Carnegie Young People Initiative

The Carnegie UK Trust is funding research that will help young people increase their influence in community planning in Scotland.

YouthLink Scotland in partnership with its members and the Centre for Research into Community Learning and Development at the University of Dundee, are carrying out this research. The study looks at two questions:

• Do community planning partners want the involvement (and participation) of young people and address the consequences of involvement?
• Do young people want to be involved with formal planning structures?

Phase 1

The first phase of the research, which is desk based and involves all local authorities in Scotland is already under way. Relevant literature with respect to youth participation in democratic process is being studied as well as a documentary analysis of relevant policy documents and local community plans. In addition, a survey of all Community Planning Partnerships in Scotland to ascertain their views of young people’s involvement in community planning was completed at the end of 2004.

Phase 2

The second phase of research, which is taking place between January and June 2005, is fieldwork research with two community planning partners: West Lothian and Stirling Council. This phase of the research will take the form of collaborative enquiry involving young people, local authority officers, and community planning stakeholders.

The Final Report

The final report on the research will be published by October 2005. In the meantime YouthLink Scotland are keen to disseminate any learning from the research project through their policy form, weekly briefing and website. For further information on the research please contact Timothy Frew at YouthLink