This report presents findings from the Understanding Participation Requests: Informing User Experience, Guidance, and Legislation research project, conducted by the School of Innovation and Technology at the Glasgow School of Art from August 2023 to January 2024. Commissioned and funded by the Scottish Government to contribute to the review of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act (2015), the research aimed to enhance understandings of the impact of Part 3 of the Act, Participation Requests.

Participation Requests were introduced in 2017 as a policy mechanism
to enable people and communities to shape decisions and services that affect their lives. In response to reviews and evaluations of the legislation, the School of Innovation and Technology carried out research funded by the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland from 2020 to 2022 through Social Studios (https://socialstudios.org.uk/) that enabled communities to co-design a suite of interactive tools to enhance meaningful local decision-making in Scotland. This research builds on Social Studios by exploring opportunities to enhance the experiences of communities and organisations engaging with the Participation Request processes, the content and format of the supporting guidance, and the efficacy of the underpinning legislation.

The research was framed by phases of quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, and the visualisation and presentation of findings. Data collected from Annual Reports submitted by Public Service Authorities were quantitatively analysed to identify patterns and gaps in Participation Requests, with consideration to a range of socioeconomic and geographic factors. The research then carried out a series of eleven semi-structured interviews with fourteen representatives from Public Service Authorities and Community Participation Bodies with experience of Participation Requests. Aiming to provide in-depth insight into the implementation of Participation Requests, interview data was subsequently analysed to define key themes and insights.

The research findings highlighted challenges and opportunities surrounding Participation Requests, emphasising the importance of effective communication, inclusive engagement, and meaningful outcomes. The findings also provided insights into the distribution, evaluation, and impacts of Participation Requests, shedding light on the effectiveness and sustainability of the legislation.