Green land investment in rural Scotland: social and economic impacts

Annex 9

This is the workshop plan that was followed for all of the community workshops. This was used for internal planning only.

Pre-focus group preparation

Activity (notes)/ Suggested structure:

• Invitations to participants + promotion to wider local community
• Book venue and catering [adapt to local norms – what is the usual time for this type of event/where would it usually be held, e.g. village hall?]
• Book childminder (if requested by participants/gatekeeper)
• Collate paperwork for focus group – participant consent forms and information sheets/ focus group agenda

Equipment:

• Paperwork for focus group

Role/ responsibility: RA (+ support)

Before focus group starts

Activity (notes)/ Suggested structure:

• Set up venue – boardroom style (depending on likely numbers)
• Set up catering
• Set up recording equipment
• Set up visual timeline + post-it notes + pens
• Meet and greet participants; ask them to complete sign-up sheet
• Gather participant consent forms

Equipment:

• Catering (tea towels) + hand sanitiser
• Paperwork for participants (consent forms; expenses claim forms?)
• Dictaphones
• Roll of long paper, white tack, post-it notes and handwriting pens
• Sign-in sheet
• Sticky labels for name badges
• Tape for securing post-it notes

Role/ responsibility: RA (+ support)

Welcome and introductions

Timing (length of time for activity): 10 mins

Time: E.g. 19:00 – 19:10

Activity (notes)/ Suggested structure:

• Lead researcher to welcome all participants and explain purpose of focus group (i.e. ‘why are we all here’). Provide brief overview of Scottish Government’s research request and approach undertaken by Hutton research team.
• Check that everyone is happy for the focus group to be audio recorded (reiterating statements in the consent form).
• Invite participants to provide short introductions (e.g. name, where from, why interested to attend focus group)
• Lead researcher to give short overview of the focus group plan – lead into first task/discussion (timeline)

Equipment: Focus group overview

Role/ responsibility: Lead researcher + RA

Developing a community timeline – looking at what has happened in the past

Timing (length of time for activity): 40 minutes

Time: 19:10 – 19:50

Activity (notes)/ Suggested structure:

Lead researcher to invite participants to consider the following questions. Take notes on post it notes and add to timeline; invite participants to add post-it notes as well.

Questions posed to participants:

• What is the story of this community and local landownership/land use?
• What has happened in the past? (i.e. over the last century/living memory.)
• What is happening now? (Why?)
• How does this affect the social and economic life of the community? (Why?)
• What other factors are influencing this community?

Equipment:

• Timeline paper on wall
• Post-it notes and pens (different color post-its for topics?)

Role/ responsibility:

• Lead researcher (facilitate and take notes on post-it notes)
• RA to take notes on broader discussion / help participants as required.

Break – invite participants to review the timeline so far and add post-it notes

Timing (length of time for activity): 15 minutes

Time: 19:50 – 20:05

Equipment:

• Catering + hand sanitiser

Developing a community timeline – what might happen in the future?

Timing (length of time for activity): 20 minutes

Time: 20:05 – 20:25

Activity (notes)/ Suggested structure:

Questions posed to participants:

• What are the likely future impacts of current local landownership / land use on this community/ (Why?)
• What do you want to happen? What would be the ideal future vision for a sustainable community?

Equipment:

• Timeline paper on wall
• Post-it notes and pens

Role/ responsibility:

• Lead researcher (facilitate and take notes on post-it notes)
• RA to take notes on broader discussion / help participants as required.

Options for future landowner-community engagement

Timing (length of time for activity): 25 minutes

Time: 20:25 – 20:50

Activity (notes)/ Suggested structure:

Lead researcher to invite participants to share their perspectives in final plenary discussion; core questions:

• Can you describe how landowners or representatives of local estates currently interact with people who live and/or work locally?
• Can you describe any examples of recent community engagement activities?
• Did you have the chance to share your views? (Why/why not?)
• What do you find are the benefits or challenges of estate-community interactions or engagement processes?
• What would help the community undertake positive engagement with local landowners in the future?

Equipment:

• Use long sheet to take notes on wall/table.

Role/ responsibility:

• Lead researcher to facilitate and take notes of key points shared; RA to take more detailed notes.

Final thoughts and next steps

Timing (length of time for activity): 5 minutes

Time: 20:50 – 20:55

Activity (notes)/ Suggested structure:

• Lead researcher to bring discussion to a close; invite any final thoughts or suggestions for positive community-landowner engagement.
• Next steps: a short ‘options appraisal’ for the community (i.e. participants and community groups) and landowner.
• Wider discussion to inform the final report for the Scottish Government, to be published in December 2023.
• Lead researcher to thank all participants for their time.