The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)

Young educated ‘more engaged’ with indy debate

Large increase in democratic engagement by Scots in last six years

- Mark mclaughlin

More young and highly-educated people publicly engaged with the Scottish independen­ce debate than older people or those with fewer qualificat­ions, a survey has found.

There has been a large rise in democratic engagement in the last six years and the independen­ce referendum was a big factor, new analysis from the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey found.

Nearly 70% did at least one activity to register what they thought about an issue in 2015 – up from 55% in 2009 – and nearly a third (31%) of people who registered their views did so in connection with the independen­ce debate.

Younger people were more likely to have taken part in a referendum-related activity, with 44% of 18 to 29-year-olds engaging compared with 26% of those aged 65 or over.

Those with degrees or highers were also more likely to have engaged in at least one referendum-related activity (34%) compared with 23% of those with standard grades or no formal qualificat­ions.

A majority of Scots believe they have the power to instigate changes in their local area.

Over three-fifths (61%) of Scots agreed that people in their area are able to find ways to improve things locally when they want, data from the survey shows.

Just 11% disagreed while around a quarter were on the fence, the new analysis of 2015 data found.

An overwhelmi­ng majority (96%) think that local people should be involved in decisions about the design and delivery of their public services.

Over a third (35%) of people had either volunteere­d at, or help set up, a local community organisati­on.

70% completed at least one activity to register an opinion on an issue in 2015, up from 55% in 2009

31% of those who registered their views did so in connection with the independen­ce debate

44% of 18-29 year-olds engaged regarding the referendum, compared with 26% of those aged 65 or over

61% of Scots believe that people in their areas are able to find ways to improve things locally.

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