News Release

New HEACS report published on strategies for engaging young adults in the historic environment

HEACS submitted its final Report and recommendations on strategies for engaging young adults in the historic environment (PDF file size 270K) to the Scottish Ministers on 26 May 2009. This was one of four priority issues on which the Scottish Ministers asked HEACS for advice during its second term (2006-2009).

In Scotland we have an annual cohort of around 50,000 young Scots in the 16-24 age group at any one time. A lot happens between the ages of 16 and 24. In terms of the life cycle, a young adults can be simultaneously, or in quick succession, dependent child, student, employee, parent and carer. Any strategies need to enable flexible approaches and opportunities for career and personal development.

Although an unusual topic for HEACS, this proved an interesting and very fruitful issue to investigate. HEACS believes it is important to engage young adults in the historic environment. The final report sets out why engaging young adults matters, examines the challenges facing the sector in this area, and recommends a series of strategies under these headings:

• Focus on the needs and interests of young adults;
• Raise the capacity of the historic environment sector;
• Value the historic environment in secondary education;
• Improve collaboration with further and higher education;
• Increase skills training and job experience opportunities;
• Develop young adults as volunteers;
• Map and communicate educational and career opportunities; and
• Engage locally - the role of local authorities.

As part of this work, HEACS commissioned Applejuice Consultants to identify case studies of a wide range of projects from the UK, Europe and North America which have successfully engaged young adults in the historic environment. This report, Case studies of projects engaging young adults (PDF file size 1.0M), was also submitted to the Scottish Ministers.

Liz Burns, Chair of HEACS, said: 'We believe these reports will be very useful to the historic environment sector in Scotland. We hope our work will help the sector to recognise the importance of engaging young adults in the historic environment and to focus more on the needs and interests of 16-24 year olds. We look forward to receiving the Minister's response in due course'.

HEACS and the Young Adults Working Group would like to thank the many individuals and organisations, both in the sector and working directly with young adults, that contributed to this work.

Comments on the report would be very welcome and should be sent to the HEACS Secretariat: heacs@scotland.gsi.gov.uk.