Virtual
Over 500 delegates attended the 15 sessions in March 2021 to share their stories and discuss rural and island living.
The 2021vSRP was supported by Scottish Rural Network, sponsored by South of Scotland Enterprise.
Co-secretariat was provided by the Scottish Islands Federation and Scottish Rural Action. Nearly 100 organisations were involved in session curation and delivery.
We discussed
- Session 1: Young People Leading Change
- Session 2: Remote and Rural Activism
- Session 3: Democracy and Local Governance
- Session 4: Advancing Equality
- Session 5: Rural Movement
- Session 6: Rural and Island Economy
- Session 7: One Gigabit Rural & Island Scotland
- Session 8: The Use of Coastal Land and the Seabed
- Session 9: Community Led Tourism
- Session 10: Climate Change
- Session 11: Rural and Island Transport
- Session 12: Social Care
- Session 13: Good Food
- Session 14: 20 Minute Neighbourhoods
- Session 15: Rural Mental Health and Wellbeing
- The Big Panel Debate
Note: Housing
We did not deliver a dedicated Housing Session at the 2021vSRP. There was no need to because the curators – Rural Housing Scotland – had just delivered their excellent Rural Housing Summit in February 2021 and published a comprehensive Manifesto. The Scottish Rural Parliament Secretariat and curators will support these Manifesto priorities to become a reality.
Housing was also identified as one of the top five priorities by delegates attending the 2021vSRP Youth-led Session who called for:
- A better range of affordable housing that meets the needs of local young people, allowing them to stay in their community and enables other young people to move into the area.
- A process to ensure that when housing becomes available, it is offered to local people first, with priority given to young people and families.
- Housing that is environmentally friendly, leading to greener communities and lower energy bills for residents.
- A second-home tax.
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