What you say our places are like
Dorset is a great place to live and grow – over half the county is an area of outstanding natural beauty. The mix of coastal, urban and rural areas offers variety in both the landscape and activities that can support health and wellbeing.
Our town centres are places to connect and be part of a community. People want to feel proud to live there, to be part of the history of the place, and to celebrate its specific culture.
Dorset has almost 100 miles of coastline, including England’s only natural World Heritage site, the Jurassic Coast. We also have rolling downs and woodland – Dorset is full of places to get out into nature and explore.
While beautiful, our rural areas have several challenges. Young people are particularly affected, with access to transport one of the main barriers stopping them from taking part in social activities or using support services.
“For young people who live rurally, their location is an added barrier to accessing health and care services. They could not access support without their parent’s knowledge or without their parent being present, because their parent had to provide transport.”
—
Healthwatch Dorset Young Listener Project
Youth voices
The VoiceX survey aimed to capture the voices of young people across the county to explore what it’s like living and growing up in Dorset. 371 young people took part in the survey.
Top three barriers preventing young people from using clubs, groups and support:
Not knowing other people taking part
Money
Transport
of young people take an active role in their community
of young people feel they belong in their community
of young people feel they are taken seriously
Youth voices
The VoiceX survey aimed to capture the voices of young people across the county to explore what it’s like living and growing up in Dorset. 371 young people took part in the survey.
Top three barriers preventing young people from using clubs, groups and support:
Not knowing other people taking part
Money
Transport
of young people take an active role in their community
of young people feel they belong in their community
of young people feel they are taken seriously
