• Participation Standards were co-designed by children and young people to ensure meaningful engagement in decision making
• They were published in October 2022
• The toolkit has been shared with all the stakeholders who co-created the Standards
As part of the new Participation Standards, launched during the Chief Minister’s 100 Day Plan, all schools, colleges, nurseries, Government departments and organisations who helped to co-create them will receive packs and information to show how their views helped to make a difference.
Giving children and young people an opportunity to meaningfully influence the decisions that affect them is a key priority for Government. It has been highlighted in the Government’s Common Strategic Policy, and in the Minister for Children and Education’s 2023-2026 Delivery Plan.
To deliver on this priority Jersey’s first set of Participation Standards were launched in October 2022 to ensure that children and young people who choose to have a say are listened to, have their views included, have their contributions respected and acted upon.
Hundreds of children and young people - and those who work with them - took part in surveys and workshops to have a say on what the Participation Standards should look like and what they should include. They identified seven participation standards for all children and young people, including:
• Listen – all children and young people have opportunities to be listened to, be included and involved in decisions that affect their lives
• Choice – all children and young people have a right to choose or consent to be involved, or change their mind
• Information - all children and young people have information about their involvement that is easy to understand, fun, or interesting
• Safe – all children and young people feel safe and supported when having their say
• Respect - all children and young people are treated with kindness and their views and ideas are valued
• Influence - all children and young people’s views and ideas have a genuine and direct influence on decision-making
• Feedback – all children and young people are listened to and receive feedback
Minister for Children and Education, Deputy Inna Gardiner, said: “We’re really grateful to everyone who helped to create the Participation Standards. Giving feedback to children and young people after they had been consulted is one of the Participation Standards.
“In line with this model, we’re delighted to share the finished Participation Standards information with the schools, colleges and nurseries who helped to create them. This means they can see how their ideas and views made a difference, and what good engagement with them should look like.”
Assistant Minister for Children and Education, Deputy Louise Doublet, added: “Good participation of children and young people goes beyond just giving them a voice. It is a process that includes children and young people from start to finish. It involves children and young people being actively listened to and supported to express their views.
“I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to helping to create the first Participation Standards for Jersey on how to engage with children and young people. It’s fantastic to see them being used already across the Government of Jersey in the Inclusive Education programme and the Youth Diversion consultation project by Home Affairs.”
The resources, toolkits and information about Participation Standards are also publicly available for any organisation who is engaging with children and young people on www.gov.je/yoursay
Government of Jersey News Release