ellinor bollman 2014-10-17 young speakers. the core idea of young speakers is that children are...
TRANSCRIPT
Ellinor Bollman 2014-10-17
Young Speakers
The core idea of Young Speakers is that children are experts in their own situation and can provide valuable insight by sharing their experiences and opinions.
By working with Young Speakers, you gain important knowledge, information, ideas and views from the children and young people themselves. You get a valuable contribution to the issue or investigation you are working with. Your basis for decision making is broadened, making your decisions more well-informed and of higher quality. It also makes it easier for you to conduct impact assessments of proposed decisions relating to children.
Young speakers– A method for listening to Children
The Ombudsman for Children in Sweden
Cecilia Sjölander
Christopher Carlson
The Ombudsman for Children in Sweden
The core of the method is to seriously listen to what children and young people have to say, and to let them speak their mind without interrupting them with your own values and opinions.
The core of the method
The Ombudsman for Children in Sweden
1. Preparations
2. Contact and information
3. Work meetings
4. Coding and analysis
5. Young Presenters
6. Communicating the message
Steps in Young Speakers
The Ombudsman for Children in Sweden
Which children should participate?
Which children do you want to get in touch with?
What is the purpose of your meeting with the children?
Do you have a plan for support?
How will the results be used?
Is there a need to train the personnel who will be working with Young Speakers?
Documentation and tools?
How will feedback be provided to children and young people?
1. Preparations
The Ombudsman for Children in Sweden
Consider how to best get in contact with children who have experience in what you want to focus on.
When you know which channels you want to use to reach out to the children, you need to think about how to convey the information – by post, phone or a combination of both.
Gathering children to listen to their opinions and experiences on different topics may require consent from their parent or guardian.
Adapt the information to the target group.
Make sure that the children have received and understood the information.
It may be a good idea to hold an information meeting before the work starts.
2. Contact with children and young people
The Ombudsman for Children in Sweden
You must have a plan for how your work meetings will be conducted. An information meeting may also be required before getting started with the work.
Remember that everyone is different. You need to give the children the opportunity to express themselves in a way that suits them.
3. Work meetings
The Ombudsman for Children in Sweden
After meeting with and listening to children and young people, you have probably collected an extensive amount of material to serve as the children's voice – everything from films and collages to recordings. It is important to manage and use this material in the best way possible.
4. Coding and Analysis
The Ombudsman for Children in Sweden
”Maybe the world will understand us this time…”
Communicating knowledge gained through the children’s experience to decision makers, directly through the children.
Decision makers are key players in efforts to realise the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The meeting makes it possible for decision makers to learn how laws, regulations and decisions work in the real world for those affected.
The meeting gives decision makers both new and more in-depth knowledge.
The aim of the meeting is to give decision makers insight into what is lacking as well as an understanding of what it takes to safeguard children's human rights.
5. Young Presenters
The Ombudsman for Children in Sweden
Compile the children's messages and conclusions.
Identify players who can make changes based on the children's messages.
Communicate the information to all relevant players.
Follow up on how the players intend to act on the children's message.
Provide feedback to the children regarding how their message was received and what will be done based on their suggestions for change.
Follow up after six to twelve months.
Contact the children again and let them know the results of their participation.
6. Communicating the Message
The Ombudsman for Children in Sweden
Thank you!