Fairer Scotland – Background Tackling Inequalities one of the Government’s main priorities - It goes hand in hand with building strong sustainable economy It is about providing power to people and their communities and it is in that spirit that we have taken a different approach with Fairer Scotland. We are putting into practice democratic renewal – reducing the distance between citizens and civil servants – this approach is starting to yield important insights and results It is a long term aspiration – developing an understanding of what a Fairer Scotland might look like by 2030

Creating a Fairer Scotland – What Matters to You?

What was our vision ? Launched the discussion paper in June 2015. Vision – By 2030 Scotland is a place where people are healthier, happier and treated with respect and where opportunities, wealth and power are spread more equally. Engaging with the people of Scotland with lived experience.

Our Engagement When we launched Fairer Scotland in June 2015, our intention was to speak to as many people as possible…through events, online and in person…to hear first-hand the issues that matter to you and how we can become a Fairer Scotland by 2030. Since then, over 7000 have taken part in public events and locally organised discussions. Even more have engaged online, with the number of visitors to our social media platforms edging towards 17,500.  At the very outset of this journey, we committed to having an open and transparent discussion and to ensure that everyone’s voice was listened to and heard. We have been working hard over the past few months to ensure that this has happened, reaching out to a wide cross-section of society, and covering many areas of the country, from Stornoway to Dumfries and everywhere in between.

The Process Everyone’s voice was equally important and every contribution was treated in exactly the same way – no matter where it came from. - a postcard, a video, an email, a written summary of your event or a comment on social media. However you got in contact, we gave the feedback the same attention.   We categorised each piece of communication received into a broad range of topics, from taxation to transport, equalities to education, and housing to health. In summarising the wealth of information received, we identified five core themes

Key Themes The key themes emerging from across the country have been: Work and Living standards Homes and Communities Early years, education and heath Community participation and public services Equality and social cohesion

Emerging Themes for Rural Communities Education – Ensuring young people can access the right education opportunities Income and employment – (Higher wages for those living in rural/island communities) Housing affordability Fuel Poverty People and Communities (Identity) Economy – Higher Costs Culture Transport Connectivity Isolation Ageing Population

So where are we now - Story so Far…   While we love the idea of the whole country talking about fairer Scotland, we appreciate that not everyone did! Therefore, it’s important to be clear that this is snapshot of views. We’ve received so much information that we need some time to give careful consideration to all views and what this means for policy. We also need to consider wider evidence on all of the issues raised  Internal engagement across Government including with the Rural team.

Next Steps … March 2016 – Update from the Cabinet Secretary on What we Have Heard Later in the Year – Social Justice Plan Team Scotland approach across Scotland Looking for systemic change for all of Scotland and its citizens – what I do, who I have been out meeting – give an example of my week to show the breadth and scope of the conversation