Voluntary Action Orkney (VAO) is supporting Loughborough University to recruit volunteers that live in the town of Kirkwall to take part in discussion groups about what people need for an acceptable standard of living in 2026. Other areas in Orkney will be covered by a separate process later in the year.
Orkney Islands Council is one of four island-based local authorities who have commissioned Loughborough University to carry out the research which was first undertaken in 2012, revised in 2020 and now needs to be updated again. It is recognised that households in island communities may have different and/or additional needs compared to households elsewhere in the UK. This work is expected to help identify these differences and highlight the specific issues that need to be addressed to improve affordability for households in these areas.
The research is being conducted by the Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP) team at the University of Loughborough who are working alongside a Highland based researcher. The researchers operate under strict ethical and legal codes, including those of the Data Protection Acts and the Social Research Association.
The volunteer participants will be invited to take part in one of three, in person, focus groups led by professional researchers on Monday 21 September 2026 in the St Magnus Centre. Once they have attended a group, participants will receive an £80 voucher for Co-op, Tesco or Amazon to thank them for their time.
The discussions at the focus groups will be formed around example case studies and participants will not be asked to share any personal information. The research findings will be used by Orkney Islands Council and other organisations to help them make sure that people have enough to have an acceptable standard of living and play a full part in today’s society.
The team from Loughborough University is looking for people of working age and over from different types of households in the town of Kirkwall to take part. This does not include full time students.
Anyone who would like to volunteer should complete the online form. Researchers will then confirm if they will be asked to attend one of the focus groups which will last around three hours. Places at the sessions are limited and Loughborough University are keen to ensure that a good mix of age, gender and household types are represented in the participants selected to take part.
The three different focus groups and their times are:
- 10.00am -1.00pm: Retired people and Pensioners
- 6.30pm - 9.30pm: Working age with no dependents in the household
- 6.30pm - 9.30pm: Parents with children in the household
If you live in the town of Kirkwall and would like to take part, please register your interest by completing the online form.
You can find more about the research in the Recruitment Information document:
