Social housing sector: Youth engagement

3. Key messages

A demographic that is often under-represented in tenant participation and engagement practices is young tenants, and establishing meaningful opportunities to increase youth engagement in housing and wider community services remains an ongoing challenge.

Whilst the Scottish social housing landscape rapidly changes, and new challenges arise, it is more important than ever before that housing organisations provide a platform for young tenants to play an active role in shaping their communities; to give their views and ideas and influence service delivery, and to support them to develop skills, knowledge and reach their full potential in order to participate confidently in meaningful youth engagement activities.

Key findings from this study highlight a number of barriers that affect to the success of youth engagement, including: housing organisations not always being fully aware of the number of young tenants living within their properties; a lack of understanding of the priorities of young tenants; and an insufficient range of participation options designed specifically for young tenants. Equally, young tenants are not always aware of wider opportunities to engage; or do not always understand what tenant participation is, why it is relevant, or what its benefits are.

The Covid-19 pandemic significantly changed the way that housing organisations engage with their communities. Traditional methods of involvement were enriched by new technologies, innovative practices and online communication tools to ensure communities stayed connected. This digital transformation naturally broadened the reach of engagement by offering more flexible choices to participate – and provided an opportunity to nurture key learning points in embracing the voice of young tenants now and in the future.

Communities flourish when multi-generational influence is considered. Participation at all ages supports community cohesion, social inclusion and promotes equality. Young people specifically bring a unique perspective, in-depth local knowledge, fresh ideas and creativity when they have a stake in their local areas.

It is critical that young tenants have a platform to voice the priorities that matter most to them, in a way that they enjoy and feel comfortable with.