Where?

Where are you in terms of participation?

From: “The Participation Charter” (Partnership Works and Children and Young People’s Participation Partnership)

• Participation is a right
• Children and young people are the best authorities on their own lives
• Participation depends on respect and honesty
• Participation must be accessible and inclusive
• Participation is dialogue to influence change
• Participation is built in
• Participation is everybody’s responsibility
• Participation benefits everybody

Roger Hart's Participation Ladder lists 8 levels of participation
1. Manipulation
2. Decoration
3. Tokenism
4. Assigned but informed
5. Consulted and informed
6. Adult initiated shared decisions
7. Young people initiated and directed
8. Young people initiated with shared decisions with adults

Treseder's Circles

Treseder (1997), suggests that there are five levels of participation which may be used depending on the circumstances, where children are always informed and their contribution voluntary, but where there are varying mixes between adult and child initiatives and decision making.
Assigned but informed - consulted and informed - adult initiated shared decisions - child initiated shared decisions - child initiated and directed

Tools

Simple evaluation sheet  This is a tool designed by the Forum which would allow a child or young person to quickly evaluate a service in terms of involvement

Personal evaluation sheets This is a tool to allow a child or young person to evaluate how well they were involved in the development of personal plans

Lansdown Evaluation Matrix This is a more detailed matrix which looks closely at the scope, quality and impact of participation.

Participation Works Self-Assessment Tool A comprehensive set of quality indicators to assess performance in participation.

 Practical ideas of how to involve children and young people