Rural Communities Policy
What was the project?
Over 2024- 2026 the Scottish Government commissioned a review of three core elements of their funding and support for rural communities: Community Led Local Development, Scottish Rural Action and the Scottish Rural Network.
The evidence generated in this project informed the new
rural Scotland support system which will deliver the provisions of the
Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024.
It was undertaken by a team led by Scotland's Rural College (Rural Policy Centre), University of the Highlands and Islands (Perth), and Ipsos.
What was the approach?
The project combined existing evidence on rural community interventions (including what works well and what are the barriers and challenges) with theories of change for each element, and new evidence collection with rural communities. The team designed a multi-stage approach to deliver this project, grounded in our desire to undertake research which is creative as well as equitable and ethical.
The research considered how the elements of the review have:
- delivered objectives
- fit strategically with wider public and third sector support
- experienced challenges and opportunities
The approach also:
- recognised innovation as one of the core principles of community led local development
- acknowledged concerns around research and consultation fatigue amongst stakeholders and communities
Building on the research and evidence, we developed options and recommendations to inform the future rural community development support.
How was this be done?
There were four project stages:
- Stage 1: Theory of change
- Stage 2: Evidence review, including international case studies
- Stage 3: Fieldwork, including with those involved in the elements of the review, place-based research, with young people, and with sector stakeholders and policy makers
- Stage 4: Reporting
The principle investigator for the project was Jane Atterton, and you can email her at jane.atterton@sruc.ac.uk.
