New research report looks at political understanding of young people in Wales

A report, based on one of The Open University's (OU) Open Societal Challenges, shows that young people in Wales are more likely to be dissatisfied with democracy and less likely to participate in formal politics.

The research follows the OU’s Changemakers project, which worked with Welsh people aged 16-24 to find out what they know about UK political institutions and how to bring about social change.

Other research findings showed that Welsh young people felt more confident about their ability to influence change through the Welsh parliament compared to the UK parliament, but that many lack the knowledge on how to bring about that change.

Several of the young people surveyed also said they rely mainly on social media for information on political and social issues. Many also feel better able to make social change outside of parliaments – for example through local campaigning, raising awareness of an issue, or setting up a petition.

Report recommendations include increasing the focus on political education in UK school curriculums, and providing education on citizenship to adults.

The team behind the research have also produced Changemakers, a website for young people which gives practical advice on how to take action on issues which matter to them. It also includes information on the UK parliament, the Senedd and local councils, explaining which of these is responsible for various policy areas.

Dr Donna Smith, Senior Lecturer in Politics at the OU, and lead author of the report said: “The pace of change in politics, technology and the media is more rapid than ever. While this is exciting, it can sometimes feel hard to keep up, and many people may feel disempowered if they think that decisions are being made without them. Our research emphasised that young people are more likely to feel this way about politics, and less likely to vote or join a political party.

“The Changemakers project was all about finding out what young people knew about politics, and what they understood about their own ability to make change. It’s important that all of us who are interested in our democratic process support young people to find out about citizenship in a way that suits them, so that they feel more able to change the things they care about.”