How we work

Below are a list of initiatives that NICCY have been involved with which promote the participation of children and young people.

URVoice Consultation

NICCY undertook a large consultation process obtaining the views of nearly 2000 children and young people, parent, careers and professionals. Five priorities and associated action areas had been identified and the consultation asked people to tell NICCY which they felt were most important. The consultation therefore played a central role in shaping the work of the organisation over the next 3 years.

Young people were at the heart of the consultation, from its inception through to the planning and finally the implementation and evaluation stages. Young people sat and took active roles on both the Project Board and Project Teams. This meant they had a direct say in the decisions that were taken and had the opportunity to input their views and opinions. In both young people from the NICCY Youth Panel volunteered to sit on the project board and team.

On the Project Board the young people attended all the meetings and took an active role debating the decisions taken by the board. On the Project Team the young people were supported through a Participation Action Learning (PAL) programme. The PAL looked specifically at how both the project and the wider organisation involved and participated with the young people though the course of its work. Once again the young people on the Project Team attended all meetings. There they took an active role in discussing issues, making decisions and most importantly bringing the views of children and young people to the team.

During the implementation phase of the consultation both the young people on the project team and members of the wider NICCY Youth Panel took part. During the launch road show event in particular the Youth Panel helped in the workshops both in the organisation and also in engaging with other children and young people.

In the post consultation evaluation young people had a say in what they felt worked well and what areas could be improved. This was important not only to hear their views but also very valuable learning for how NICCY works with children and young people in future work.

All young people were part of the NYP and all volunteered their participation for the different elements of the project.

NICCY's Children's Rights Review and School Transport Research:

Young people trained as peer researchers to work alongside staff in running focus groups with children and young people. In preparation for this we piloted research instruments with members of young panel and involve them in the design.

Young Consumer's Project

Many young people told NICCY that they are treated differently than adults when they are shopping.

Despite more than three quarters of young people surveyed spending more than £10 per week - and almost a third spending more than £20 per week - they believe that shop owners and shopping centres don't show the same respect to them as older shoppers.

The NICCY youth panel decided that they wanted to explore this further and carried out a survey of more than 450 young people, along with 92 adults and four representatives of retails outlets or shopping centres. In preparation for the survey members of NYP were trained in survey techniques and standards before undertaking the work.

The survey found that more than 70% of young people and three quarters of adults told us that young people are treated differently, despite the amount of money they spend and it sent a message to Northern Ireland retailers that young people are not tomorrow's consumers, they are spending today, and they are concerned that they are not receiving the same attention and welcoming attitude as adults receive.

Key messages from the survey include asking shops to include incorporating the equal treatment of young shoppers in store training programmes, and that the in-store customer experience of young people should be part of retailers marketing considerations.

NICCY has made the report on the survey findings available on its website and circulated it to trade organisations throughout Northern Ireland.

Child Centred Care

NICCY undertook a review of the degree to which looked after children are able to exercise their article 12 right in decisions about their care, including recommendations as to how to improve this.

Democra-School

Democra-School is a way to promote, support and enhance pupils having a say in school. NICCY produced guidance in partnership with schools, pupils and using legislation and guidelines from local, national and international programmes.

Helping children and young people have a say is part of NICCY's role to safeguard and promote the rights and best interests of children and young people. It is also an important part of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Article 12 of the convention says that young people should have a voice on issues that affect their lives.

Under various parts of the law that set up the office of the Commissioner, NICCY must make sure that it involves and listens to views of children and young people.

NICCY hosted a conference called Democra-School on 23rd March 2006.

More than 220 delegates were there, including 140 pupils, principals/senior teachers and key stakeholders.

The aims of the conference were to develop a sense of democracy among children and young people, to promote school councils and share best practice. The day was used to share experiences, collect existing good practice and ideas for future development from pupils, teachers and key stakeholders.

We held the event because children and young people spend a vast amount of the years that shape their future at school and because NICCY's strategic plan is to raise awareness and promote children and young people's participation.

The day was targeted at post-primary school, primary school and special school pupils and teachers. The event was practical, interactive in nature and focused on the young people who were involved.

At the Democra-School conference in March 2006, the then Minister for Education, Angela Smith MP, stated in a videoed interview, carried out by a member of the NICCY Youth Panel, that she would welcome using the findings from the conference to support the development of a school council policy

Following the launch of the Democra School Guidance in May '07, every school in NI received the guidance. Our new objective during 2008-11 is to get the Minister of Education to introduce legislation to ensure widespread adoption of school councils by schools throughout Northern Ireland

Youth Independent Advisory Groups (PSNI)

NICCY’s participation team supported a pilot project looking at how the PSNI can positively engage with young people in local communities, hear their voice and help shape the delivery of policing in the community. You can read the evaluation report ‘Voices for Change’ here.

The PSNI welcomes the report, but acknowledges that the recommendations will be subject to internal evaluation before resources, both human and financial, are committed to their implementation.