"Participation means that it is my right to be involved in making decisions, planning and reviewing an action that might affect me. Having a voice, having a choice."
In 2005, the Welsh Assembly Government held a competition asking young people to sum up the meaning of participation and the above was the winning entry.
The Children and 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. For further information, please see the following resources:
Useful Resources
Blast Off Guides - A series of good practice guides based on the experiences of participation workers in Wales. There are currently 9 good practice guides, with more planned in the future, and topics range from introducing participation to focusing in on participation in particular forms and environments.
National Standards for Children and Young People’s Participation for Wales - The Children and Young People's Participation Consortium for Wales, the Participation Unit and the Welsh Assembly Government's Participation Project 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.
Do We Meet Your Needs: National Children and Young People’s Participation Standards Self-Assessment Pack - Developed by the Participation Unit, this pack is intended to help organisations to gather information to demonstrate children and young people’s participation.
Participation Resources - This section contains information about other resources and toolkits to help professionals working with children and young people involve them in decision-making processes.
The Views of Children and Young People - This section provides details of reports, which highlight what children and young people think about a variety of subjects.
The PWNW (Participation Worker's Network for Wales) aims to support workers and organisations in promoting children and young people’s participation and making children and young people’s participation a reality across Wales.
The PWNW is being hosted by Children In Wales on behalf of the Children and Young People’s Participation Consortium for Wales, a multi-agency strategic body building capacity for the development of participation in Wales.
www.participationworkerswales.org.uk includes a public area with information on what participation is, and the benefits of participative activities to children and young people, but also to organisations and the wider community. There is also a members area which is free to register for. As a member you can search for examples of good practice in participation in your area of Wales or area of work.
Contact the Network
If you have any queries or would like more information about the Network you can contact Ed Janes, the PWNW Development Officer Tel: 029 2034 2434