‘Learning Lessons’: young people’s views on poverty and education in Scotland

Date: 13th June 2014
Category: Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities

A new report sets out the key messages from a study to examine young people's views on how to better support young people experiencing poverty to achieve at school and in life.

It reports on the views of nearly a thousand young people - aged between 11 and 18 - on how poverty affects children and young people's experiences of education and learning - both in and out of school - in Scotland. It also identifies young people's views on what would help young people living in poverty to gain the most from their education and learning.

The main findings of the report include:

• Young people thought that having an education, a home, their basic needs met and a supportive family were essential to doing well in life.
• Not having enough money to pay for essential items such as school equipment and uniforms was seen to disadvantage young people living in poverty.
• Young people thought that a supportive home environment was essential to their education.
• Young people had educational aspirations post-school, with most wanting to go to college or university.

Access to an education that fulfils young people's potential is a human right, as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

• Download a copy of the 'Learning Lessons' report here.