Voices from Rural Scotland: what really matters to the people who live and work in Scotland's rural communities
This research was designed to address the following questions: ? What are the current issues of importance to people who live and work in Scotland?s rural communities? ? Why are these issues important to them? ? What are the implications for the development and implementation of rural policy at different levels in Scotland? The findings are classified according to the themes of housing, transport, population change, employment and the rural economy, environment and land management, access to services, volunteering and the voluntary sector and (finally) democracy and local governance. A literature review was undertaken on current thinking of some of the above themes and this was followed by a web-based survey of 295 respondents across Scotland. An analysis of this survey then provided an initial list of issues for exploration through focus groups discussions. Twenty organisations were also identified based on their involvement in policy making and service provision in rural areas in Scotland and interviews were subsequently held with key stakeholders. Interviewees were invited to comment on twelve structured questions and also to identify what for them are the three main issues of concern in rural Scotland today. The analysis of these interviews further informed the initial list of issues for focus group discussions.
