Child & Youth Participation - SOS Children’s Villages Albania

Child & Youth Participation

What are the major issues experienced by young people about participation?

In countries like us, where the most important voice is the voice of an adult rather of a child it is difficult to act properly, or people believe that their opinion is not taken into account. When we ask children and young people about participation they see as an important process and not a routine. When children and young people believe that their voice has bring some change, they continue this model of expressing opinion/fact etc. Children and young people are really good at judging whether adults respect them or not, if they ideas and views are taken into account. Sometimes they see an urgency for professionals to put things in order as procedures are required. In fact, they want just to be listened to and share their ideas with adults. Children and young people have lots of ideas and views about how they are cared for, and what would make life better for them.

Article 12 of the UNCRC means that children are born with the right to express their views and opinions on all matters concerning their lives. The aim of participation is to empower and engage people around issues that are relevant to them.

Participation is a right. In fact, we have a say/voice since we are born in this world. Care of children and young people in social care system it is organized to ensure their right of participation or their right to tell opinion/view about aspect of life affecting them. Sometimes the practice has shown the opposite of participation. Most of the times there are adults to decide about their future. In many policies and practice and legal acts the right to be heard it is protected by constitution. Children and young people need to be heard and enroll in different process of care with the aim of changing practice or policies that are affecting negatively them. It is about of improve the system and society. This can be done only if we as a society work with the Theory of change!

We have seen children/young people as key stakeholders and built a culture of participation in our MA based on our practice. Child and youth participation occurs to various degrees and always jointly with adults and taking children’s welfare into account. Through such participation, children and young people also develop skills, build competencies, acquire confidence and form aspirations. Participation is being part of!! Non-participation is the process when others are deciding for you on matters that affect you and you are just informed – such as for your information.

SOS Children Village Albania to enhance the participation level uses different techniques such as:

More concretely, the child participation is ensured in four levels:

  1. In program participant level:

    Participation in and use of the individual development plan. A process in which child/youngster outlines his/her needs and is active to fulfill and meet his/her developmental needs with other professionals in care services. Children’s and young people’s participation is ensured in ways appropriate to their age and maturity during different processes such as:

    1. Evaluation of their IDP in an active way and evaluation of care services provided to them
    2. Active participation in quality development planning (“Youth Day”) and in drafting house regulations & policies of the organization
  2. Program/service level:

    In each service, there are regular discussions for collaborative decision-making in line with the location’s specific needs. Improvement of program/services through active participation in design, evaluation, and program planning is ensured.

  3. Strategic level:

    Consultations with children for the strategic directions of MA. Children’s views were reflected in the main directions of the National strategy 2023-2025. By including the voices of children, we ensure the programs we design are relevant for them. In close consultation with children for the implementation of OMBUD approach, which will be an added channel to share concerns and report incidents.

  4. Participation on national and international mechanism/bodies level:
    1. Inclusion in advocacy initiatives and bilateral meetings with high representatives of local and central public institutions such as:
      • Mayor of Tirana municipality
      • Mayor of Shkodra municipality
      • Representatives of Parliament and Albanian Government
      • Ministers of Education Sport and Youth Ministry, Health and Social Protection, National Ombudsman, etc.
    2. Inclusion of children and young people in hearing sessions with EU Delegation in Albania with the aim to influence EU institutions in raising advocacy issues in different events of EU (public consultations, roundtables, and meetings).
    3. Conference participation. Young people have participated in local, national, and international conferences as speakers, delegates, and rapporteurs, often with significant impact on the outcomes of such events. Participation in the reporting meetings with UN Committee on the Rights of the Child to represent the Albanian children’s rights concerns.

We have built a culture of participation within SOS CV Albania and some of our successful examples are as following:

Calls for actions

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