The People's Panel - community resilience: research findings

Summary

• The insights gathered over the panel events have been extensive. They are relevant to a range of policy areas and priorities in the Scottish Government.
• For example, the members’ experiences and insights were considered in the tone and content of Scottish Government social media messaging. It prompted officials in the Scottish Government to adapt communication messages to be more relatable to those who may struggle to gather additional items in an emergency kit.
• The insights also helped to influence the content of a number of engagement events between community groups, voluntary sector organisations and statutory emergency responders between April and June 2023, as part of a Resilient Communities Conference programme.
• These findings align with wider research on community resilience that suggest cultural and demographic factors have a significant influence on how people and communities may plan, prepare and react to unexpected events, and on people’s attitudes towards seeking help.^[22]
• This research has also provided new perspectives on household resilience as people are dealing with the impacts of the pandemic and then the cost of living crisis.
• One of the key strengths of the panel, was in the way it provided a bridge between policymakers and the public. Gathering these diverse perspectives, enabled policymakers to gain valuable insights into the real-world challenges faced by Scottish communities.
• The principles of trust, respect and inclusivity were weaved throughout the panel setup and delivery (more details in the Method section). These foundational elements have allowed the panel to flourish as a platform for effective policy-making.