Also in the news / Safer internet day, employer workshops and more…
WITH Safer Internet Day 2025 taking place on Tuesday (11 February) the Shetland Public Protection Committee has highlighted this year’s theme of how to protect yourself and others from online scams.
Locally, there are events taking place on Tuesday, in addition to several ongoing workshops and internet safety sessions for Shetland schools as well as Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) training.
On Tuesday afternoon from 1pm to 3pm, Shetland Women’s Aid will lead a webinar covering the topic of online misogyny, how it can affect young people in Shetland and will share some tips on to keep young people safe both online and in the real world.
A link to register is available here.
Shetland Library offers ‘Click Shetland’ drop-in sessions on Tuesday mornings, from 10am to 11am, with assistance available from library staff for a range of digital and online services.
Leith-based charity Fast Forward will also be in Shetland next month to deliver workshops for young people on gambling, gaming and online safety.
Youth-led community action charity OPEN is delivering awareness-raising workshops in Shetland secondary schools in January and February, with a focus on online safety and grooming.
Shetland Islands Council’s trading standards team can also provide advice and support for anyone concerned about a possible online scam.
They can be contacted by phone on 01595 44887, or by email on trading.standards@shetland.gov.uk or in person at 8 North Ness in Lerwick.
Chair of the Shetland Public Protection Committee Lindsay Tulloch said: “Increasingly people of all ages find conducting their affairs and activities such as online shopping, gaming, banking or social networking a convenient and practical way to share information and conduct daily business.
“The down side to this is the opportunity it creates for criminals to exploit online activity by intercepting personal information for the purpose of fraudulent schemes, scams and other forms of online abuse.
“Safer Internet Day will offer internet safety sessions, information and practical guidance of how to avoid scams, keep personal details secure and keep safe while online.”
LOCAL employers can sign up to a set of three workshops later this month to promote better staff recruitment and retention.
The workshops, to be held at the Shetland Museum in the morning of 19 February, aim to encourage flexible working and create inclusive workplaces.
Nikki Slowey, co-founder and director of social business Flexibility Works, will lead a workshop promoting flexible working and demonstrating its benefits for both employers and employees.
Jonathan Aitken, from the Scottish Union of Supported Employment, will lead a session looking at how disabled staff can contribute to a skilled and diverse workforce, and how employers can recruit and support disabled people.
Finally, a workshop in workforce development will offer attendees an opportunity to learn skills and knowledge to promote staff from within their organisation, giving employees a chance to excel in today’s dynamic and changing business environment.
The workshops are hosted by The Improvement Service and COSLA in partnership with the Shetland Local Employability Partnership.
Mark Smith of the council’s youth and employability service said: “Please get in touch if you’d like to book on these workshops or discuss any support for local employment issues.”
He can be contacted via email employability@shetland.gov.uk.
THE LIBERAL Democrats have called for the hospitality industry to be exempt from the increase in the national insurance contributions employers are liable to pay from April.
The increase from 13.8 to 15 per cent in NIC contributions has been described as bombshell and a tax on jobs.
Isles MP Alistair Carmichael is also calling on the government to negotiate a youth mobility visa scheme with the EU so that British businesses can recruit the workers they need to fill vacancies.
“Restaurants, pubs and hotels in the isles and across the country are warning that the government’s national insurance hike risks many of them going to the wall. The Chancellor needs to listen before we do irreversible harm to the visitor economy,” Carmichael said.
“Local businesses like these are at the heart of our communities, and have been extraordinarily resilient over years of disruption from Covid, the war in Ukraine and the cost-of-living crisis. This tax hike would hammer them again, hitting growth and putting vital local jobs at risk.
Carmichael also reiterated calls for a five per cent rate on VAT for tourism and hospitality to boost the sector.
LOCAL residents are asked to set half an hour aside to fill in a new Our Place – Your Say survey to help local public agencies plan future services.
The survey is being carried out by Shetland Islands Council in co-operation with the wider Shetland Partnership which includes NHS Shetland and ZetTrans.
It was last carried out in 2016 it received responses from over 900 people, with nearly 5,000 separate comments gathered.
This year, the project aims to gather opinions on 15 themed topics, including transport, housing, community safety and local facilities and services.
Council leader Emma Macdonald said: “We’re keen to make sure that the local community have their say on how we prioritise the delivery of public services and also keen to refresh the previous data to assess progress.”
The survey is now available here and is open until 7 March.
THE BAHA’I faith community is inviting anybody interested to their regular monthly meeting on themes such as oneness of mankind, world peace and humankind’s relationship with the natural world.
This Wednesday’s meeting (12 February) will focus on the theme of Two Wings of a Bird: The Equality of Women and Men.
The meetings are always held in the Islesburgh Community Centre in Lerwick and start at 7.30pm.
HJALTLAND Housing Association has retained its platinum Investors in People accreditation.
The association said the recognition is a “testament to our unwavering commitment to our people and our continuous efforts to foster a positive and productive work environment”.
CEO Bryan Leask said: “The success of Hjaltland Housing Association begins and ends with our people; they are the heartbeat of the organisation.
“Without them, we could not deliver our services to customers and have the level of impact we do in Shetland. I’m so proud to have achieved the platinum accreditation.”
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