Level one Training
Children and Young People’s Participation
Course overview:
The right to child participation is one of four foundation principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Child participation is also built into the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and many other international conventions. Countries have also developed Plan of Actions to ensure the implementation of the plan. This course is, therefore, intended to familiarize participants with the basic principles of children’s and young people’s participation in development based on the four key principles guiding child participation as per the UNCRC i.e. non-discrimination, best interests of the child, the right to life, survival and development and respect for the views of the child. It emphasizes the need for providing an opportunity for children to be involved in decision making on matters that affect their lives and to express their views in accordance with their evolving capacities. Children’s participation is an essential principle that cuts across all development programs and takes place at all levels: home, community, government (national) and international levels.
This training will also equip participants with the necessary tools to be employed in the process of child participation and use of appropriate methodologies to enhance child participation in the family, schools, community, in research, advocacy, policy and law and in the media. Also addressed in the training is the selection process, ensuring safety and well-being of children during events and the role of adults working with and for children. It will further spell out expected levels of performance from certain persons including children, organizations, institutions and communities with regard to children’s participation in matters that affect them. The training is designed for all working for and with children, specifically, parents/guardians, learning institutions, Children’s Homes, Government ministries and departments concerned with children, NGOs and CBOs working with children and media, among others.
Major topics to be covered include:
- Why should we promote child participation?
- General principles that guide Child Participation
- How do you select the children to be involved?
- Ladder of Child- and Youth Participation
- How should the children give their input?
- How do you evaluate children’s participation?
- Degree of Participation
- Methodologies of Child Participation
- Rules of Child Participation
- Where to promote Child Participation
- Inclusiveness and gender sensitivity
- How should Child Protection be coordinated in an organization?
- Monitoring and evaluating children and young people’s participation,
- Ways of ensuring the consent of parents and/or guardians
By the end of the training, participants will be able to:
- Understand the benefits of child participation,
- Identify key points to consider during child participation
- Skills needed to consider on the participation of children in research
- Acquire skills for the participation of children in advocacy
- Ensure the safety and well-being during child participation
- Make use of different formats to be used in the course of child participation,
- How to implement guidelines on child participation
- Identify factors affecting children’s ability to participate