In 2020, the David Hume Institute held conversations with people around Scotland. Over 4,500 people contributed to the research from all ages and backgrounds. As well as trusted partner organisations in local communities we worked with the Children’s Parliament, The Scottish Youth Parliament and U3A to ensure we reached a diverse range of participants.
Three priorities came up consistently in the research and people saw the priorities as interlinked;
- Be actively kind, considerate and connected in all aspects of your life
- Take more and faster action to support the nature and the environment, including through tackling climate change
- Make conscious choices with money
The research conversations were also supported by a commissioned ScotPulse population survey to investigate what effect the Covid-19 pandemic had on people’s thoughts and willingness to take action in their own lives.
The ScotPulse survey found:
3 in 4 people (77%) were helping neighbours
7 in 10 people (71%) received help from their families and friends
7 in 10 people (68%) people gave to charity
1 in 10 people say they are going to start volunteering in the local community
1 in 12 people say they are going to get to know their neighbours better
1 in 20 intend to give more to charity
3 in 4 people (equivalent to around 3.37 million adults in Scotland) were helping neighbours
7 in 10 people (equivalent to almost 3 million adults in Scotland) gave to charity
1 in 10 people (equivalent to more than nearly 0.5 million adults in Scotland) intend to shop locally and support local businesses
4 in 10 people - equivalent to nearly 1.6 million adults in Scotland spent more time outside in nature
6 in 10 people - equivalent to more than 2.5 million adults in Scotland intend to spend more time outside
1 in 4 people - equivalent to 1.1 million adults in Scotland intend to walk or cycle more
David Hume Institute, coworking@CodeBase, 3 Lady Lawson Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9DR
Registered Charity Number SC009579
