Kintyre Youth Action Group Update
Argyll and Bute Council · 6 November 2024
Back to Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group — 6 November 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
Kintyre UYO TActionGroupH Consultation Report 2024
Page 2
Contents Page 1: Introduction Page 2: Why ‘Youth Voice’ Matters Page 3: What Happened After the Last Consultation? Page 4: Number and Age of Respondents Page 5: Location of Respondents Page 6: A Snapshot of Youth ‘Likes’ Page 7: A Snapshot of Youth ‘Concerns’ Page 8: What Young People in Kintyre Would Like to See Page 9: Youth Action Group Analysis
Page 3
The Kintyre Youth Action Group are supported and facilitated by the Youth Lead within Community Learning (liveArgyll). This collective of young people from both Campbeltown and Tarbert provide input to ensure the local Community Learning Youth Work service is entirely youth led by focusing on local youth views, issues, and areas young people would like to see developed. The group carry out regular community projects, regularly volunteer, and represent local young people’s views in the area by taking part in weekly meetings which involve regular focus groups. The group also consult with other relevant services to help them to better engage with young people in the area, represent local young people on various community forums, and engage with various other stakeholders and decision makers to ensure local youth voices are heard at local, area wide, and national levels. In order to ensure they represent as many local young people as possible, the Action Group carry out a large scale consultation every two years. Following on from their first consultation in 2022, the Action Group have once again carried out another consultation aiming to find out the views of young people in Kintyre so that they, and local services who engage with young people, can better respond to young people’s needs and ambitions. The results of this survey are discussed on the following pages. The consultation is designed and analysed by members of the Action Group ensuring it is a consultation for young people, by young people. The results in this report will be shared with relevant local services, decision makers, and stakeholders to share findings, raise awareness of challenges, and provide insight of local youth views. Introduction Kintyre Youth Action Group Consultation 2024 - Page 1
Page 4
Article 12 of the UNCRC states that “young people have the right to be listened to and taken seriously” and that “when adults are making decisions that affect children they should ask them what they think and take account of children’s views when making the decision.” Why ‘Youth Voice’ Matters Young people having a voice on things that affect them has always been crucial to supporting young people to empower themselves and to become active citizens in democratic society. However, for services and decision makers it has never been more important than it is today. On the 16th of July 2024 the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 came into force in Scotland. This means that children's rights, as set out in the UNCRC, are legally protected in Scotland. Kintyre Youth Action Group Consultation 2024 - Page 2 As such, services and decision makers are required to take account of UNCRC articles when making decisions that could affect young people. Community Learning Youth Work (liveArgyll) are a rights based service who work alongside young people to support their rights and views.
Page 5
Young People Told Us... We Responded... Young people want to learn about employability skills Youth Service partners delivered employability skills programmes for targeted young people Young people need to learn about life skills Our groups have been learning how to cook, bake, budget and other life skills Young people want more sports activities outside school Youth Service partners delivered the ‘Street Sports’ programme Young people want more creative arts clubs outside school We ran writing, music and film- making groups Young people need more qualifications and work experience We have been delivering programmes to gain young people accredited wider achievement awards and volunteering opportunities What Happened After the Last Consultation in 2022? Kintyre Youth Action Group Consultation 2024 - Page 3 Below are some examples of how the Kintyre Youth Action Group, liveArgyll Youth Work, and other partners responded following the results of the last consultation in 2022:
Page 6
Kintyre Youth Action Group Consultation 2024 - Page 4 Who Completed the Survey? The Number and Age of Respondents In 2024, 249 young people completed the Kintyre Youth Action Group consultation. This included a mixture of online and in school completion. Positively and encouragingly, this increased engagement greatly exceeded the 135 responses they received in 2022 and represents a substantial percentage of the local population between the ages of 11 and 18. A lot of thanks must go to both Campbeltown Grammar School, Tarbert Academy and their staff who greatly supported the delivery of the consultation within their school environments. There was a greater mix of age ranges this time around, with the 11 to 15 year old's being much better represented, and 12 year old's in particular being the largest representatives. This provides a contrast to the previous consultation in 2022, when 16 to 18 year old's were the highest respondents. Collectively, both consultations will therefore provide a useful snapshot of the differences between these age groups in relation to the issues and concerns they share, as well as the change they would like to see. To view both consultations, please visit the following link or scan the QR code: https://bit.ly/youth-consultations
Page 7
Kintyre Youth Action Group Consultation 2024 - Page 5 Who Completed the Survey? Location of Respondents All respondents either live in/near or go to school in either Campbeltown or Tarbert. Positively, there were a strong number of responses from both areas, with a higher number submitted from the Campbeltown area reflecting the larger population in this part of Kintyre.
Page 8
All participants responded to the question asking “what are the best things about living in Kintyre” in which they were asked to choose their top 5. ‘Spending time with friends’ (61.4%) was the most popular answer, followed by ‘natural/outdoor spaces’ (46.6%), ‘peace and quiet’ (43.4%), and ‘clubs and groups outside school’ (36.9%). ‘Feeling safe in the community’ and having a ‘friendly community’ both came next on 29.7%. These answers reflect the positives of living in a remote, but naturally beautiful and quieter area which young people often appreciate. Making use of these natural spaces and making them more accessible to young people may bring additional benefits to their overall health and wellbeing as well as their lived experiences. ‘My rights as a young person are respected’ scored 14.1% and is worth examining in more detail with the UNCRC being implemented into Scottish law as previously discussed. ‘Feeling supported’ scored only 7.2% and could be a concern. However, it could also just reflect that young people value other things to a greater degree. ‘Knowing where to go if I need help’ scored higher at 16.9%. Other suggestions provided which strengthen the apparent appreciation for the outdoors include ‘sports activities’, ‘beaches’, ‘views’, ‘freedom to roam’, and ’local agriculture’. Kintyre Youth Action Group Consultation 2024 - Page 6 A Snapshot of Youth ‘Likes’
Page 9
A Snapshot of Youth ‘Concerns’ Kintyre Youth Action Group Consultation 2024 - Page 7 In answering the question “which of the following currently affects or worries you as a young person living in Kintyre”, there were 245 responses and again young people were asked to choose the 5 which worry or affect them the most. Covid 19 was the biggest worry/issue for young people in 2022, but was removed from the options this year. The highest answer on both occasions aside from this was ‘not having enough things to do’ (36.3%), providing a persistent theme across age ranges and time. ‘Falling behind in my learning’ (33.5%) was the next biggest concern, followed by ‘mental health’ (23.7%) which was also a high scorer in the previous consultation. ‘Not keeping fit and active’ and ‘being bullied’ were once again high scorers, as they were previously. ‘Involvement in risky/criminal behaviours’ is much lower than last time, although this may again reflect the difference in ages of young people completing the survey. Although ‘none of the above’ (24.9%) was the third highest answer, this still only represents just under a quarter of young people surveyed who are not worried or affected by at least one of these
Page 10
What Young People in Kintyre Would Like to See Kintyre Youth Action Group Consultation 2024 - Page 8 issues. Other issues specifically noted by young people included increasing issues with young people ‘vaping’, ‘not getting enough sleep’ (which could be related to social media use), ‘harassment’ (likely related to bullying), and being ‘worried about failing exams.’ The question “what support would you like to see for you and other young people locally” gained 219 responses. The highest response by a clear margin was ‘more sports/outdoor educational activities’ (50.7%). Once again reflecting an appreciation for sport, as well as learning and developing outside and in different environments. This was followed by ‘more groups/activities to do on a weekend’ (30.6%), ‘learning about life skills’ (30.1%), ‘more creative arts activities’ (29.2%), ‘more social groups/activities outside of school’ (26%), ‘qualifications/training/experience to get you work ready’ (24.2%), ‘more support outside school to deal with worries and concerns’ (21.5%), ‘employability skills support’ (20.5%), and ‘more support in school to deal with worries and concerns’ (20.1%). ‘Employability skills’ was the highest answer in 2022, but dropped to seventh place this time around. Presumably due to the younger
Page 11
demographics completing the survey in 2024. However this, and ‘life skills’ did once again score quite well, with ‘life skills’ in particular coming a close third. Kintyre Youth Action Group Consultation 2024 - Page 9 Youth Action Group Analysis As they did in 2022, Kintyre Youth Action Group members assembled to take part in a focus group session where through discussion they analysed the results and key themes of the consultation. They were supported with this by their local MSYP Alasdair Paisley, who will also use the results and analysis to better represent these local youth views through his work with the Scottish Youth Parliament. Below are summaries of the discussions the young people had on these key themes. Extra Support for Young People The group discussed possible supports that young people could benefit from within, as well as outside the school environment. The group felt that more support should be available for young people who struggle to engage with the mainstream curriculum, and that more one to one support would be most beneficial for those who are falling behind in their learning. The group however acknowledged
Page 12
that reduced staffing levels makes this challenging. Nevertheless, they do feel that having more supportive spaces available would help some young people to engage more positively. They also feel that more youth groups outside of the school environment would support the wider learning and achievement of young people. Kintyre Youth Action Group Consultation 2024 - Page 10 Falling Behind with Learning The group discussed the impact that learning missed during the Covid 19 lockdown is still having as they feel that some young people have just been unable to catch up, and this is causing many to worry about falling further behind. They also feel there is too much pressure on young people to pass exams, and that both of these elements can cause increased anxiety. Knowing Where to Go When Young People Need Help and Mental Health The group identified people around them who they could go to if they needed support. However, they noted that not all young people have the same options and that it’s not always easy for young people to reach out when they need help. As such, they said it is much easier when adults who can support young people make more frequent efforts to start these conversations to make it easier for young people to open up. They also feel that having trustworthy listeners is key, and that there should more processes in place for young people to reach out with more anonymity, such as anonymous boxes in which young people can write down their concerns and share them without having to start a verbal conversation. In addition, they suggested young people would benefit from more accessible counselling services. Bullying The group noted that bullying was an issue for young people both inside and outside school. They said that young people often
Page 13
When discussing life skills, the group felt that having the opportunity to develop social skills was a key starting point. They also identified cooking skills and budgeting/money saving skills as essential skills for young people to be able to learn and develop. In relation to this, employability skills was also discussed. The group suggested that an employability focused group or club where young people who are close to leaving school/thinking about leaving school can access for support with processes such as CV creation, job searches, and interview preparation would be very useful. Life Skills and Employability experience bullying both face to face, as well as online, to often equal degrees. Peer pressure seemingly encourages other young people to get involved which exacerbates the situation, and the group feel that earlier intervention from staff and more frequent mediation would help young people who are experiencing bullying and reduce its occurrence. Social Media The group discussed the benefits that young people gain from social media, such as the socialisation, learning new things, and coming up with creative ideas. However, as discussed above there is an issue with online bullying, especially within apps where messages and other comments disappear, leaving no proof that it occurred in the first place. They also noted potential negative experiences that young people can encounter, such as ‘fake news’, ‘sexting’, and regularly viewing unrealistic lifestyles and expectations which negatively impacts on young people’s self-esteem and confidence. Kintyre Youth Action Group Consultation 2024 - Page 11 Keeping Fit and Active The group felt that keeping fit and active is essential to young people feeling confident and reducing mental health vulnerabilities. They
Page 14
noted that one reason young people don’t always keep fit and active is due to spending too much time on their phones. However, they also feel there should be more options available to young people. One suggestion included more outdoor educational experiences, such as those they gain in secondary school. They feel that more opportunity to engage in these experiences both inside and outside school would be very beneficial. They also feel that there should be more parks available to older young people, as all of the parks currently in the area are only targeted at younger children. The group also suggested that young people would benefit from more activities such as walking, running, basketball, and hockey. It was also noted by some that they felt that most sports activities currently available are male dominated, which often puts females off participating. As such, it was suggested that young females may engage more if they are offered more ‘girls only’ sports activities. Lastly, the group feel that some young people would like to engage with the local golf clubs. However, they feel it is currently hard to access for many young people and suggested targeted sessions and tuition for young people only would encourage more young people to take part. Social/Creative Activities The group feel that there should be more safe spaces for young people to socialise with their friends. They feel that having such spaces where they can safely play games and engage in other creative activities would encourage more young people to take part and spend less time hanging around on the streets. They also suggested that youth only festivals/music events and other social events would be beneficial to local young people. Other suggestions included creative arts groups where young people can take part in writing, music, film-making, crafts and other creative activities. They feel that opportunities for young people to showcase their creative talents and abilities would encourage more to participate. Kintyre Youth Action Group Consultation 2024 - Page 12
Page 15
Kintyre Youth Action Group Consultation 2024 - Page 13 Transport The group feel that it would support young people if there were later bus services so that young people can better socialise and access groups and activities, whilst also being able to travel safely. This should include routes to rural areas outside of main towns. They also think this could be further enhanced by taxi services providing female only lifts to make young females feel more comfortable using them. The Environment Litter was noted as being a particular issue in many parts of the local area. Broken glass and other hazardous materials are often found in spaces young people like to frequent which makes it difficult for young people to utilise such spaces, including parks, safely. Other Topics Discussed Vaping Finally, young people vaping is becoming an increasing issue. It was noted that this is not only an issue for young people who vape, but also those around them at the time. There is also a littering issue associated with disposable vapes being left on the ground, and a suggestion that vape bins should be provided in targeted areas so that they can be disposed of correctly. END OF DOCUMENT Thank you for taking the time to listen to the young people’s voices through this consultation. The Kintyre Youth Action Group looks forward to continuing their work to enhance and promote the youth voice in the local area and beyond. The group are keen to engage with decision makers who want to hear from young people. If you would like to get in touch, or for further details, please contact jamie.titterton@liveargyll.co.uk