Motion: Being Young Being Heard, Citizens Advice Scotland

Being Young Being Heard, Citizens Advice Scotland

Lodged by Robin Harper Standard Motion 14 supporters

The motion

That the Parliament welcomes Citizens Advice Scotland’s (CAS) most recent research report, Being Young Being Heard, outlining the impact of the recession on young people living in Scotland; commends CAS for undertaking what it considers to be this important piece of research on the problems faced by young people; notes that young people in Scotland are having to cope with serious issues such as debt and unemployment; is concerned that young people are three times more likely to be unemployed compared with the rest of the working-age population; is particularly concerned that during the recession East Lothian saw an increase of 172% in young people claiming Jobseekers Allowance, the largest increase in Scotland; is further concerned that the average debt held by young Citizens Advice Bureaux clients in Scotland is £10,000 and that these debt problems are often instigated by unemployment and in-work problems faced by young people; considers there to be an urgent need for programmes that assist young people with their problems, and would welcome new and improved policies and practices that benefit young people across Scotland.

Supporters (14)