Local authorities were directed to actively involve young people, through devices such as youth councils or youth forums, to support youth engagement in local democracy.
Youth services must now carry out questionnaires involving young people in auditing and evaluating the provision of local authority services available to them. Peer evaluation also stretches to Connexions and sometimes involves paying young people to assess services.
Our cover feature this week (see p14) examines this process to see if it is working. And it uncovers a number of points that should be borne in mind. The most important is that young people must know their views have been taken on board and action has been taken. They are the users of the services and, as such, their views are just as valid as those of a middle-aged Ofsted inspector. Few things disappoint young people more than the feeling that adults are offering them insincere support.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
