers across the islands will have the chance to shape their environments, and more communities will benefit from the insights and ideas that only young people can bring.
Looking Ahead
The positive reception of the Westside Plan shows what’s possible when we trust and invest in young people. It’s already being used to inform conversations about local investment, planning, and services – and, crucially, it’s giving children and teenagers confidence that their voices matter.
As we scale this work across Shetland and beyond, we remain committed to embedding youth co-creation as a standard practice in local development. If your organisation or community is interested in learning more, please contact Dr Jenny Wood at jenny.wood@aplaceinchildhood.org to discuss your requirements. You can also access our training brochure here.
Together, we can make Scotland a place where every child and teenager truly lives well, locally.