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INTRODUCTION:
Youth voice, youth involvement, youth participation, youth-centered programs,
community youth development, meaningful youth engagement, youth civic engagement,
child-friendly communities... Each of these titles are meant to summarize initiatives that
are active, empowering, and democratic experiences
for young people as they create change in their own lives, as
well as the lives of others in the organizations, institutions,
and communities they belong to.
Point to Ponder:
"Rather than
standing or speaking for children, we need to stand with
children speaking for themselves. We don't need a political
movement for children... [we need to] build environments and
policies for our collective future." - Sandra Meucci
 = free publication
Publications
 Guide
to Social Change Led By and With Young People (2006)
By The Freechild Project. Centering
on the "Cycle of Youth Engagement," this publication is a summary
of the social change issues and actions addressed by and with
young people around the world. A great primer to the Freechild
website.
15 Points to
Successfully Involving Youth in Decision Making
By Youth On Board.
Young people should be involved in the decisions that affect their lives.
They benefit. Organizations benefits. And so does the community. If you are
under 21 and want to learn how to become involved in positions of power, or
you are already working with young people and want to do so more
effectively, this manual is
for you. This comprehensive guide includes guidelines, worksheets, tips, a
resource directory, and stories from the street--all designed to help young
people and adults build effective relationships in order to work together in
improve their communities.
The
Declaration of Accountability on the Ethical Engagement of Young
People and Adults in Canadian
Organizations
By
First Nations Child and
Family Caring Society of Canada.
This document shares a wide-ranging perspective of youth
involvement, calling for organizations and communities to see
beyond past activities and to identify and practice powerful
ethical approaches to engaging youth. Despite the reference to
Canadian organizations,
this document is useful communities around the world.
Building
Community: A Tool Kit for Youth and Adults in Charting Assets and Creating
Change
By The Innovation Center. This publication makes it possible for individuals
and groups everywhere to bring an inclusive, asset-based approach to
creating positive change in their community. Filled with detailed
information and case studies, it gives users what they need to create youth
adult partnerships and lasting community development.
Children's Participation: The Theory and Practice of
Involving Young Citizens in Community Development and Environmental Care
By
Roger Hart. In this book Hart details his conviction that all children
can play a central and lasting role in sustainable development if their
genuine participation is taken seriously and if communities recognize their
developing competencies and unique strengths. This guide introduces the
organizing principles, successful models, practical techniques and resources
for involving children in environmental projects, with useful further
reading and contact addresses.
Younger Voices, Stronger Choices: Promise Project's Guide to Forming
Youth/Adult Partnerships
By Michael McLarney and Loring Leifer. An
important primer on youth participation in meaningful ways. This is the
foundational text for many other books on youth involvement.
Creating Youth/Adult Partnerships
By The Innovation Center/ National 4-H Council. For those just beginning to
explore youth-adult partnerships as a strategy for community and
organization building, this book offers a step-by-step tools to prepare
youth and adults to work as a team. Designed with even the most novice
trainer in mind, this 6 - 8 hour curriculum leads youth and adults through
activities to challenge preconceptions, explore benefits, assess readiness
and build trust to strengthen their work in partnership. For those looking
to strengthen their experiences in youth-adult partnerships, Youth-Adult
Partnerships: A Training Manual is also available.
Changemakers.net
Essays on Youth Civic Engagement
Standing
Up for Ourselves: A Study on the Concepts and Practices of Young
People’s Rights to Participation
By Carolina Francisco.
This report documents and discusses the capacity of children to
participate in projects. It explores different forms of
children’s participation, methods used in gaining the
participation of children, and aids and hindrances to
participation. It also includes a guide for planning and
implementing projects that draw on the Convention on the Rights
of the Child. Published by ECPAT International.
Promoting
Children's Participation in Democratic Decision-Making
By Gerison Lansdown. Makes the case for a commitment to respecting
children's rights to be heard and the need to consolidate and
learn from existing practice. It draws on much of the already
published research and thinking in the field and on a wide range
of international initiatives. In so doing, it seeks to provide
practical
guidance on the lessons learned to date in working with children
as partners. It is a contribution to the development of tools
for those who see children 's rights to be heard as a means of
promoting and protecting their other rights.
Promoting
Strategic Adolescent Participation
By Rakesh Rajani. This
paper aims to stimulate further discussion and serve as a
resource for promoting strategic adolescent participation in
UNICEF at global and country levels. It is divided into 2 main
parts. The first part of the paper provides the theoretical and
conceptual basis for effective adolescent participation, while
the latter part focuses on the programmatic and strategic
aspects of promoting effective adolescent development. The
underlying conceptual basis for this paper is that a
developmental approach that emphasizes investing in young
people's assets and protective factors is far more effective
than focusing on how to deal with their myriad problems.
Protagonism:
A Journey in Children's Participation
By Nandana Reddy and
Kavita Ratna. This document has brought together some of the
experiences and perceptions related to children's participation
that have been gathered over the years. It attempts to convert
these into principles and tools that would further the pedagogy
and praxis of children's participation.
Child
Participation: Challenges of Empowerment
By World Vision UK. The purpose of this discussion
paper is to stimulate debate about how child focused organizations can best
facilitate the involvement of children in a meaningful way. It combines articles
which examine the issues from a legal as well as a practical perspective. The
first paper examines how countries have chosen to interpret the right to freedom
of expression within the framework of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The second paper looks at the wider implications of child participation from a
variety of perspectives. A review of national case laws
and
international law is addressed here. The final discussion paper
includes contributions from children in Europe, Philippines,
Cambodia and Tanzania.
Youth In Decision-Making: A Study on The Impacts of Youth on
Adults and Organizations
By Shepherd Zeldin, Annette
Kusgen-McDaniel, and Dimitri Topitzes. This report discusses the
impacts young people have on adults and organizations when they
are involved in significant decision-making roles. This
publication will be of interest to policy makers and
practitioners. It concludes by commenting on the conditions that
are needed to allow organizations to include more youth in their
decision-making processes.
Child-to-Child: A Practical Guide Empowering Children as Active
Citizens
By Sara Gibbs, Gillian Mann, and Nicola Mathers. Based
on the popular education methodologies of Child-to-Child
initiatives in London, this manual outlines a process for
working with children ages 9-15 on projects that are
child-initiated and child-led. It is an illustrated,
easy-to-read resource for parents and practitioners in schools
and community groups. Child-to-Child: A Practical Guide
Empowering Children as Active Citizens includes sections on
group work, choosing issues, researching, taking action, and
evaluation. Each section includes games and experiential
learning activities. The manual also includes a list of
readings, additional resources, and sample lesson plans.
Stepping Forward: Children and Young People's Participation in
the Development
Process
By Victoria Johnson, Evan Ivan-Smith, Gill Gordon, Pridmore Pat, and Scott Patta. This book presents the key issues
and challenges facing those facilitating children's and young
people's participation. It draws on a paper presented at an
international workshop on children's participation held in 1997.
The main issues discussed and analyzed include: the ethical
dilemmas that face professionals in addressing children's
participation; the process and methods used in participatory
research and planning with children; the inter-relationship
between culture and children's participation; considerations for
institutions; and the key qualities of a participation program
for child and young people's participation. Drawing on case
studies from various countries, the book provides an overview of
the main issues and concepts, expands on the particular themes,
and opportunities for the future.
Youth Voice Begins With You
By Jennifer Kurkoski, Karla Markendorf And Norma Straw for the Washington
Youth Voice Project. A spectacular manual offering great training, information,
and details about youth involvement throughout communities. For more information
contact Project Service Leadership at (360) 576-5070.
Youth Voice Tip Sheets
By the Washington Youth Voice Project. A
collection of do and don'ts, tips, examples, and more information from Project
Service Leadership. For more information call (360) 576-5070.
Youth Involvement: Developing Leaders And Strengthening Communities
By Bruce Swinehart.
Youth Issues, Youth Voices: A Guide For Engaging Youth And Adults In
Public Dialogue And Problem Solving
By Sarah Campbell.
Guide For The Powerless And Those Who
Don't Know Their Own Power: A Primer On The American Political Process
By Samuel Halperin,
American Youth Policy Forum.
Young People Creating Community Change
By Barry Checkoway.
You can find a list of historical documents
(20+ years) supporting youth involvement, voice, participation and engagement
online here>
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