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Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

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Page 1: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin

and Dr Angela O'Connell,University College Cork

Page 2: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

THE NATIONAL CHILDREN’S STRATEGY 2000 GOAL 1 INITIATIVES

Department of Children and Youth Affairs participatory initiatives supporting the implementation of Goal 1: Comhairle na nÓg (local youth councils);Dáil na nÓg (National Youth Parliament);Comhairle na nÓg National Executive (formerly

the Dáil na nÓg Council);Children and Young People’s Forum;Children and Young People’s Participation Support

Team in 2009;National consultations with children and young

people.

Page 3: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

Child and youth councils in the 34 City and County Development Board areas.

Aim to give children and young people voice in the development of local services and policies- which link with adult decision-making

bodies.

Bi-annual national parliament for young people aged 12-18 years hosted by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.  Delegates are elected to Dáil na nÓg by the 34 Comhairle na nÓg.

One representative from each Comhairle na nÓg is elected to the Comhairle na nÓg National Executive (formerly Dáil na nÓg Council), which follows up on the Oireachtas Committees and other decision-makers.

Comhairlí na nÓg Dáil na nÓg

Page 4: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

AIMS OF THE STUDY

To gain insight into the experiences and outcomes of participation for children and young people who are currently involved and have been involved in DYCA participation initiatives.

To use participatory research methods to develop a research and evaluation model that takes account of children’s and young people’s voices, is informed by consultation with the DCYA and is grounded in national and international literature.

Page 5: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

AREAS OF IMPACT

The study utilised a holistic model of participation underpinned by Ackermann et al’s (2003) four realms of impact:

This model was adapted to take account of participants’ experiences of the impact of the DYCA initiatives in four main areas:

Personal Familial Communal Institutional

Personal Family CommunityDecision-making in

Irish Society

Page 6: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

PARTICIPATION INITIATIVES EXAMINED IN RESEARCH

Participation Structures Dáil na nÓg Comhairle Na nÓg; including 2012 Comhairle

Na nÓg National Showcase DCYA Children and Young People’s Forum

Consultation Case Studies Listen to our voices! - Hearing children and

young people living in the care of the state (2011)

Mental Health Consultations with Teenagers ‘What helps and what hurts?’ (2008).

Page 7: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH METHODS

28 adult research participants; Comhairle na nÓg coordinators (17), support staff DCYA participation structures (6) and decision-makers (5)

330 young people were involved as respondents and young researchers.

Qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed including surveys of past and present youth participants; interviews; focus groups

and observations.

Research Steering Group

Page 8: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

ROLE OF YOUNG RESEARCHERS

Administered survey of 17 randomly selected Comhairle na nÓg; facilitated 4 focus groups, and

interviewed key decision-makers.

Research Training sessions and ongoing engagement with UCC research team.

Members of the Steering Group and involved in research design, data collection and analysis

(Consensus Workshop)

Page 9: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

RESEARCH FINDING

1. Personal impacts

2. Community impacts

3. Family impacts

4. Impact on Institutions

and decision-making

5. Pathways to

representation

Page 10: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

POSITIVE PERSONAL IMPACTS FOR CHILD AND YOUTH PARTICIPANTS (CYP)

Page 11: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

POSITIVE PERSONAL IMPACTS FOR CHILD AND YOUTH PARTICIPANTS (CYP)

Personal skills development is the area most positively impacted by participation, followed by improved confidence, social skills, self-esteem and development of their social networks.

Almost all of the CYP would recommend membership of Comhairle na nÓg .

Participation initiatives create a safe space for some seldom heard young people and in particular a safe space to discuss issues of difference and social justice.

Page 12: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

FAMILY IMPACTS

Family Impact

s

Proud, intereste

d

More respect at

home

Changes at home

Provide practical support

Page 13: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

COMMUNITY IMPACTS

CNN main contact point

for consultation with children and young

people

Local, relevant and achievable

work most successful for CNN

CNN adopts youth-led approach

Page 14: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

IMPACTS OF PARTICIPATION AT COMMUNITY LEVEL

Positive impact of child and youth participation on youth spaces in community

Increased awareness of CYP’s issues; this could be viewed as raising the status of children and young people within their own communities.

Local decision-making often not youth friendly

Impact of budget cuts hampers access to decision-makers

Attitudes of some decision-makers towards youth participation problematic

Page 15: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

SOCIETAL IMPACTS

Opportunities to influence policy

Young people seek policy

change

Participation officers

Access to decision-makers

National and local fora,

consultations Media coverage

Page 16: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

IMPACT ON INSTITUTIONS AND DECISION-MAKING IN IRISH SOCIETY

DCYA participation spaces respect children and young people both as community members and value them as citizens in their own rights.

Positive impact on social justice and youth issues.

Changing cultural attitudes to children and young people’s participation- noticeable shift towards the inclusion of children and young people’s views in some decision-making processes.

A particular factor in this cultural shift is the work of adult facilitators or participation ‘champions’ in pushing the participation agenda.

Page 17: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS BY SUCCESSIVE DÁIL NA NÓG COUNCILS

Fairsay! media campaign highlighted the negative portrayal of teenagers (2007-2008).

Young people involved in developing HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention’s Youth Mental Health advertisement, called ‘The boy with the hoodie’, and awareness campaign (2008-2009).

Influenced the Minister for Health and Children’s decision to commence the cervical cancer vaccine programme for 12-year-old girls (2010).

Page 18: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

SOME KEY ACHIEVEMENTS BY SUCCESSIVE DÁIL NA NÓG COUNCILS

Peer-led, evidence-based survey on implementation levels of SPHE and RSE among young people.

Life skills matter – not just points: A Survey of Implementation of Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in second-level schools

Consultation with young people on reform of the Junior Cycle in partnership with DCYA and National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA).

How We See It: Report of a survey on young people's body image (2012)

Page 19: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

PATHWAYS TO REPRESENTATION: SCHOOL

Schools

Gate-keeping

‘A’ students

Weak student council modelRelationships

with Comhairle

Co-ordinators

Need for a network of

relationships

Focus on Transition

Year

Limited age group

Page 20: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

CONCLUSIONS

Comhairle na nÓg provides support and advocacy in the pursuit of issues relevant to children and young people.

Child and youth participation spaces created by the DCYA may be viewed as attempting to create Lundy’s (2007) conditions of space (to express views), voice (opportunities to express views), audience (to be listened to) and influence (have views acted upon).

Participants are positive about their experience of voice, space and audience, but the area of influence requires further work and support.

Page 21: Dr Shirley Martin, Dr Catherine Forde, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin and Dr Angela O'Connell, University College Cork

QUOTE FROM YOUTH PARTICIPANT

When adults know what a young person’s view can be, is actually, Wow! Like a young person knows what they’re talking about, when you understand that, then you would always take it into account. You’d always like, think of asking young people. But a lot of adults just forget, and they forget

what it was like to be a young person and they really need to know that, like, because there was

more work done by young people like this in Youth Forums, and definitely, people who work with

children know how important we are. It’s people who haven’t worked with children, and even

people who don’t have kids themselves, they just, they forget what it was like. (Female, CYPF)