This is a newly created opportunity for individuals and local groups to be involved in the democratic process and to contribute to how society is shaped in the future.
This is the outcome of time spent with adults in Glasgow who had not voted in the Scottish Independence Referendum, the General Election or the Remain/Leave EU Referendum.
The overall aim of the project is to promote active participation in democracy.
The main objectives are to:
- give a better understanding of the Scottish and UK voting systems
- raise awareness of the difference in responsibilities of the Scottish and UK Governments
- increase the number of people registered to vote and to encourage more people to vote
- build confidence in being able to vote
- introduce the history of democracy in Scotland
- promote the valuable contribution people can make to their communities
Target groups:
- hard-to-engage groups
- individuals who do not engage in the democratic process of voting
- groups who are socially excluded
The main objectives are to:
- give a better understanding of the Scottish and UK voting systems
- raise awareness of the difference in responsibilities of the Scottish and UK Governments
- increase the number of people registered to vote and to encourage more people to vote
- build confidence in being able to vote
- introduce the history of democracy in Scotland
- promote the valuable contribution people can make to their communities
Target groups:
- hard-to-engage groups
- individuals who do not engage in the democratic process of voting
- groups who are socially excluded
The programme includes: 6x 2hr sessions, using drama as a tool to engage the participants.
The six sessions are designed around the six main objectives with the intention of achieving the project’s aim of promoting active citizenship.
The programme will include a brief history of democracy in Scotland and the UK. Drama activities will be used to explore the issue of injustice and relate it to the conditions of who could and who could not vote in the 18th Century. This will touch on the work of the Scottish political reformer Thomas Muir. It will then look at the rights of women and their right to vote in the early 20th Century. The sessions will then explore what devolved and reserved powers are and what they mean. There will be a session on the media (both social and mainstream) and its influence and how to go about finding impartial information that will inform decision-making.
Finally, the six-week programme will end by looking at the individual’s rights and responsibilities as a citizen and will explore active participation in local and national democracy and what the consequences are of inactivity.
The facilitators will monitor any progress on attitudes, understanding and behaviour with a pre and post project questionnaire to measure and compare any progress.
Hosting projects will be expected to support individuals to register to vote if they choose.
Feedback:
“I always believed what was on the telly news or in the papers but beginning to see how the facts can be used rightly or wrongly to suit the politicians and not the punters.” Participant
“I think I’ll vote the next time – feeling I understand a bit more about it being important to do it, because before I thought my vote didn’t count.” Participant