CWVYS The Independent Voice of the Voluntary Youth Sector in Wales

Funky Dragon

Participation Consortium and Participation Unit
The Participation Unit was set up with WAG funding in Save the Children to support and develop good practice in public participation in decision making by young people. CWVYS is represented on the consortium that informs the work of the Unit.

Participation Consortium Leaflet

 

This leaflet has been produced by the Children and Young Peoples Participation Consortium for Wales to inform young people of their rights and what they can expect from adults that work with them. A kite mark is due to be developed.

See downloadable documents below for a copy of the leaflet.

 

 

The Children & Young People's Participation Consortium for Wales, the Participation Unit and the Welsh Assembly Government's Participation Project are working together to promote the participation of children and young people (0-25) in decision making in Wales. We have developed a set of National Standards for participation that are relevant for all organisations who work with or have an impact on children and young people. Together we can ensure that all children and young people have a positive and meaningful experience of participation across Wales.

 

The PWNW (Participation Workers’ Network for Wales) is a new FREE service for workers and organisations that are interested in or actively promote participation in their work with children and young people.

 

 

The participation of young people is everywhere in the voluntary youth sector and many organisations have their own youth councils and support decision-making in their organisations in all areas of work.

 

CWVYS has undertaken research on participation with their members with funding from this unit. It is an attempt to identify the voluntary youth sector’s broader interpretation of participation and the impact on young peoples’ involvement in public decision making.

 

The Youth Work Curriculum Statement for Wales underpins the youth work and one of the main principles in practice is participation. However, there can be confusion about the meaning of participation, which in youth work embraces a range of methodologies and outcomes for young people as well as participation in public decision making.

Participation Guidelines have been produced for all Children and Young People's Partnerships by the Welsh Assembly Government and all areas have to produce a Participation Strategy to say how they are going to engage young people in the work Partnerships and in other areas of their lives.

 

See downloadable documents below for Participation Guidance

 

Each Local Authority Area should have a Youth Forum with young people from both the maintained and voluntary sectors. All schools have to have a School Council. Representatives go to Funky Dragon Grand Council.