The first three years of the Community Economic Development (CED) programme in Shetland have been a great success. The programme has injected £258,251 into the Shetland community supporting 57 projects locally. Phase 2 of the programme is just beginning, offering a budget of £137,551 that will run until the end of 2006.

The CED programme was established to help support local community development. It is part-financed by the European Union under the Highlands and Islands Special Transitional Programme and aims to facilitate 'bottom-up' community development by providing funding to support small scale expansion at a local level.

Areas of priority for Shetland over the first three years of the programme 2001-2003 were Unst; Yell; Fetlar; Firth and Mossbank; Sandness (including Papa Stour); Dunrossness (including Fair Isle); Sandwick and Skeld. In Phase 2 of the programme the priority areas for Shetland include Northmavine; Whalsay and Skerries; Lerwick (old Town); Foula and Burra Isle. 

Projects assisted during Phase 1 include Crossroads Shetland, Gyaan Alang scheme; Fetlar Museum Trust; Fair Isle visitor and community centre and the Shetland Islands Partnership's Community Agents scheme.

Crossroads Shetland, Gyaan Alang was developed to respond to needs identified in the community following the introduction of Care in the Community. The Gyaan Alang scheme meets the needs of vulnerable individuals living alone at home by providing trained attendants to visit individuals in their own home on a regular basis.

The work of the scheme is designed to prevent clients from being socially excluded in their communities and to prevent deterioration in their circumstances. The CED programme assisted Crossroads Shetland to extend this scheme to cover the north isles, offering the service to ten new clients in remote areas.

The Fetlar Museum Trust received assistance from the CED programme to support a project worker and consultation process to establish whether or not setting up a Shetland folklore centre in Brough Lodge in Fetlar is feasible.

With help from the CED programme, the Fair Isle congregation converted their church into a multi-purpose visitor and community centre. The facilities available include a library, café, interpretation centre for the island and facilities for local groups to meet, rehearse and exhibit. The centre is a much-needed attraction for the visiting tourists from cruise ships and for the local community.
 
The Shetland Islands Partnership Community Agents programme is a core element of the Shetland CED plan. The main aim of this scheme is to increase the ability of local communities to manage and develop their own projects and resources by training ten agents who can assist community groups and support community projects in their local area.

Sarah Dell, a development manager for Shetland Enterprise, said: "We are impressed by the number of community groups in Shetland, their hard-work was vital in sustaining strong, vibrant communities within the islands.

"These projects play a very important role in the Shetland, allowing local people the opportunity to fully participate in community life."