Young people themselves do not grasp the idea or purpose of external review and inspection, and the sight of a stranger asking tough questions can provoke some interesting reactions. I was only reviewed once by Her Majesty's Inspectorate (HMI - now Ofsted in England, and Estyn in Wales).
It was about a decade ago. The inspector concerned told me that she did not intend to give me a hard time but would be rigorous in her scrutiny, as my views were so prominent in the youth work field. Did my practice match my words? She interviewed me and then spent a considerable time with my part-time colleagues and with a group of young people who came to the centre to meet her. She was curious to know if they had been hand-picked: I told her, quite truthfully, that I had simply put the word out that she was coming and that, if young people had something to say, they should turn up and tell her.
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