Getting people participating
Aim:
To think about ways young people can be involved in projects with adults.
You will need:
List of points on paper slips, extra paper and pens.
Duration:
20 minutes
Do adults listen to the opinions of young people? Do young people respect the views of adults? Adults and young people work together in many situations, such as running activities, working on projects, and attending meetings. In this activity you will consider ways to improve the relationship between adults and young people, to increase the participation of young people and make sure their voice is heard.
The leader should print off the list of points (a copy for each group) and cut them into strips, or write them out onto small slips. Ask the young people to work in small groups, to divide the slips up into which area they best fit:
- A - Running activities with adults and young people
- B - Organising joint adult/youth projects
- C - Running a formal meeting with adults and young people
- D - Evaluation and follow up of projects with young people
The groups can also add ideas of their own, and write out points again if they want to include them under more than one heading. Then they should rank them under each heading, according to which they think are the most important for helping young people to participate. There is no 'right answer'. It is the discussion and participation in the process that is most important.
List to print out:
- Prepare children and young people so that they understand what sort of process they are involved in.
- Try to make all information available in child friendly formats.
- Respect the fact that young people themselves have busy lives.
- Make sure young people understand why they are participating and have chosen to do so.
- Be clear about what decisions will be made by whom.
- Have fun! Participation doesn't have to boring. Be creative and innovative.
- Ensure that everyone gets to know and feel comfortable with each other.
- Complicated language can be a major obstacle to good communication - work out ways to deal with this.
- If you involve other adults make sure that they are properly prepared to work with children and treat them with respect.
- Adults should facilitate discussion with young people, particularly for those who may find it more difficult to express their views.
- Use different methods of facilitation, so that everyone (no matter what their experience or background), finds something with which they are familiar and/or comfortable.
- If young people are participating in an 'adult' event, make sure that the young people know what is expected of them.
- Prepare adult presenters for the fact that children will be participating and that discussions need to take account of them (eg avoid jargon).
- Make sure children know they can ask for clarification.
- Treat children as equal partners in the consultation and avoid giving them a separate or different status.
- If young people have been preparing at another time, ensure that time is made for presentation of their ideas.
- Involve the young people in the evaluation of activities.
- Ask young people: What did they like? What did they not like? What questions would they like to ask?
- At the completion of the project, share with the young people the results of the work that they have done.
- Provide practical support to ensure that young participants can feedback at the end of an event/project.