Models for Children’s Involvement – A Collection of Case Studies Nordic countries mark the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Aina Winswold and Anne Solberg TemaNord 2010:545 Models for Children's Involvement – A Collection of Case Studies Nordic countries mark the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child TemaNord 2010:545 © Nordic Council of Ministers, Copenhagen 2010 ISBN 978-92-893-2066-5 Print: ARCO GRAFISK A/S Cover photo: Magnus Fröderberg/norden.org Copies: 500 Translation: Leslie Walke Printed on environmentally friendly paper This publication can be ordered on www.norden.org/order. Other Nordic publications are available at www.norden.org/publications Printed in Denmark Nordic Council of Ministers Nordic Council Ved Stranden 18 Ved Stranden 18 DK-1061 København K DK-1061 København K Phone (+45) 3396 0200 Phone (+45) 3396 0400 Fax (+45) 3396 0202 Fax (+45) 3311 1870 www.norden.org Nordic co-operation Nordic co-operation is one of the world’s most extensive forms of regional collaboration, involving Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and three autonomous areas: the Faroe Islands, Green- land, and Åland. Nordic co-operation has firm traditions in politics, the economy, and culture. It plays an important role in European and international collaboration, and aims at creating a strong Nordic community in a strong Europe. Nordic co-operation seeks to safeguard Nordic and regional interests and principles in the global community. Common Nordic values help the region solidify its position as one of the world’s most innovative and competitive. Contents Preface................................................................................................................................7 Summary ............................................................................................................................ 9 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 11 2. Involvement.................................................................................................................. 15 2.1 Models.................................................................................................................. 16 3. Pre-schools and schools................................................................................................ 19 3.1 Sweden: Use of the Trialog method in student council networks to improve student democracy........................................................................................... 19 3.2 Iceland: Sæborg pre-school: An example of how children can influence their everyday lives ................................................................................................. 22 3.3 Denmark: Practising democratic values in Hylet pre-school................................ 25 3.4 Iceland: The inclusion of children aged 2–16 in developing and introducing a new school programme in Mosfellesbær...................................................... 29 3.5 Discussion: Pre-schools and schools .................................................................... 33 4. Culture, leisure time and surroundings ......................................................................... 35 4.1 Norway: Use of the MIABE method to promote involvement of children and young people in their immediate surroundings ............................................... 35 4.2 Sweden: An example of how young people can exert influence in their recreation centres ............................................................................................ 40 4.3 Finland: Use of Internet for gathering information on inhabitants’ perception and use of their local environments.................................................................... 42 4.4 Iceland: Young people’s organisation of a benefit concert: a joint project between Unicef and Reykjavik’s Sport and Leisure Division (ITR).............. 46 4.5 The Faroe Islands: Experience of participation at the Youth Centre (Ungdomshuset) at Tvøroyri ........................................................................... 50 4.6 Åland: A project to strengthen youth influence and initiative in the archipelago...................................................................................................... 53 4.7 Iceland: Children’s contribution to the planning of a school building in Garðabær......................................................................................................... 57 4.8 Discussion: Culture, leisure time and surroundings ............................................. 59 5. Political participation.................................................................................................... 61 5.1 Sweden: Activism in a voluntary political organisation (Sáminuorra) ................. 62 5.2 Greenland: Two examples of how to examine children’s perception of their own lives................................................................................................. 65 5.3 Finland: Case........................................................................................................ 69 Sastamala – An organisational structure to promote a channel through which young people can exert influence in the municipality ..................................... 69 5.4 Norway: A study of the children’s municipal council in Vennesla ...................... 72 5.5 Sweden: Using the TYCKA model to increase young people’s political impact.............................................................................................................. 76 5.6 Denmark: Experiences from a youth council with a varied agenda...................... 80 5.7 Finland: Finnish Children’s Parliament – a local and national channel of influence for children aged 7 to 12.................................................................. 84 5.8 Discussion: Political participation........................................................................ 87 6. Children with unique experiences .................................................................................89 6.1 Denmark: Creating frameworks so that children with disabilities can participate in discussions about their lives.......................................................90 6.2 Norway: DUE – a model for creating better service to vulnerable children through dialogue and cooperation....................................................................93 6.3 Denmark: Orøstrand School and Treatment Centre: children’s council and influence. .........................................................................................................97 6.4 Finland: An example of how a client can become an expert through working in a network ...................................................................................................100 6.5 Norway: How disadvantaged young people can help others through participation and be strengthened in the process............................................104 6.6 Discussion: Children with unique experiences ...................................................108 7. Concluding reflections ................................................................................................111 8. References...................................................................................................................113 Preface Firstly, we would like to thank the Nordic Council of Ministers for the opportunity to prepare this publication. It has been both interesting and inspiring. We would particularly like to thank Cecilia Sjølander of the Children’s Ombudsman in Sweden, Flemming Schultz of the National Council for Children in Denmark, Thomas Wrigglesworth of the Ombudsman for Children in Norway, Elina Nivala of the Ombudsman for Children in Finland, Margrét María Sigurðardóttir, Ombudsman for Children in Iceland, Tórhild Højgaard of the Ministry of Social Affairs in the Faroe Islands, Sabitha Jørgensen of the Ministry of Social Affairs in Greenland, and Janina Björni of Save the Children, Åland. We would like to thank them for their enormous engagement, for extremely valuable comments on the text, and for all their practical help. We also wish to thank the authors of the articles in this publication. At short notice they have provided detailed descriptions of their projects and experiences of involving children and young people. Oslo 20 October 2009 Aina Winsvold (Project Manager) Anne Solberg (Project Worker) Summary This report was produced by Norwegian Social Research (NOVA) as commissioned by the Nordic Committee for Children and Young People at the Nordic Council of Ministers. The report contains 23 articles about children’s involvement in different arenas in the Nordic countries and in the self-governing territories of Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Åland. The articles illustrate a broad spectrum of models for children’s participation, and these examples are intended to serve both as an inspiration and as toolkits for others who work with children and young people. The articles show the importance of involving children, that there are many different ways of practising involvement, and that the type of involvement depends on intention and objectives. 1. Introduction This report was produced by Norwegian Social Research (NOVA) as commissioned by the Nordic Committee for Children and Young People (NORDBUK) at the Nordic Council of Ministers, in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights