Workforce Development
19th June 2013
‘Participation is a process where someone influences decisions about their
lives and this leads to change’. Treseder, P (1997)
The Health Action Group see participation as; ‘a process of involving
children and young people so they can influence decisions and this leads
to change. The change may be in their lives, the service, the organisation
or the local community. It is more than just listening to views. It is about
actively supporting children and young people to have their say and
become involved in planning, delivery and evaluation from the beginning
to the end.
Update on Active Participation
Action Plan
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Lancashire Participation Network (LPN)
Quality Assurance – pilot in August
Young Inspectors- Peer Review
How to engage children and young people in commissioning
Commissioning; Core Offer, Participation Service, Edge of Care
Strategy development; Missing from home, Improving Futures
Consultations; Lancashire Sport, Constabulary
Takeover 2012
Supporting and working with district children and young
people’s Trust
Updateworkforce development
• Employee briefing
• Manager briefings
• E-learning module - Provide a relevant and interesting session
for colleagues across the Children's Trust to enable them to
better understand their role in ensuring that children and
young people's opinions in Lancashire are taken into account
when decisions are made about their lives. Developed in
partnership with young people.
• Engaging children and young people in
strategy groups;
We should be concerned with active
participation in decision making in;
• Individual decision making- individuals making choices about what to
wear, when to eat, how to spend their time, and making decision about
their care, support, family, education
• Decisions in group settings- individuals and groups of children and young
people being involved in group decisions- schools, children's homes, after
school clubs, hospitals, secure units, drop ins
• Influencing policy and service development- individuals and groups being
involved in decisions relating to policy and service development and local
and national level
• Involvement in organisational governance and change- involvement in
strategic decision making from introducing new services and programmes,
to staff selection and management, to evlauation of services and
programmes, to participation in management boards, and so on
• Political participation- as change agents, contributing actively to the
legislative process, local and national democracy and broader social
change
Fundamental beliefs regarding
participation
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Children and young people have equal worth to adults
All children and young people are experts in their own lives
Children and young people have the right to be involved in all decisions making
that affects their lives
Children and young people’s participation in decision making is key to improving
their well being
Participation is about making everyday choices as well as seeking to influence
wider public decision making and social change
Everyone who works with children and young people has a responsibility to
encourage and support their active involvement in decision making
A commitment to children's human rights is key to achievement improved
outcomes for children and young people
Approaches to participation
From Phil Treseder (1997)
Empowering Children and Young People
Approaches to participation
• The benefit to this model is that it recognises that different projects ,
services or situations within the same organisations may lend themselves
to one or the other of these approaches AND that’s Ok. For example it
may not always be possible for children and young people to lead the
whole organisation although hopefully, they maybe able to lead elements
of the service.
• The key to this model is about being open and honest about the approach
with the children and young people involved. It would be wrong to allow
young people to believe that they are leading when in fact they are only
being consulted. They will be disempowered and will probably loose
interest very quickly.
Participation Methods
There are a large number of participation methods which
should be considered alongside the approaches . The British
Youth Council have summed them up and explored their
respective strengths and limitations as follows;
Approach
Strengths
Limitations
Consultations
One off or short term pieces of work that focus
on a particular issue or planning proposal.
Targeted and focused
Time limited
Cost effective
Immediate relevance
Results
Exclusive or unrepresentative
Lack of follow up
Lack of ownership
No momentum
Seen as a quick fix
Practice Initiatives
Commission a task, develop a joint iniatives or
create a partnership to carry out an agreed
piece of work.
Direct impact
Working with adults as equals
Payment, vocational relevance
Use of knowledge and skills
Not rewarded properly
Opportunity to the few
Adults take over the results
Websites
Websites can help children and young people
access information about specific projects and
plans.
The potential numbers involved
Multi purpose
Building on existing resources
Fun and engaging
Children and young people involved
Used in formal and informal settings
Needs dedicated and skilled input
Specific and an adequate budget
Publicity to make it known
Exclusive
Participation Methods continued
Larger Scale Events
An event that involves a larger range of children
and young people which allows freedom and
flexibility in influencing and shaping ideas,
priorities and direction.
Inclusive
Shared identity
Fun and energetic
Accountability
A lot of work – quickly!
Preparation and planning
Time and money
Needs good follow up
Needs commitment to action
Advisory or reference group
A group of CYP (could include adults) advise the
planning , development and review of a project/
piece of work
Influencing development
Ownership
Representative
Established and ongoing
Time consuming and drawn out
Rubber stamping
No authority
Drawn out and time consuming
Committee places
Children and young people are selected or
elected . Specific places reserved for them.
Direct access to governance
Long term influence
Knowledge and expertise
Continuous input people rather than in own
right
Overcome misunderstandings
Requires changes in attitude , representing
children and young people
Tokenism
Not treated as equals
Used to represent views of CYP
Demanding of skills and commitment
Pressure to be seen as successful
Significant cultural shift for an organisation /
loose touch with peers
Significant resources, staff support
Parallel Structures
A youth body is set up to run alongside an adult
led decision making processes to advise or act as
a sounding board
Elected membership and mandate
Confidence and authority
Influencing organisational policy
Reserved places on a committee
What real authority and power?
Poor range of representatives
Fractures from adult organisation
Divisive
Children and Young
People’s Plan
• Questionnaire; Under 11's, Young People, SEND
• Activity pack designed centrally and distributed so people can
facilitate their own focus groups. There may be several packs
including; under 5's, under 11's/ SEND and over 11s. A
feedback pro forma will be included
• Facilitated events - at least 3 (in each locality) facilitated by
members of LPN
• Consultation activities at events in Districts over summer 2013