By Trudy Aspinwall and Cath Larkins for The Children and Young People’s Assembly for Wales (Funky Dragon) and Welsh Assembly Government, 2002

This Funky Dragon Guide to Participation is intended to help develop the effective participation of children and young people in decision-making in Wales. It gives good practice guidelines on supporting groups of children and young people in participation. The guide includes comments and ideas from children and young people who participated in a consultation event in February 2002.

The document is divided into 5 sections:

• 1. Introduction - gives information on who the guide is for and what it hopes to achieve.



• 2. Principles of Participation examines what participation is and how it might be developed. It gives details of the right to participation as laid down in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Finally it looks at the benefits of participation for the organisation, for the children and young people and for the community as a whole.



• 3. Preparation and Planning - outlines things to bear in mind when considering what form of participation to organise. It considers aims and objectives, commitment from the organisation, impact on services/policies, time scales and resources. It examines areas to take into account when deciding who will take part in the participation and who will carry out the work. Finally the section examines safety, ethical issues and how to support individuals with special needs.



• 4. Action and Evaluation - contains ideas on possible participation activities and gives examples. It also contains guidance on how to ensure that activities are effective and evaluated.



• 5. Resources for participation - gives references under various subject headings and gives useful contacts and organisations.

Published in 2002 by Funky Dragon/Draig Ffynci and the Welsh Assembly Government.

Contact

Funky Dragon
35 Heathfield
Mount Pleasant
Abatawe
SA1 6EJ
Tel: 01792 450 000

Or Download the guide from Funky Dragon’s website.

ISBN: 0 7504 3037 0