Copy of Agency Standards 02

8/14/2019 Copy of Agency Standards 02

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BUILDING CHILD AND YOUTH AGENCY



Child and Youth Agency

Provide keyProvide key

informationinformation

Provide practicalProvide practicalguidanceguidance

Improve knowledge andImprove knowledge andskillsskills

PURPOSE OF THE MANUAL




CCF Staff CCF Staff

CommunityCommunityLeaders andLeaders andAdultsAdults

Children andChildren andYouthYouth

AUDIENCE




OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION

I. The Importance of Child and Youth Agency

II. Creating an Enabling Environment for Child and

Youth Agency

III. Enabling Children and Youth Reflections on Child

Poverty

IV. Translating Children’s Ideas into Program Design

V. Developing Budgets with Children and Youth

VI. The Child’s Role in Implementing and Monitoring




The Importance of Child andThe Importance of Child andYouth AgencyYouth Agency

Deprivation

ExclusionVulnerability

CCF’s Children and Poverty Study




FROMFROM Risks or deficitsRisks or deficits Youth as objectsYouth as objects

of programsof programs

Focus on aFocus on aspecialized groupsspecialized groupsof youthof youth

Concentration onConcentration onearly childhoodearly childhood

ServicesServices for for youngyoungpeoplepeople ProgramsPrograms Controlling orControlling or

directingdirecting

LEADING ROLE OF CHILDREN AND

YOUTHTO

Strengths Youth as actors in

building their own

assets Recognizing all youth Development across

the first 2 decades of life

Engagement with young people

Programs +Relationships

Unleashing




focuses on the ‘capacity, condition or state of focuses on the ‘capacity, condition or state of acting or of exerting power’acting or of exerting power’

refers to process in which infant, child or youthrefers to process in which infant, child or youthis an initiating or willful force that drivesis an initiating or willful force that drivesexperience and his/her own developmentexperience and his/her own development

AGENCY




All children under the age of 18 years have equal rightsAll children under the age of 18 years have equal rightsto:to:

express their opinion and participate in decisionsexpress their opinion and participate in decisionsaffecting them (article 12)affecting them (article 12)

express their views through a medium of their choiceexpress their views through a medium of their choice(article 13)(article 13)

freedom of thought, conscience and religion (articlefreedom of thought, conscience and religion (article14)14)

form their own associations (article 15)form their own associations (article 15) access information (article 17)access information (article 17)

education for responsible life (article 29)education for responsible life (article 29)

play (article 31)play (article 31)

UNCRC: Children’s Rights toParticipation




DEVELOPMENTAL DOMAINS

Cognitive Physical

Social Emotional

EPOCHS




Engaging—its funEngaging—its fun

There are choices in terms of what to get involved inThere are choices in terms of what to get involved in

Age appropriateAge appropriate

Allows young people to stay involved as they get olderAllows young people to stay involved as they get older

Allows for contributions and decision makingAllows for contributions and decision making

Caring and trusting relationships in safe and secureCaring and trusting relationships in safe and secureenvironmentenvironment

High expectationsHigh expectations

WHAT’S A QUALITY PROGRAM?




Voice

RelationshipsParticipation

ChildDevelopment

ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITYPROGRAMMING




Ensuring that children and youth are listened to,Ensuring that children and youth are listened to,and have meaningful and regular opportunities toand have meaningful and regular opportunities tocontributecontribute

Institutionalizing the voice of young peopleInstitutionalizing the voice of young peoplethrough the formation of Child & Youththrough the formation of Child & YouthAssociationsAssociations

Providing opportunities for children and youth toProviding opportunities for children and youth tobe directly responsible for implementingbe directly responsible for implementingprograms they care aboutprograms they care about

Organizing child centered spaces, children’sOrganizing child centered spaces, children’sclubs, and other type of like-minded programsclubs, and other type of like-minded programs

IMPLICATIONS FOR CCF






What are common things adults say or do to young

people, which may discourage, or make it

difficult for them to participate in activities or

decisions?

When is a time you have felt discouraged by an adult

to participate (e.g., share your ideas, raise your

voice or take part in an activity or decision)?

What did they do or say to make you feel this

way?




Bobo! Tanga!Tumahimik ka na lang

Wala kang nagawaEwan ko lang kung

magagawa mo yan

Teen Purged ka na,

Bakit officer ka pa?

Terminated ka na haPang matanda lang ito,

Wag kayong makikialam




Bata ka lang, sure ba na

Ikaw ang gumawa nyan?

Bata ka lang wala kang

Karapatan sumali sa usapan

Tumahimik ka

Disabled ka namanHindi mo kaya yan

Dahil bata ka pa

Buhay ka ngayongMay DFC ka?

Pupunta ka lang

Dito pag may DFC ka?

Mali yan! Saka na

Yan! Ganun ba

Yan!




collecting

information

ensuring that the

‘VOICE’

of children

remains acentral part of a

community

development

program

KEY CHALLENGES




How can we be more sensitive to the

evolving needs of children?

KEY CHALLENGES

Through the prioritization of responses based on

frequency of responses there is a risk that

information about the evolving needs of children

will be lumped together and this specificityessential for understanding appropriate

interventions for various age-groups will be lost.




How can children’s ideas be betterHow can children’s ideas be better

represented in the ASP/DIP?represented in the ASP/DIP?

KEY CHALLENGES

Information gathered is not carefully documented

and is lost during discussions of ideas from many

groups – with the more numerous opinions from

adults winning out and children’s ideas synthesized

out of the discussion.




How can methods need to better identifyHow can methods need to better identify

the needs of the “invisible” children?the needs of the “invisible” children?

KEY CHALLENGES

Because there is a tendency to search for the

greatest need, nuanced differences between

children are missed.




PREPARING FOR MEANINGFULPARTICIPATION

OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH

Listen to girls and boys of different ages and

abilities

Understand their experiences and understanding

of child poverty, and their ideas to improve their

own well-being and the situation of their

communities

Value and build upon children’s perspectives when

developing strategies to address child poverty




Involve young people at all stages of program

development,

including planning, implementation and evaluationEnsure young people have clear roles and

responsibilities within the organization

Give young people opportunities to represent the

organization externally

Honor young people’s decision to say no to projects,

opportunities, or responsibilities for which they do not

feel prepared, and work in partnership with them to

identify what skills and support they need to take on

new responsibilities

ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR

ENSURING

MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION OF CHILDRENAND YOUTH




Involving young people may meanInvolving young people may mean

adjusting expectations and guidelinesadjusting expectations and guidelines

in order to meet the needs of childrenin order to meet the needs of children

and youth. Projects that are of interestand youth. Projects that are of interest

to children should be designed withto children should be designed with

much shorter timeframes in mind.much shorter timeframes in mind.




Children’s capacity to make and understandChildren’s capacity to make and understand

decisions develops as they grow up. Children mustdecisions develops as they grow up. Children must

have the opportunity to express views and makehave the opportunity to express views and makechoices in a way that is appropriate to theirchoices in a way that is appropriate to their

understanding.understanding.




Some groups of children who may requireSome groups of children who may require

special outreach include:special outreach include:

Disabled childrenDisabled children Out of school childrenOut of school children

OrphansOrphans

Girls who have many householdGirls who have many household

responsibilities and are not given much timeresponsibilities and are not given much time

away from the homeaway from the home Minority childrenMinority children

Children from very poor familiesChildren from very poor families




Creating an Enabling

Environment for

Children and Youth

Children and Youth Associations

and building competencies




• To voice out issues and concerns• To strengthen children and youth participation in

social reform• To hear children’s voice

• To build capacity of children and youth• To get the children’s/youth’s perspective in

community development programs and involve their

ideas in decision making processes• To develop talents and skills

• To assess children/youth needs and plans• To develop leaders for social transformation• To uphold children’s right to participate• To promote camaraderie• For children and youth’s holistic development

What has been the purpose of

C/Y involvement?




- provide an opportunity to build ‘agency’ through theprovide an opportunity to build ‘agency’ through thevariety of roles that these structures playvariety of roles that these structures play

- engage in community consultation, planning, programengage in community consultation, planning, program

design, monitoring, implementation and evaluationdesign, monitoring, implementation and evaluation

As a result they have the opportunity to develop theAs a result they have the opportunity to develop thefollowing skills:following skills:

ability to communicate with their peers, youngerability to communicate with their peers, youngerchildren, adults, government representatives, youthchildren, adults, government representatives, youthorganizations and other agenciesorganizations and other agencies

active listeningactive listening reporting and recordingreporting and recording community researchcommunity research project planningproject planning

CHILDREN AND YOUTH ASSOCIATIONS




-

SPIDER TOOL ASSESSMENT

to help children assess their own initiatives andorganizations according to a number of coredimensions (Key Quality Elements)

to assess what they are trying to achieve, whatthey feel they are good at and areas they feelshould be improved

to reflect upon the learning process that

children, young people and adults go through asthey work together on collective initiatives

use their assessments to plan changes andaction to improve their organization and theircollective efforts




To see and assess whether they have (or areTo see and assess whether they have (or areasserting) more controlasserting) more control

To reflect on why some groups function better thanTo reflect on why some groups function better than

others and the criteria used to assess thisothers and the criteria used to assess this

To reflect on the conditions and processes needed toTo reflect on the conditions and processes needed todevelop and strengthen child led initiatives anddevelop and strengthen child led initiatives andorganizationsorganizations

To identify, record and act upon the support,To identify, record and act upon the support,capacity building and other needs that emerge fromcapacity building and other needs that emerge fromchildren’s assessment of their organizationschildren’s assessment of their organizations

REFLECTION FOR ADULTS -




Involves participants working together to assessInvolves participants working together to assessthe strength of the organization according to athe strength of the organization according to anumber of core dimensions (Key Qualitynumber of core dimensions (Key QualityElements).Elements).

The results of the assessment are transferred toThe results of the assessment are transferred toa spider web diagram that illustrates how thea spider web diagram that illustrates how theparticipants see the organization. This helps toparticipants see the organization. This helps tofocus the participants on the areas that need tofocus the participants on the areas that need tobe addressed.be addressed.

The assessment sets the ground forThe assessment sets the ground fororganizational change.organizational change.

PROCESS




KEY QUALITY ELEMENTS

INDIVIDUALS

Relationships withYoung People

Adults and the

External World




Agenda setting: child/youth led (ratherAgenda setting: child/youth led (rather

than adult driven)than adult driven)

Access to information and openAccess to information and open

communicationcommunication

Supportive adultsSupportive adults

Partnerships and influencePartnerships and influence Networks with other CA/YANetworks with other CA/YA

ADULTS AND THE EXTERNAL WORLD






Fostering life skills

Children/youth aware and active in

promoting their rights and responsibilities

Analysis, action and change oriented

INDIVIDUALS







Translating Children’s Ideas intoTranslating Children’s Ideas into

Program DesignProgram Design

Children’s ideas often get overtaken by adult

ideas because more adults are usually consulted

during planning than children and because adults

tend to be the strongest voices during the

program design

Children’s ideas often get sifted out due to a

sense of having to choose programs that aremore directly related to health, education or

livelihood whereas issues that children bring up

sometimes are more related to safety,

protection and nurturing

h ld d h




Project PlanningProject Planning

Project Focus

Project Length

Project Design

Project Management, Implementation

Child d h A




Project FocusProject Focus

may or may not directly relate to materialpoverty in the same way that adult oriented

projects do but will likely address issues such

as vulnerability and exclusion

Project LengthProject Lengtha project meant to be designed or led by children

and youth should be limited to 6 – 12 months

CCF recognizes that this means that children

and youth will not necessarily develop oneproject over a 3 year period and is committed to

setting aside funds over the three year period to

allow for flexibility from one year to the next

through a block budget

Child d Y h A




Project DesignProject Design

• Projects designed by children and youth should

be readily understandable to a variety of ages

• Partners are important but should not overtake

the natural enthusiasm of children

• The implementation plan should be developed

in a way that most young people involved can

easily understand

• If staff need to put the project design into a

framework for the sake of consistency or in orderto pursue outside funds, this revised document

should not replace the ones that is more simple

and child friendly

Child d Y h A




Budgeting with Children andBudgeting with Children andYouthYouth

while the funds that went into

the projects ultimatelybenefited children in many

cases, children and youth were

not involved in the process of

choosing and designing projects

Child d Y th A




Ensuring Funding is Available toEnsuring Funding is Available to

Support ChildSupport Childand Youth-Led Programsand Youth-Led Programs

CCF is recommending that at least 10% of projects

developed are those that are proposed by childrenand youth and that respond to their interests

CCF is recommending that at least 10% of funds

are also allocated to child and youth-led

initiatives, that is, projects that are designed anddeveloped BY children and youth, not programs

that are designed and developed FOR youth

Child d Y th A




Ensuring Funding is Available toEnsuring Funding is Available to

Support ChildSupport Childand Youth-Led Programsand Youth-Led Programs

CCF has learned that without the funding

commitment, the ideas of children and

youth are often left out of final program

plans and as a result, children and youth

become discouraged about their part inthe planning process.

Child d Y th A




C/Y at the Center of Programming

• Establishment of child and youth-led

governance structures such as child and youth

associations

• Dedication of staff and resources to build

capacity across CCF to support the increased

leading role of children and youth in CCF

programs

• Development of Standards to guide the

promotion of child and youth agency

Child d Y th A




Standards of Practice

description of the ideal

practices which will

ensure that children andyouth will have a leading

role in CCF’s programs

and will ensure that staff

will have the tools tosupport children and

youth in that leading

role

Child d Y th A




Resources are sufficient to support child andResources are sufficient to support child andyouth agency/child and youth ledyouth agency/child and youth ledprogramming.programming.

Children and youth are informing programChildren and youth are informing programassessment, planning, implementation andassessment, planning, implementation andevaluation.evaluation.

Children have opportunities to exercise andChildren have opportunities to exercise andadvocate on their own behalf.advocate on their own behalf.

Children are implementing programs of interestChildren are implementing programs of interestto them with adult support.to them with adult support.

CCF and partner staff value, respect and useCCF and partner staff value, respect and usechildren’s ideas and views for programchildren’s ideas and views for programdevelopment.development.

CCF Standards for Child and

Youth Agency

Child d Y th Ag




Relevant, appropriate and continuous training of Relevant, appropriate and continuous training of key stakeholders (staff, community leaders,key stakeholders (staff, community leaders,parents, teachers, health workers, religiousparents, teachers, health workers, religious

leaders, etc.) on child and youth agencyleaders, etc.) on child and youth agencyCCF national offices, area offices and projectsCCF national offices, area offices and projects

partnering with youth developmentpartnering with youth developmentorganizationsorganizations

CCF and partners demonstrate a sharedCCF and partners demonstrate a shared

understanding of child and youth agency.understanding of child and youth agency.Policies developed and implemented by CCF.Policies developed and implemented by CCF.

Participation promotes the safety and protection of Participation promotes the safety and protection of children and youth.children and youth.

CCF Standards for Child and

Youth Agency

Documents

Copy of Agency Standards 02