On 1 and 2 June2026 the Young Islanders Network attended the Living Lab Link-Up at the James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen, joined by young member from OPEN Shetland. Rhiannan attended as a young islander, youth worker and peer researcher, bringing her own lived experience into a space focused on rural and island research, policy and action.
The two-day event brought together people from rural and island communities to talk about shared challenges, barriers and opportunities, and see the progress of the Realising Change in Rural Communities Project 2022-2027. This forms part of Scotland’s wider Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture research work, supported through the Scottish Government’s Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS). It was a chance to hear about Living Labs in practice, take part in discussions, visit the Hutton Immersive Suite and explore how research can better support communities.
One of the most important parts of the event was seeing how young people’s views can be included in research spaces in a meaningful way by being in the room sharing their own experiences, asking questions, making connections and helping shape the conversation.
Rhiannan reflected that her views felt listened to “I had no idea what I was coming to. It was intimidating at first but amazing just being listened to and having my views taken into account and not being determined by age.”
Professional and research spaces can feel intimidating, especially when young people are sitting alongside older professionals, researchers and policy voices, but YIN members have driven forward this approach to be included. One of the reflections from the event was that age should not decide whose views matter. Young people living in rural and island communities understand the reality of these places because they are living it. Their experiences, worries and ideas are important evidence too. In discussions at the event, Rhiannan said “People didn’t look at me and see my age.”
Across the two days, Rhiannan commented on how connected rural and island communities are, even when they are far apart geographically. Many of the barriers being discussed felt familiar across different places. “I saw how similar and interlinked islands and rural are to the issues we have and barriers we all facing. It’s been nice to have people from these communities come together to brainstorm ideas. It was like we could connect and trauma bond over it all.