Children and participation

Too often children and young people have no say in the development of services that effect them. They are often thought of as too inexperienced, unable to grasp complex issues, unrealistic in their demands and unpredictable. Their participation in decision making processes of services is often limited to the design of playgrounds.

However if we are to have services that address the many issues that effect children and young people it is essential that we hear their voice. The benefits of doing so for children include: learning about local democracy and responsibility, developing confidence, new skills and improving self esteem. For the service provider the benefits include the ability to better understand the needs of the client (i.e. the child), the provision of people centred services and the development of creative solutions. Many projects which allow this to happen have been successfully managed throughout the world, this is the story of two we have been involved with.

The Blackburn Bank Top Play Area Consultation

The local council has identified £135,000 to build a play area in the Bank Top area. Using methods from Participatory Learning and Action the young people have discussed where they play now, how they feel about the piece of land to be used for the new play area and what they would like to see in the future. One of the young people then led a consultation exercise with Years 4,5 and 6 at the local primary School using drawing to gather the opinions of over 100 children. A group of 12 young people then visited 2 Play areas in Manchester and through the use of a Polaroid camera and a coded sticker voting system identified which play equipment they would most like for their own Play area. Since their visit the group have discussed feelings attached to play (through the use of a Body map). During August 2005 they will consult with other children from the area and work closely with the design department to produce a final design in September. Watch this space for a report.

The 'We Have Rights!!!' project 2003/04

In 2003 a number of agencies in rural South Cumbria came together in an effort to ensure that local services were molded by the opinions of local children. Funding was secured through the Children's Fund and we were taken on to facilitate the work. We felt that the most effective way to hear children's voices was for children themselves to lead the investigation. Over a period of 7 months the project went through the following stages:

	Contact with head teachers, parents and local community activists.
	Drama based assemblies in 4 schools examining Children's Rights and explaining the project. Interested children invited to a follow up session.
	15 children (8-12 years old) trained in participatory research methods.
	Children chose to run their own consultation sessions in schools with our support.
	Children identified where else to run consultation sessions and did so on their own.
	Regular support sessions with children as they run their own consultations.
	Children lead collation of information gathered and identify main themes.
	Children identify the next step as the showing of the information gathered to 'important people' through the use of 'video and computer'.
	Children work with a community artist to produce a video summarising the work of the project.
	Children take the video to two local agency forums.
	The local Children's Action Group set up a sub committee to try to implement the group's recommendations.

The information gathered and a review of the process used is available in the following reports:

'We Have Rights!!!' What we found out report. October 2004

'We have Rights!!!' Process evaluation report. October 2004. (including evaluation from an independent consultant from the Open University.)

The project was recently the focus of the Oxfam supported North of England Participation network meeting on children and participation.

Blackburn Healthy Living Centre 2004

During 2004 The Bank Top HLC worked with us to train young residents (15-18 years old) to be 'youth consultants' for the area. The team of 4 is now using a number of methods (photography, song, mapping, diary charts and a large model of the area) in local schools and with youth groups to help decide what the HLC budget should be spent on.

For more information on Bank Top Healthy Living Centre click here.