Involving children and young people in decisions which affect their lives recognises their value to the community and increases their sense of wellbeing according to the Commissioner for Children and Young People WA Michelle Scott.
Ms Scott today launched ‘Involving Children and Young People Participation Guidelines’ at Wirrabirra Primary School.
Drawing on a range of successful Western Australian projects as examples of including children and young people in decision making, Ms Scott said the guidelines aimed to encourage non-government and Government organisations to involve the State’s youngest citizens in key decisions.
“We need to listen genuinely to children and young people, give careful consideration to their views, and use their insights to inform our work in meaningful and respectful ways,” Ms Scott said.
“By doing so, we will demonstrate our respect for them as valued members of our communities, and gain important information that will make our work and activities more relevant to children and young people.”
The Participation Guidelines are a simple, introductory guide to involving children and young people in the work of an organisation.
“Involving children and young people in decision making will help organisations by improving the planning, development, and evaluation of policies, and the creation, delivery, and effectiveness of programs and services.”
Ms Scott attended the Wirrabirra Primary School to showcase their Children’s Manifesto, as one of the key examples in the guidelines.
Wirrabirra students were surveyed on which values were important to them, including what makes a good school, teacher, student, and class.
The school developed a Children’s Manifesto based on the survey responses and involving all the children in the school. Class activities including recipes, booklets, and posters were used to develop students’ original ideas.
Ms Scott included the inspiring work of the Hedland Youth Leadership Coalition (HYLC) and other local examples for the guidelines. Also in the guidelines is a list of national and international resources for further information on participation.
The Participation Guidelines are available on the Commissioner for Children and Young People’s website at www.ccyp.wa.gov.au