Is it just apathy? Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour to understand young adults’ (18 to 35 years old) response to government efforts to increase planning participation in Singapore

Abstract

There is an increasing global trend to include and embrace community-led ideas and opinions in the process of urban planning. In Singapore, there has been a shift in recent years from top-down planning to reaching out, including initiatives to capture the younger generation's voice – yet participation among young adults has been underwhelming. Using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) this research investigates the current state of participation among young adults in Singapore to understand the response – and lack of response – to government efforts to increase planning participation with an aim to identify barriers and opportunities for improvement. Data were collected through online surveys to capture the perspective of young adults age 18-35 (n=94) and compared with face-to-face interviews with two planning authorities targeting the young adult population. Findings reveal a gap between the issues highlighted by Singapore young adults and the authorities’ perspectives. Recommendations are given to improve the younger generation's intention to participate in planning including to provide sufficient support and resources, build up trust between stakeholders, and select appropriate methods of engagement. Ultimately, young people are a critical group to engage in the community's future, and understanding their motivations – or lack thereof – can inform authorities so that outreach efforts can be tailored to instil long-term civic engagement.

Keywords

• Citizen participation
• millennials
• Theory of Planned Behaviour
• Singapore
• neighbourhood planning