Children &Young People Participation Toolkit

A guide for borough council staff and partner organisations

Participation is not just about using services Contents Who is this toolkit for? 1 Introduction 3 The Charnwood Borough Council Children and 4 Young People Participation Toolkit 1.1 What is participation? to help Council staff and colleagueshas from been partnercreated 1.2 What are the benefits of involving children and young people? 6 organisations tailor their approach to enabling children and young people aged 5+ to have a voice 1.3 How the law supports participation 6 1. introduction in what goes on around them, participate in decision making and express their views on projects, activities and services. 2 Planning 7 Children and young people’s participation is not just It is primarily addressed not towards 2.1 Participation practicalities 8 about them using our services. It is the process in which children and young people are asked what works, what participation 'experts' or young people themselves, but has been designed as a support pack for those 2.2 Barriers to participation 9 does not, what could work better and how they want to seeking support and guidance on undertaking be involved in delivering the solution so that their voice 2.3 How to find and engage children and young people 10 participation. Our aims are to: can influence decision making and bring about change. 2.4 Managing expectations 11 • Offer practical methods to help children and young people influence change 12 Many decisions taken locally, nationally and internationally are 3 Delivery made by even though the choices of these older people • Enable users to ensure that children and young people have access to decision-making forums 3.1 Icebreakers 14 will have a profound impact on the current and future lives of children and young people. Their participation is vital in order • Ensure that something happens because of 15 to improve services and respond to actual needs. Charnwood 3.2 Ground rules their involvement Borough Council is committed to upholding children and young 3.3 Exercises 16 people’s right to be involved in decisions that affect their lives The toolkit is a resource to help you to access and act through the Corporate Plan. We strive to embed a culture of upon the views of children and young people. 4 Review of children and young people’s involvement 17 participation into everyday working practice. When you are using it, you may well be working on a consultation/project with a much wider total 4.1 Review of participation 17 Participation brings with it many benefits for organisations, audience (i.e. also involving older community young people, and the wider community. Generally members). We understand that you could be 4.2 Areas to review 18 organisations find it easier to consult with and involve older working on a much broader task to plan, implement people. This toolkit can be used as a guide to: and review a whole project and that the 5 Feedback 19 • Involve children and young people specifically involvement of younger people may be a small part of this. 5.1 Examples of giving feedback to children and young people 20 • Ensure that children and young people are incorporated into a wider consultation/involvement agenda Appendix 1 21 Involving young people in Council service design and delivery saves time and money. Planning, Community Safety, Sport Effective participation can add a sense of ownership and even 25 and Active Recreation, Green Spaces, the Improvement and bring added outcomes of responsibility and confidence about Appendix 2 Organisational Development Team and Street Management, presenting views and opinions. A major challenge across all have examples to showcase young people’s meaningful all forms of participation and consultation is to ensure Appendix 3 29 participation. Developing effective engagement processes can representation of the widest possible range of young people’s help deliver the department’s or organisation’s vision. views. It is particularly important to explore how organisations can help you to involve those who are the ‘hardest to reach’, as engaging these young people will often help you to foresee future challenges, use financial and other resources effectively and understand how your service can Young people and staff from Charnwood Arts are make the biggest possible impact. relaxing in the garden that they designed and created (funded by Positive Activities for Young People) in a previously unloved space beside their building.

2 Children and Young People Participation Toolkit www.charnwood.gov.uk 3 Levels of engagement with children and young people, as with any Roger Hart’s Ladder of Young section of the community, can vary hugely. The Ladder of Participation People’s Participation and the examples of CBC’s work at different levels illustrates the degrees of participation that organisations like ours can achieve. In relation to your work, where are the opportunities to involve children and young people at different levels? This will be dependent on the appropriateness of and usefulness to what you are doing at any given time.

A Charnwood Borough Council ladder of participation. Using examples linked Rung 8: Young people to different elements of Positive Activities for Young People (PAYP) funding and adults share (the activities themselves and the process that allocates funding to projects), decision making the ladder illustrates different levels at which children and young people can be involved: Rung 7: Young people (PAYP funding is devolved annually to Charnwood, a panel allocates it to lead and initiate action organisations who provide services and activities for 10-19 year olds): Rung 1: Young people are required to attend the PAYP funded activity in Rung 6: -initiated, shared decisions with

their area, regardless of their thoughts or wishes (NB This does not DegreesParticipation of young people happen in reality!) Rung 2: The funder is visiting! Young people are lined up to show that they attend. Appearance is everything 1.1 What is participation? Rung 5: Young people Rung 3: Young people are told what they will be doing the next consulted and informed week – the things the adults think they should want to do. One Participation is about children and young people young person is invited to attend the planning meeting, but their understanding issues that affect them and coming up These delicious cupcakes have been designed and made opinions or reflections are not invited. with possible solutions. It is supporting them to shape by young people at Sorrel Youth Cafe for a ‘thank you’ Rung 4: Young people Rung 4: Young people are kept in the loop and told “here’s the different stages at which decision-making takes place evening where Charnwood Youth Councillors received assigned and informed what you need to know about the activity schedule for the including planning, implementation, monitoring and certificates of achievement for their work in 2012. next few weeks”. They can ask questions, but this doesn’t evaluation. Involving children and young people in decision CBC staff have used Sorrel Youth Cafe to cater for } change the decisions that have already been made by adults making should be fundamental to the work of CBC so that all external events in order to support the charity to Rung 3: Young people children and young people are encouraged and supported to generate income and train young people in catering skills. Rung 5: Young people are invited to the PAYP funding tokenized express their views regardless of ethnicity, culture, religion, panel and asked what activities they would like to faith, language, sexuality, or personal circumstances. see funded. These opinions are taken into account when the adults decide which organisations to give

money to. Rung 2: Young people Non-participation Rung 6: Adults ask organisations to bid for money are decoration Examples of young people’s participation and at the funding panel allow youth opinions to hold just as much weight and merit as their own. in Charnwood Borough Council business: Rung 7: Trained ‘Young Inspectors’ visit Rung 1: Young people are manipulated • Reviewing and updating policies organisations to evaluate their work, they then inform the funding panel about what they • Recruitment and interview panels have found and who they recommend to • Planning and delivering training fund. Adults accept that decision as informed, allowing youth to make that } • Young Inspectors/mystery shoppers decision with complete independence.

• Youth forums The quality of children’s participation and children’s ability to Rung 8: Leicestershire gives money to Charnwood Youth • Funding panels benefit from it are strongly influenced by the efforts that adults make to provide an ‘enabling environment’ in which children and Council to spend on activities. The • Focus groups/user panels young people feel able to participate fully and actively in all adults are informed and asked to aspects of the proceedings. Children and young people will need participate in this decision making • Members of Boards/committees to be made to feel welcome, valued for their views and treated process in which young people are responsible for the money and Eight levels of young people’s participation. The ladder with respect by the adults with whom they are working. metaphor is borrowed from Sherry Arnstein (1969): the outcomes of the decisions. the categories are from Roger Hart.

4 Children and Young People Participation Toolkit www.charnwood.gov.uk 5 1.2 What are the benefits of involving children and young people?

For Councils and other For children and For the wider community: organisations: young people: • Community cohesion • Increases cost effectiveness • Gives a voice and influence is fostered through the 2. PLANNING to those best placed to inclusion of children and • Services and policies are identify their own needs young people in local Safe, effective, meaningful participation requires careful planning and designed, delivered and decision making preparation to ensure that children and young people’s involvement leads to evaluated based on actual • Increases confidence, self positive outcomes and that their views are used to influence organisational needs rather than presumed belief and life chances by • Breaks down barriers and change. As we have found out, there are different levels of participation and, needs or developing their skills improves intergenerational as with all participatory practise, any involvement by children and young relationships people must be in keeping with their best interests and protection in mind. • Offers a different perspective • Provides a better Two primary school pupils are helping out and fresh ideas understanding of how • An empowering environment You may be consulting with/involving a wide range of residents and be using with a litter pick organised by CBC. this toolkit to ensure that you also gain the voice of children and young people organisations work and how raises aspirations in the They decided they wanted to hold up • Increased access to, use of who can be harder to reach than adults. Appropriate resources may be needed the poster for a photograph to encourage to influence them in the future wider family and community and satisfaction with services in order to create an empowering, friendly and responsive environment where others to look after their community and children and young people feel valued, listened to and respected. prove you are never too young to start looking after your environment. 1.3 How the law supports participation

The importance of organisations like ours promoting opportunities for children and young people to Young people working at McDonald’s took over participate is acknowledged and promoted in law, our litter picks, giving up their free time to policy and guidance: the Convention on the Rights of organise competitions to see who could collect the Child, the Children’s Act 1989 and 2004, Youth the most litter. They were inspiring to the local Matters, Aiming High for young people 2007 and the community and their enthusiasm was infectious. National Youth Agency’s Hear By Right which is a nationally recognised framework used for increasing the voice and influence of children and young people within organisations. Article 12 of the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child provides that children and young people have a right to have their views taken into account in decisions made about matters that affect them. Adults in a position to help them, such as those working in public sector services, have a duty to provide them with support to ensure that children and young people are listened to and that their views are acted upon, where appropriate, when making decisions which affect their lives. Children cannot be fully safeguarded or provided for if we don’t listen to what they are saying and engage them about issues that directly or indirectly affect them, or when change happens. By facilitating such opportunities we enable young people to develop a sense of ownership and value towards our services.

6 Children and Young People Participation Toolkit www.charnwood.gov.uk 7 2.1 Participation practicalities 2.2 Barriers to participation?

The Participation Planning Tool (Appendix PLANNING CHECKLIST To ensure participation is a successful and positive 1) contains over 90 prompts to help you experience for all involved it is important to explore any think about what to do and how and when potential limitations to the inclusion of children and young to do it. Completing it will provide you with people. For example, children and young people with your own comprehensive implementation are capable of being included in participation plan. The most important practicalities it and may require special materials and assistance with covers are: communication, transport and access to venues. Advocacy may also need to be provided to ensure that the views of How much power children and young people are accurately represented. What is it possible to and influence am I change/do as a result of prepared for children and consulting/involving? young people to have? Other barriers to participation What do I need to achieve? can include: • Young people generally do not flock to consultations that are advertised to the general public so are likely to be under- represented if this method is used • Transport is often an issue to young people, there may be invisible What methods will boundaries caused by bus routes or suit my aims and school catchment areas that are not How do I find/engage Which children and young objectives – who immediately apparent to adults them – who can help? can help? people do I want • Past experiences of not feeling listened to involve? to, included or told about the results of consultations – let’s ensure that we don’t repeat this experience • Use of ‘adult’ or unfamiliar buildings – going to places they are already How will I publicise the comfortable with is often more successful results more generally? • Language and assumed prior knowledge – plan how to introduce a subject and keep it snappy How will I feed back Do I have enough time information to to plan, do and review? participants? Are the timescales suitable for the children and young people? Age can be a barrier to participation. It is important to note Charnwood Youth Councillors are hosting a Halloween Party that particular consideration needs to be given to how best to consult young people with disabilities about access to to engage with younger children (0-5 years). It may not be leisure facilities. Afterwards, a feedback session with Are there further appropriate to use the same consultation methods for Fusion Lifestyle highlighted key issues like the importance of disabled changing facilities. opportunities for children younger children as those used for older children and young people. For more information contact the Strategic Planning and young people to be and Commissioning Manager at Leicestershire County involved as a result of this work? Council. This toolkit is primarily aimed at children aged 5+.

8 Children and Young People Participation Toolkit www.charnwood.gov.uk 9 2.3 How to find and engage 2.4 Managing Expectations Children and Young People It is extremely important for our reputation that we may choose not to be involved in future and become manage the expectations of children and young people disillusioned with our services. This section aims to help those who don’t regularly work engagement is constructive, productive and geared towards that we seek to involve in the design and delivery Clear information/feedback should be provided at regular with children and young people to find clubs or groups to the levels of interest, understanding and experience of of our services. A significant part of achieving this intervals, highlighting how views have been taken into tap into for consultation. There are benefits in going out to those involved. is to provide accurate information and appropriate account and being honest about expectations and work with young people in their own town or village or at Children and young people are not a homogenous group, so feedback which highlights how views have been taken into limitations. It may be a good idea to identify some ‘quick events they are already involved in, for example through it is important to plan engagement properly in advance to account and what will change. It is crucial to communicate wins’ if possible from the consultation exercise. Addressing schools or youth clubs. understand the issues for the group you are working with. if things haven’t happened or can’t change and the reasons larger identified needs may take longer to plan, organise, People who are already in touch with groups or currently run You will need to take into account factors such as age, behind this. action and resource. groups or services for children and young people can provide and any additional needs. Indeed, you may wish to From the outset it is a good idea to make it clear to all Open communication allows children and young people a useful insight into their current level of understanding and identify and involve different groups. Effective engagement involved in the participation process the timescales to get a real sense of the scale of the issues they raise experience and how best to interest and involve them. requires significant planning, time, effort and sustained involved in making decisions and changes. If nothing and an understanding of the processes involved to make Understanding the issues for the group you are working support – even more so in the case of excluded or harder to appears to happen and people don’t know why then they change happen. with means that methods can be designed so that the reach groups.

Where to find groups Key points to successfully manage expectations: of children and young • Local schools and academies – large target group of children and people to consult: young people from local community; mix of ages and abilities and 4 • Explain the parameters – what can be changed and by how much potentially greater diversity. It can be best to target a particular • Be upfront about timescales and potential barriers to change subject teacher or a group such as the school council, as generic 4 communications/requests to schools often get lost. • Provide timely, clear, accurate feedback and do this at intervals if appropriate • Local organisations, clubs and societies – such as youth clubs/groups, 4 • Identify some quick wins if possible sports clubs, child care facilities, uniformed groups, specialist services. • Remember that ‘normal’ organisational timeframes can feel like forever • Children and young people who are already using the service/facility/ 4 to children and young people! area of land you want to change.

• Children and Young People’s Service – Neighbourhood Services • Neighbourhood Development Officers – Neighbourhood Services Council colleagues could • Community Safety Team – Neighbourhood Services also help to put you in • Sport and Active Recreation staff – Neighbourhood Services touch with individuals • Green Spaces Team – Cleansing and Open Spaces or groups including: • Town Hall staff – Leisure and Culture • Supporting Leicestershire Families Team – Neighbourhood Services • Customer Engagement Officers – Landlord Services • Street Management – Regulatory Services • Museum staff – Leisure and Culture • Waste and Recycling Team – Cleansing and Open Spaces Useful links: Schools: http://www.leics.gov.uk/information_about_schools.htm Libraries: http://www.leics.gov.uk/index/community/libraries/county_libraries/a_to_z_libraries /charnwood_libraries.htm Community Centres: http://www.charnwood.gov.uk/pages/community_centres_and_facilities Youth Clubs & Groups: http://www.thejitty.com/groups.html

10 Children and Young People Participation Toolkit www.charnwood.gov.uk 11 Advisory Groups: Pros: Cons: Example: Can be influential, Can also be time A series of one-off advisory Involve a group of children and young representative, consuming with the groups were used during people informing those planning, established and danger of irregular the Open Spaces reviewing or delivering a piece of work ongoing which meetings and consultation process in or managing a team or organisation in encourages ownership. attendance. 2013, specific young people a series of meetings over a period of were selected to join to 3. DELIVERY time during the lifetime of the project ensure that their or programme. requirements and views There are many ways to involve children and were represented. young people in participation including:

Committees/Forums: Pros: Cons: Example: This group of young environmentalists from Stonebow School are posing for the This enables long term They do require Planning are supporting Children and young people are launch publicity for our Enviro Detectives website. Having helped to form the influence, develops significant staff input two Youth Councillors to elected or selected to be part of website in the planning stages, they are now ambassadors for the website. knowledge and and resource, demand be members of committees. There may be specific expertise and allows skills and commitment Loughborough’s Town spaces reserved for them. Young continuous input. and have a danger of Team, the multi-agency Pros: Cons: Example: Consultations: people may be trustees of the being tokenistic. group that aims to This is a targeted, It can, however, be A Communications Organisation or have their own Usually a one off or short term piece of improve the town centre. time-limited and seen as a quick fix Consultation is being taken separate children and young people work that focuses on a particular effective way to gain with no follow up, round local youth clubs and led forum, council or committee. problem or planning issue, for example; immediate results. resulting in little playschemes in summer gaining children and young people’s ownership. 2013 to inform CBC about views on their main concerns and how we can improve web priorities; a topical issue or checking and social media based Mystery Shoppers: Pros: Cons: Example: draft plans or policies with them. Can be a great way to Children and young Trained “Young Inspectors” communication with Can involve a range of different Consultations can happen through evaluate services and people will need evaluate Positive Activities teenagers. exercises, such as visits, telephone calls, meetings, email or via the web. upskill the young training, ongoing for Young People funded email enquiries and internet research. people undertaking the support and clear services in Charnwood. Organisations must have systems in mystery shops/ information provided “I was very impressed with Pros: Cons: Example: place to ensure that children and young Websites and Social Media: inspections. to them which is the young persons’ report, They can be used to pose Needs resource and Street Management have people’s assessments of services are fed financially costly. they spoke to everyone and Are useful in assisting children and questions and issues for commitment as well developed an innovative back and acted upon. were interested in how we young people access information about debate and discussion, as dedicated skills and web based programme run the project” Len Witts, specific projects, plans, resources, giving a means for an adequate budget. called Enviro Detectives in Thorpe Acre Judo Club. funding, programmes or organisations. direct, immediate Guidelines must be order to inform and feedback. Can be a fun adhered to when involve children about the and engaging way of using social media. work of the Council. Creative Methods: Pros: Cons: Example: involving larger Can be a fun and engaging Time consuming to Green Spaces staff are Such as the use of drama, arts and numbers. way of involving children develop sessions. experimenting with using crafts, photography, poetry. and young people, works rap to better understand well with hard to reach, what facilities young less confident and less people value in parks Pros: Cons: Example: Events: vocal. It is also suitable for and open spaces. Gives freedom and Need planning, Each year, Charnwood Youth Can involve diverse groups at the same people with learning flexibility in influencing preparation, time, Councillors organise the and be larger scale than other methods. difficulties or disabilities. and shaping ideas, money, good follow- Big Charnwood Youth Creative methods priorities and direction. up and commitment Conference so that we can encourage children and An inclusive, fun, to actions. consult young people and young people to use their energetic way of covering provide them access to local imagination and enable a lot of work, quickly. decision makers. them to express their views and ideas in a way that they feel comfortable with. It is a great With all participation activities, children and young opportunity to understand people must be given feedback and an explanation and make sense of if, for any reason, changes cannot be made. children and young people’s experiences.

12 Children and Young People Participation Toolkit www.charnwood.gov.uk 13 3.2 Ground Rules

Ground rules are a set of expected behaviours for take ownership of them. A group member should be appropriate conduct which cover both the rights and responsible for recording the agreed rules and it is useful to responsibilities of individuals taking part. Depending on the display them where they can be seen throughout the nature of the group you may decide it is more appropriate to activities. If participants are having difficulty coming up with agree these prior to an ice breaker. The best way to create ground rules, or if they do not come up with a particular ground rules is to allow the participants to generate the ground rule you feel is important to the success of the activity, whole list. This will encourage children and young people to prompt them towards it or offer it for inclusion.

Examples of ground rules to consider: • Confidentiality - to expect and not to betray • Respect other people’s opinions - to listen and be heard Examples of ground rules exercises: • Challenge the opinion not the person - 3.1 Ice breakers sensitively Making it Work (12+) • Be non-judgemental Get everyone to sit in a circle around the flip chart and shout out ways in which the session will go smoothly. Ice breakers are used to ease tension or relieve formality. They are designed • Be non-confrontational - feel safe Suggestions: Respect each other, turn off mobile phones, listen, to get people more familiar with each other, to re-focus a group, or simply and not threatened for fun. Remember to be enthusiastic, whatever happens! Move on quickly confidentiality etc Display them on the wall. if something is not working and to choose volunteers carefully so as to not • Actively participate and encourage/allow If there are any problems during the session just revert back to cause embarrassment. Keep ice breakers short and try to finish them whilst others to do so the flipchart. people are still enjoying them! • Be aware of timekeeping Expectations? (8+) • Only use mobile phones during breaks Each person should write down one expectation they have about Examples of ice breakers: • Don’t use offensive language the training. The age ranges suggested are for guidance only. You will need Everyone is brought into a group and the pieces of paper to consider how to simplify the activity/instructions to meet are folded and put into a hat. The papers are then mixed up the needs/age range of the group. and redistributed. Conversations/People Bingo (8+): Knots (8+): In turn, each person reads out what’s written on their paper. Discussions follow about whether others share the Aim: To get people to mix and speak to every other person Aim: To encourage group communication and teamwork. same expectations. in the room. Method: Ask the group to stand in a circle shoulder Method: Each person has to find the answer to questions by to shoulder. If there are differences why is this? Are everyone’s expectations talking to other people in the room/group. Answers The circle should then put both hands in the air, compatible? can be recorded in a ‘bingo grid’. so that they are pointing to the opposite side of For example questions such as: count the number of the circle. More ground rules suggestions brown eyed boys in the room; who has travelled the Ask the group to take baby steps until the group gets are included in Appendix 2 furthest; who has the most unusual hobby; what is smaller and smaller, they should then grab someone the weirdest thing anyone has ever eaten; who has else’s hands. the most pets; who has the most siblings. Once everyone is holding another hand, ask the Additionally/alternatively you can ask them group to untangle themselves without breaking the to discuss what the following are of: chain. It usually works best when the group work Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia together and unchain themselves section by section. ( of long words) Arachibutyrophobia (fear of peanut butter getting stuck to the roof of mouth) More ice breakers are included in Appendix 2 Alektorophobia (fear of chickens) Ephebiphobia (fear of teenagers) Charnwood Youth Councillors are reviewing possible new Anglophobia (fear of England or English culture) looks for a website as part of Charnwood Borough Council’s Strategic Communications Review.

14 Children and Young People Participation Toolkit www.charnwood.gov.uk 15 of children and young people’s 3.3 Exercises 4. Review involvement Practical exercises can be employed in order to involve children and young people in activities, events and decision-making about issues that affect their lives. It is important to consider which activities will provide what you need for the participation session you are running. For example, if the group is planning for a project an activity such as ‘Hot Air’ may be useful. Whereas if you are exploring issues locally it may be more appropriate to try something like issues 4.1 Reviewing the participation through images. Clouds: Could blow off course To ensure that participation is meaningful, good evaluation is Evaluation can be done by an independent person or a member crucial. Whilst your overall project is likely to involve a wider of the team involved and does not need to be a major research evaluation of the information/results you’ve gathered and the exercise. In order to avoid tokenism and make participation Examples of participation exercises: Balloon: effectiveness of implementation, evaluating the participation meaningful consider if their involvement will lead to any Issues/factors key to methods used with children and young people means you are change or action being taken? Will their views be fed back Hot Air (12+) proposal or vision able to assess the effectiveness of the approach you have used, to management and into decision making structures? increase accountability and learn from the experience. Will children and young people have more chances to be Aim: To help with the planning process for a project Reviewing the achievements of a participation exercise enables involved in this and/or other processes? Use the checklist and Method: Using the structure of a hot air balloon (balloon, basket, ropes, you to measure how successful the involvement has been; questions to evaluate the success of the involvement, to clouds) drawn on a flipchart, get participants to write or draw ideas compare the original objectives to the outcomes and feedback and to improve future participation. Fire: participants’ experiences and prepare feedback to those who on post-it notes and stick them on the relevant bit of the balloon. Make it fly have been involved. You should involve young people in the Take each topic in turn, clarify ideas and group similar ones before evaluation where possible and appropriate. moving on to the next topic. Balloon: issues and factors that are central to the proposal/vision: needed to make it fly. Basket: People and Will children and young Basket: names of people and organisations who can help and organisations who support aims. can help/support people have more chances Ropes: what will hold it back before the balloon/project has started? to be involved in this and/or other processes? Clouds: what could push the balloon (project) off course? Fire/Making it fly: write factors that will make things happen and work. Ropes: What could Does their involvement lead to hold it down? any change or action being taken? Will their views be fed back to Graffiti Wall (6+) management and into decision Aim: To encourage children and young people to share their making structures? opinions in a creative way. Method: Hang large sheets of paper on a wall and invite the children and young people to add their opinions on the sheets in the form of graffiti. If time and resources allow, prepare large pieces of paper with sponge print to give a brick wall effect and prepare different pieces of paper for children and young people to Graffiti boards are being used as a creative way of finding express their ideas on in their own graffiti writing. out what young people do in their spare time and what Display these pieces of paper on the wall. other activities and facilities they want. New activities like Parkour (free running) have been added to the More exercises are included in Appendix 2 CBC Holiday Activity Programme as a result.

16 Children and Young People Participation Toolkit www.charnwood.gov.uk 17 4.2 Areas to review

Below are a list of questions that can help in measuring the success of the participation and ensure that those involved in running the activity reflect on how things went. In order to assess the impact of the participation you 2. People should recognise what did and didn’t work, identify what should be changed 5. FEEDBACK in future and share learning with others. A review of the participation should • Who was involved and why? look at the following areas: • Were the people and the numbers appropriate (e.g. was anyone Taking the time to provide accurate, timely and appropriate Highlight how their views have been taken into account, in excluded or missing from the feedback will encourage future participation, acknowledge the what way they will influence or change decisions, policies, ways role that children and young people have played and ensure that of doing things and what, if anything, has changed. It is crucial participation exercise)? 1. Objectives they feel listened to. to communicate if things haven’t happened or can’t happen and the reasons why. Be honest about limitations and reiterate • Were you inclusive, did you reach Clear, relevant feedback should be given quickly; what may be a if some issues may take longer to resource and action. • What were the objectives? the right stakeholders and those ‘normal’ organisational timeframe at work can seem a lot longer • Were the objectives clearly who are ‘harder to reach’? to children and young people. Consideration needs to be given In addition you will need to feed back children and young communicated and to how this can best be done. Please also refer to section 2.4 people’s views to relevant colleagues, teams and/or • Were a set of representative views Managing Expectations. organisations. Consideration will need to be given to how best understood by all? obtained? to do this. • Were any additional • How much power and influence did objectives identified as a the children and young people have? result of the exercise? • Were the different objectives met? 4. Methods • Were methods used appropriate for the group (age, needs, ability)? • Were they suitable in the circumstances? 3. Context • How did you engage children and • Were there any social, economic, young people and was it effective? political or historical based • What methods were used and why? factors that may have affected the process? • Was anything else happening at the time that could’ve affected the participation? 5. Impact 6. Lessons learned • What could you do differently Cllr David Slater is presenting a Pride of • Will it lead to a change of Charnwood Award to young people. The awards policy/service? next time in order to improve are organised and hosted by Charnwood Youth the process? Councillors on behalf of CBC’s Community Safety • How many people will be • What worked well and what Team in response to young people asking for more affected by the change? positive publicity about teenagers in the media. worked less well? • How will you feed this back • What were the main to the group? achievements and challenges? • What has changed as a result • Were timescales realistic and of involving children and young people? were these communicated? • What were the costs involved (monetary and non monetary)?

18 Children and Young People Participation Toolkit www.charnwood.gov.uk 19 5.1 Examples of giving feedback to children and young people

• Re-visit the group and present APPENDIX 1 a ‘you said, we did’ on the issues they have affected. • Write a clear, friendly thank you Children &Young People to the group (c/o the group leader, youth worker), acknowledging Participation Toolkit the children and young people’s involvement and time and outlining the next steps. Planning Template • Invite the group or representatives Planning for before of the group to see the outcome if appropriate (for example where What will you consult on/involve they may have influenced children and young people in? a planning decision). Young people at The Big Charnwood Youth Conference are interviewing Borough Councillors Think from the organisation and the customer point of view. and CBC staff to find out what they are doing Are you prepared to take some criticism and give up some about issues that are important to teenagers. power? Who else might already have this information? Focus on issues that you can change or strongly influence

Thank you, dedication and references: What do you want to achieve? Challenge or improve the existing service/shape service Charnwood Borough Council – Consultation Toolkit (accessible to Charnwood Borough delivery/ measure satisfaction/ prioritise future spending/ Thank you to Charnwood Borough Council staff only) check out reaction to new ideas… Council staff and Members across all http://info/C15/Consultation%20Toolkit/default.aspx directorates that contributed your Melton Borough Council – Consulting with People Toolkit views, experiences and requirements http://www.melton.gov.uk/docs/App%20B%20-%20MBC%20Toolkit.ppt to the process. To members of the Which children and young people District Implementation Group and Leicestershire County Council - Parent and Carer Strategy will you consult/involve? Leicestershire District Councils’ http://www.leics.gov.uk/leicestershire_parent_and_carer_strategy_2010-12.pdf Age? Service users or non users? Do they need to have Designated Safeguarding Officers Contact the Strategic Planning and Commissioning Manager at Leicestershire County Group. To County Youth Workers and particular interests or characteristics? Council for a copy of: Checklist for Safeguarding in participation work Michelle James from Leicestershire County Council. Above all thanks to National Youth Agency – Hear by Right How will you get a group or Charnwood Youth Councillors for http://www.nya.org.uk/quality/hear-by-right individual to work with? your ever generous support, Participation Works insightful suggestions and the Who else is already in touch with the group you want to http://www.participationworks.org.uk/ photographs of Charnwood Youth engage? Can you do a session at their existing youth Council in action. West Berkshire Children and Young People’s Trust Participation Toolkit activity? Will the leader advertise an involvement http://www.bacyp.co.uk/documents/ParticipationToolkit_000.pdf This toolkit is dedicated to Kath Kay opportunity for you or identify suitable candidates? How our brilliant colleague who so sadly Big Lottery Fund Research – Engaging Young People in Evaluation and Consultation will you approach a group of service users, i.e. at a skatepark, passed away in August 2013. www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/er_res_engaging_young_people_uk.pdf professionally and engage them in your work? Kath was involved throughout the Conwy Children and Young People’s Partnership- Participation Strategy development of this Toolkit and had http://www.conwy.gov.uk/upload/public/attachments/461/Conwy_CYPP_Participation_ How will you tell them that they so many ideas to champion its use in StrategyReviewed_May_2010.pdf her area of expertise, Green Spaces can get involved? Policy and Development. Czone Through an existing group? By going somewhere they Thank you Kath. https://czone.eastsussex.gov.uk/supportingchildren/youth/youthparticipation/toolkits/ already go i.e. school, skatepark, social media? How much Pages/main.aspx notice do you need to give?

20 Children and Young People Participation Toolkit www.charnwood.gov.uk 21 Planning for DURING How will you consult/involve children and young people? How will you introduce the session/s? Think about the methods outlined in section 3. Which point on the ladder of participation is appropriate and useful for Think about what the age group are likely to know already your task? Will you adapt an existing ‘all age’ consultation? and what will need explaining. Will someone know their If so how will the results be comparable with feedback names or do you need badges? How will you explain from the rest of the population? How will you segment the scope of the exercise, what changes are possible information from different age groups etc if required? Who and timescales for change and feedback? Explain how else at CBC has done this before – can they offer advice? they can claim any incentives. Prepare well in order to spark their interest.

Do you have a suitable venue? How will you keep ‘on task’? Can you use a venue they already go to? Do you need to Can someone help you to facilitate? Who can advise you undertake a risk assessment? Have you made suitable what pace is suitable for the group, what their ability level arrangements for working safely i.e. more than one adult is and what they have responded well and badly to in the present, adults are appropriately checked/experienced to past? What will you do if some are faster than others? work with children and young people? Do you need to Will you take photographs and do you need permissions? arrange transport? Prepare well in order to keep their interest.

Do you have suitable How will you close the session/s? resources in place? Remember to thank the participants and any staff/ Are written materials appropriate and child/young person volunteers. Give out incentives/rewards or repeat how to friendly? Can you test the questions/materials before claim them. Repeat how and when they will receive starting? Do they easily enable you to record the feedback – and take contact details. information you need? Is any help needed for the young people to express their views? How much will it cost and where is the money coming from? Are there any incentives/ rewards offered? Will you need to get permissions from parents? Do you have enough time to do what you plan?

How will I address barriers to participation? Are there transport or access issues? Is any help required to express or record views? Do I need any special materials or extra time or staff?

22 Children and Young People Participation Toolkit www.charnwood.gov.uk 23 Planning for AFTERWARDS

How will you collate the information you’ve gathered? Don’t underestimate the time needed to analyse data or write reports. How will you capture the difference that APPENDIX 2 involvement made? Was there consensus or conflict? What will the processes be for making quality improvements? Are there further opportunities for involvement? The age ranges suggested are for guidance only. You will need to consider how to simplify the activity/instructions to meet the needs/age range of the group. How will you evaluate the consultation/involvement? further examples of ice breakers Were the methods suitable for the target audience? Continued from page 14 Did they match the objectives? Was the timescale/process Drawsome: (5+) realistic? Did you keep any promises you made? Was the feedback useful and was it meaningfully used? Have Aim: To encourage team work and get people you fed back to the Children and Young People’s Team talking. This works best with small groups of what was useful and not about the Consultation and What’s True About You? (14+) 3 or 4 Participation Toolkit? Aim: To introduce the group to each other Method: Similar to Pictionary, one person in each and to find out some information about group needs to draw as many objects as each other. possible (from words provided) in two How will you feed back Method: Ask each person to think of 4 (or 2) things minutes for the rest of their team to guess. to participants? When? about themselves, 3 (or 1) of which are true Each person in the team should have a turn Use the preferred contact details you collected to feed back. and 1 of which is false. at being the artist and points should be Remember Council time frames can seem like an age to The others in the group then have to guess added up to decide the overall winning team. young people – provide feedback in small chunks if you need which statement is false. Young people to. Keep the feedback clear and relevant, just like the only disclose what they feel comfortable methods you used to collect it. with (eg. I play the drums, I’ve done a parachute jump, I have 3 sisters, my dog is called . . . I have a pet . . . , last year I went on holiday to . . . ). How will you share the results more widely? Name Paint: (8+) Children and young people appreciate press releases and the Aim: To encourage communication and to get the Echo will usually publish if you have a recent story and group to know each others’ names. good photo. Will you use the CBC website, social media, Hot Seat: (5+) To find out more about individuals and to Method: Ask the group to stand facing each other in young people’s groups, young people’s websites such as Aim: encourage them to speak in front of the group, 2 lines. www.thejitty.com? If you created something can you using probing not intimidating, embarrassing or include a plaque? Are there awards you can nominate the Get one line to write their names in the air to inappropriate questions. individual/group/project for? the person opposite them. Everyone sits in a semi circle with a chair placed Method: Each person in the other line should then facing the group. Each person in turn sits in the introduce the person opposite them. If they are How will you implement chair and says their name and why they are there. right they are answered with a smile. If wrong the changes? One at a time, group members ask the person the person tries again for the whole group to questions about their life. The person in the hot try and guess. If still not guessed, they can Are their any further opportunities for involvement? seat can answer in any way they like. introduce themselves. If they don’t want to answer a question they can The line moves one person to the left (with the say “pass”. person at the end of the line moving to the other end so that everyone has a new partner) and the exercise After an agreed amount of time (3 to 5 minutes) is repeated the other way round. the person in the Hot Seat changes. The group can discuss how they felt in the hot seat.

24 Children and Young People Participation Toolkit www.charnwood.gov.uk 25 further examples of ground rules exercises Who Am I? (10+) Why? (8+) To get people to talk to each other. Aim: Continued from page 15 Ask the group to brainstorm/discuss either Prepare post-it notes with famous people’s names Method: Name Game: (5+) as one large group or as smaller groups on and ask each person in the group to place one Aim: To introduce the group to each other, and get to why they (children and young people) on their forehead then ask questions to try know each other’s names. have been asked to input into and identify who they are. For example; am I alive? the consultation/participation activity. Am I female? Am I in a band? Am I on TV? Method: Sit in a circle. Ask the group to think of one Include information about why the Am I human? positive adjective that describes themselves Identifying Concerns (8+) service/organisation feels it is important and begins with the same letter as their for young people to have their say. Other group members can only answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ name (Super Sue, Fantastic Fred, Crazy Claire). Ask the group to describe their hopes and fears – participants can keep asking questions whilst Offer help if they can’t think of anything. about the session and what they each want to they receive a ‘yes’ but move on to the next person bring to the meeting. Record them on a flipchart. once they receive a ‘no’. The next person to go must repeat the person next to them before doing their own name. Build Return to the flipchart at the end of the session to This can also be done whilst walking round Altern.: it up, so that the last person has to round the ensure all concerns have been addressed. ‘mingling’ with other participants. whole circle before they do their own name. Alternative: In groups of 2 or 3 write down Asking questions until a ‘no’ is reached when it is Method: Altern.: Sit in a circle. Tell the group to think of a food or feelings or concerns about being involved in the Expectations and Agreements (10+) time to move on to speak to someone else within drink that starts with the same letter as their project/process/activity. Each group feeds back the group. Ask the group to create two lists, using post-it notes or name (sausage Sam, Kit Kat Kirstie, Sambuka (sticking to the ground rules) and is able to form brainstorming as appropriate: ‘Agreements’ composed Serena). Repeat as above, but make sure you have part of a wider group discussion about concerns of ground rules that everyone agrees to follow and a different person last. that should be addressed. This can also include ‘Expectations’ that participants have of the activity. Balloons: (10+) a discussion on confidentiality. Begin with the list of ‘expectations.’ Generate a list of Aim: To get people moving and talking. Can be used to what participants expect from the training. Ask clarifying focus on particular issues or be relevant to the later Park It! (5+) questions and record the responses as briefly as possible. discussion to ‘warm’ people to the point of the Use additional sheets if necessary. participation exercise. Have a piece of flipchart available and if during any part of the session the group Move on to ‘agreements.’ Ask the group for contributions. Method: Have half the number of balloons as participants goes off the subject or gets bogged Ask clarifying questions and restate the participants’ numbers with a statement, issue or words on. down write the issue on a post-it and contributions as briefly as possible while retaining Release the balloons and play music, get everyone come back to it at the end of the session. to tap them in the air and not allow them to touch the floor. When the music stops, everyone should try to grab a balloon, those who do should pair up with someone the original message. Check to make sure everyone without a balloon and discuss the issue on the balloon. understands (and approves of) the list of agreements Repeat a few times asking people to grab different and list them on chart paper. balloons to ones they have had previously. If your group is having difficulty understanding or Generic issues could include: Would you rather see the coming up with a list of agreements, you can prompt the future or change the past? Go without television of fast group with questions like: food for the rest of your life? Make headlines for saving someone’s life or winning a Nobel Prize? Be an apple or What is Participation? (12+) “How can we act towards one another (for example, be a banana? Visit the doctor or dentist? honest, listen, be open-minded) to maximize the time Work together in small groups to come up we spend together?” with a definition for what participation is. Ask for group consensus. Lead the conversation to Invite young people to list and talk about all a conclusion where the original agreement is clarified the different things they understand to be and consensus is reached. relevant to participation. Let participants know that the finalised lists can be Share these definitions with other groups revisited throughout the session. and discuss the ideas that are presented. Is it possible for the group to come up with Post the lists in plain sight so that participants can an overarching definition? review the agreements and expectations easily throughout the session or training.

26 Children and Young People Participation Toolkit www.charnwood.gov.uk 27 further examples of participation excercises Agree/Disagree (5+) Continued from page 16 Aim: To clearly elicit views from children and young people, exploring their How? (12+) views on prepared statements. Method: Place four signs around the room. RATING THE TOOLKIT Aim: To explore how ideas/issues can be developed and look The signs read ‘Agree’, ‘Disagree’, APPENDIX 3 at solutions to potential barriers. This works well ‘Strongly Agree’ and ‘Strongly independently or as a follow-on from the Hot Air exercise. Disagree’. Read out prepared Method: Each group should start with one question. For example statements or questions and the How useful did you how can young people have a greater say in the service? children or young people have to run Evaluation of toolkit find following sections: After each answer comes another ‘how?’ (This exercise to a label that best reflects how

also works using ‘why?’ where appropriate). they feel. USEFUL VERY USEFUL OK USEFUL VERY NOT ALL USEFUL AT NOT A word copy of this evaluation form is available with this toolkit. Thank you in advance for your time, your views are invaluable to supporting the development of the toolkit and How? How? Dot Voting (5+) helping colleagues to learn from experiences. Please complete Introduction How? and return to the Children and Young People’s Team. 4 4 4 4 4 How can young How? Aim: To elicit opinions of children and young Planning people have a How? How? people using a ‘voting’ system. 4 4 4 4 4 greater say in Name How? Method: Create a list of possible answers in the service? Delivery response to a question or statement on 4 4 4 4 4 How? How? Job Title How? a flipchart, for example, things children Review of children and young people do in their spare time. & young people’s Leave space next to each answer. Service Area 4 4 4 4 4 involvement Give everyone three sticky dots and ask What did you use the toolkit for? them to place their dots next to three Feedback activities they do most often. 4 4 4 4 4 Street Scene (5+) You can all see immediately which Planning Template 4 4 4 4 4 Aim: To create a street scene, putting activities are the most popular. things in perspective, which all participate in creating. Video Booth (5+) Method: With a map of the area get young ABOUT THE PARTICIPATION: people to use photos, newspaper Aim: To encourage children and young cuttings or drawings to show people to express views verbally. different areas on the map. They What did you learn from the Set up a video camera in a small should show what they think about Method: toolkit that you didn’t room with a chair for children each area, highlighting issues in parts already know? and young people to sit on. of the town, but also what is good Either allow children and young about areas and provisions that are people to express openly their situated there. ideas and suggestions to the How did the toolkit affect how camera, or ask questions that you approached and delivered Bead Boxes (5+) they answer to the camera. the participation work? Aim: To gather views using a practical exercise. Wishing Well (5+) What is missing from the Method: Children and young people are Aim: To encourage blue sky thinking which toolkit? Why is it important given beads (or similar item) which can lead to discussion about what is/ to include this? they are able to use to ‘vote’ isn’t practical and/or possible. by placing in various pots (this could be ‘agree’ or ’disagree’ to Method: Using whatever materials you can statements read out or voting (clean dustbin, wide tube, children’s play What advice would you give for specific things within a tunnels) set up a wishing well. Children write their thoughts, suggestions, ideas to a colleague who is new to consultation exercise – i.e. things participation? What would they would like to see in their area. on a round piece of paper (coin) and throw it into the wishing well. you do differently next time?

28 Children and Young People Participation Toolkit www.charnwood.gov.uk 29 ABOUT THE PARTICIPATION:

What did you do?

What method(s) of participation did you use?

Who, and what age group, did you work with?

When, and where, did you do this?

What were the main challenges?

What were the main achievements?

Participation is not just What will change, or has about using services changed, as a result of the participation?

How will you promote the toolkit to your colleagues?

30 Children and Young People Participation Toolkit www.charnwood.gov.uk 31 www.charnwood.gov.uk

Find this Toolkit on the Charnwood Intranet site: http://info/sites/cyp/default.aspx

Children and Young People’s Team Charnwood Borough Council Council Offices Southfields Road Loughborough LE11 2TX