Youth Participation Training

Youth Participation is the practice of actively involving young people in organisations that work to and for children and young people.
About this Event

Youth Participation is the practice of actively involving young people in organisations that work to and for children and young people in decisions that affect their lives. It is a rights-based approach that moves beyond just consultation, positioning young people as active partners and co-creators in our work. This means ensuring that young people perspectives are not just heard but are integrated into governance, design, delivery and evaluation of services.

In our training which is delivered by our Youth Participation Manager we will break down and cover the following elements to best practice when related to youth participation.

Core elements of our Participation Training

• Agency and Choice: Young people must engage voluntarily. Participation shouldn’t be a recruitment, but a choice motivated by their own interests and goals.
• Decision-Making Power: It moves beyond one off "consultation." Young people should have a seat at the table where the final vote or decision happens, not just provide feedback that might be ignored.
• Information and Transparency: For participation to be meaningful, young people need access to the same data, budgets, and context as adults. You can’t participate effectively if you’re kept in the dark on elements that affect them.
• Inclusivity and Equity: Ensuring that participation isn't limited to the "usual suspects." It must intentionally reach out to marginalised or underrepresented groups to ensure a diversity of lived experiences.
• Capacity Building: Providing the tools, support, and training (like public speaking or budget analysis, Comms and structured leadership opportunities) so that young people feel equipped into early adulthood.
• Accountability: There must be a feedback loop. Providing young people, a clear path on what happens with their input is vital in ensuring young people feel heard and seen.

In addition we will cover two framework models that you can meaningful embed into your practice following the session.