Young people across the Falkirk Council area have given an overwhelming message to Falkirk Council that they want to be more involved in decisions that affect them and their local area.
According to a recent survey of local young people aged 12-25, 82% agree or strongly agree that they want to be more involved and that their preferred method of engaging with the Council would be via online methods.
The areas that most interested them were schools and education, jobs and careers and mental health.
Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn, Leader of Falkirk Council said: “The survey has given us a real insight into the thoughts and views of young people locally and has given us a very clear signal about how we should be engaging with them in the future.
“It is clear that there is a real desire to take part in decision making locally and looking forward we are now looking at ways of the most appropriate ways of bring more young people on board and taking their views more in account.
“The survey also helped us understand the reasons young people are not getting involved and as a result, we have drawn up a number of recommendations to overcome this in the future.
“The timing of the survey was important also as 2018 is the Year of Young people so gathering their views is very relevant.”
Pupils from Larbert High School produced a short video used across numerous social media channels to encourage participants to complete the survey. The survey was also promoted in local high schools.
The online survey, carried out in March 2018, received 627 responses allowing the survey to be considered statistically significant.
As a result of the survey, suggested recommendations include:
- Develop a new online survey platform for young people
- Better promote youth engagement activities using more social media
- Work more closely with schools and Forth Valley College to provide more engagement opportunities for young people
- Ask young people more regularly about what issues are important to them.
The full results can be accessed here