How do we get to hear young people’s voices? How do we listen well? What can we learn? What changes will it bring? I’ve come across three groups recently who have youth voice groups. These are a number of young people that are part of a group who want to be involved in the way it runs and the things it does and share their views. One is a drama group called Light Up (based in Hampshire) who have developed a Youth Advisory Board to shape their work. Another is the Step by Step Partnership Speak Out group; young people in supported lodgings being given a space to share their views and change the way the provision is done. The third is Grimm & Co, a literacy charity dedicated to championing the writer in every child – with their Young Leaders.

Simply speaking, to hear young people’s voices, you just need to ask and listen. But sometimes simple isn’t that simple. Are young people willing to speak if they don’t think they’ll be heard? As in, really heard. How can they find the words to express things which can be understood by others? How can they know that what they say will make a difference?

The Lundy Model of Participation gives four elements which enable young people’s voices to be heard: space, voice, audience, influence.

Space: safe and inclusive opportunities to form a view

Voice: facilitated to express their view

Audience: listened to

Influence: view acted on, as appropriate

The Moving Towards Independence project, a collaboration between the University of Southampton and Step by Step Partnership, is aiming to provide these four elements so that looked after young people can share their experiences and advise on practical changes to policy and practice to make care leavers’ experiences better. We’ll keep sharing how we’re getting on here.

Image: Lundy’s Model of Participation as included in Ireland’s National Strategy on Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making 2015-2020. Ireland Department of Children and Youth Affairs, National Strategy on Children and Young People’s Participation in
Decision-Making 2015-2020 (17 June 2015), p. 21. Accessible here:
http://dcya.gov.ie/documents/playandrec/20150617NatStratParticipationReport.pdf