CAWTOutcomes for children project

Developing a children and young people’s engagement action plan

Thursday 20 January, 2011

Paula KeenanStrategic & Operational Advisor

Setting the scene

• Children and young people’s engagement strategy

• Today is about using your expertise and pooling your experience to develop an action plan

• A little input – a lot of working together

The Participation ‘Pie’

NICCYNI Youth Forum

Save the ChildrenPlayboard

Education and Library Board Youth groupsVOYPIC

Include YouthYouthnet

Early YearsChildren Services Planning Forums

Sixth Sense

… supports statutory agencies, local government and government departments in Northern Ireland to fulfil their duties to effectively engage children and young people in public decision making’

Consultancy

Training

Signposting

Resources

‘What we offer’

What is ‘children and young people’s participation in public decision making’?

Participation vs consultation

Consultation: asking children and young people directly about their views

Participation: children and young people sharing ideas, thinking for themselves, expressing their views effectively, planning, prioritising and being involved in the decision making process

Consultation is good ……….but participation is better!

Looking back…

• Try to remember a time from your childhood when the adults in your life were making an important decision

• Talk to the person beside you about:– Were you involved in the decision in any way?– How did you feel about being involved or not

being involved?

Why engage?

The UNCRC

“that luminous document that enshrines the rights of every child without exception to a life of dignity and self-fulfilment”

Nelson Mandela 2000

Article 12

“States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child.”

Article 12, United Nations Convention

on the Rights of the Child

Direct engagement? “When young people deliver the

message themselves, people pay more attention.”

(Community Project)

“If you want young people to be interested in community and politics,

you have to treat them with equal regard and respect as adults. To

involve them is to show the constructive role of politics.”

(MLA)

“We get institutionalized, we work within versus challenge the system. Young people are creative in terms

of how they approach issues.” (MLA)

“See young people as helping develop transport rather than see

them as people who vandalize buses.” (Department Official)

“The Program for Government talks about sustainability. The best way to do that is invest in your children and

young people.”(MLA)

“As a direct result of the involvement of young people, there has been a

reduction in age and religious barriers within our organisation.”

(District Councillor)

The benefits of engagement

Policies and services will be more relevant and more effective

Because:•They will be informed by experts – ‘insider information’

•They will address needs identified by those living with the situation you’re trying to improve

•You will have had a chance to test out ideas, be alerted to flaws an adults wouldn’t spot, get fresh ideas

You comply with requirements – children andyoung people develop citizenship skills, counter feelings of isolation / lack of belonging

WIN – WIN

ASK FIRST StandardsAppropriate methodsSupportKnowledge

FeedbackInclusionRespectSenior People Timing

Current engagements

• Public Health Agency

• DoE Road Safety Strategy

• NI Court Service – Translation services

• DEL Committee – Service provision for those Not in Employment, Education or Training

Three steps to action

WHOWhat categories of children and young people do you need to engage e.g. age, experience, background etc.

WHATWhat information do you need? e.g. views, opinions, ideas, experiences etc.

HOWWhat methods will you use to get information? e.g. surveys, new technologies, workshops etc.

Who?

• In your group divide a flip-chart in half

• On one side, record all the categories of children and young people you need to engage with

• On the other list where you can access those children and young people e.g. local organisations

What?

• On the flip-chart record what you need to know from children and young people

• Where possible write specific questions

How?Bearing in mind…

– Who you need to engage with – What agencies / organisations might help you access

children and young people – What you most need to know

List a series of actions that describe how you will get the information you need

e.g. Host a workshop with young people from XXX group to explore what they feel are the barriers to them going to school

Next Steps