Consultation on young people’s democratic engagement – deadline: 12th September 2025

The Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) and Young Scot are working together to increase young people’s democratic engagement and better support young people in Scotland to access, understand and engage with political information.

I’m writing to you to let you know how you can support the young people you work with to have their views heard through this piece of work.

Background

Young people in Scotland can vote from the age of 16 in Scottish Parliament and local government elections, and the UK Government recently announced plans to extend this right to all UK elections too.

As digital media continues to influence how young people consume information, it is more important than ever to understand how they form political views and make decisions.

In response, SYP and Young Scot are working together to better understand how young people access news, information and political content. They are exploring what politics means to young people today, and how this shapes their understanding of key issues, influences their choices, and affects their participation in local and national democracy.

‘How You Stay Informed & What You Think About Politics’

As part of this work, they have jointly developed a national online survey to gather insights from 11 to 25-year-olds who live in Scotland. The survey explores where young people access information, how they engage with politics and what influences their thinking. The findings from this survey, along with wider engagement activity, will inform the design and delivery of future programmes and resources.

We are particularly keen to hear from young people with diverse backgrounds, including care-experienced young people, young carers, those from rural or island communities, and young people who do not feel represented in politics.

Why This Matters

Understanding how young people understand politics and access and engage with political information helps ensure they are equipped to take part in democracy confidently and meaningfully. With misinformation and disinformation on the rise, it is vital that support for political literacy keeps pace with how young people consume content online.

How You Can Help

If you work with young people, we would appreciate your support in sharing the survey. You can:

• Include the link in newsletters or emails
• Share it on your social media channels
• Promote it during sessions or classes

Contact

SYP and Young Scot welcome opportunities to collaborate with stakeholders across education, youth work, policy and media to deliver this important work. If you have any questions or would like to discuss this, please contact:

• Rosy Burgess, Scottish Youth Parliament – rosy.b@syp.org.uk
• Reid Aiton, Young Scot – reida@young.scot

Thank you for taking the time to consider this opportunity.