1. Youth Governance Jennifer Raven, Jacob Roberts-Mensah and Philip Flood Sound Connections and Wired4Music

2. The plan
Youth voice theory and context
Practical tips – getting started with young trustees
Group discussion and problem-solving

3. Youth Voice:
a human right

4. Article 12 – Respecting views
“Every child has the right to express their views, feelings and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously. This right applies at all times, for example during immigration proceedings, housing decisions or the child’s day-to-day home life.”
Article 5 – Allowing choice
“Governments must respect the rights and responsibilities of parents and carers to provide guidance and direction to their child as they grow up, so that they fully enjoy their rights. This must be done in a way that recognises the child’s increasing capacity to make their own choices.”

5. Youth Voice & Participation is…
Listening, dialogue, being open, responsive
Co-producing and collaborating
Involves facilitating, mentoring and supporting
Working with young people on an equal playing field, as equal partners – sharing power and decision making
Giving choice
Be very aware of hierarchy and power dynamics
Challenging ego
Not handing over power altogether

6. Challenging Circumstances

8. Sound Connections Six Categories of Youth Participation
YOUTH ADVOCACY

9. Youth Consultation
Hearing experiences, ideas and opinions through things like surveys, focus groups and creative activities.

10. Youth Action and Advocacy
Young people campaigning, debating and engaging in social action.

11. Young Producers
Young people designing and creating their own projects and events, usually with facilitation and support from staff.

12. Youth Enterprise
Young people developing professional skills, often through their own business and project ideas.

13. Peer Leadership
Young people supporting and mentoring one another.

14. Youth voice within formal teaching
Young people having choice within, and making decisions about, the ways in which they learn, eg within one-to-one lessons, ensemble or the classroom.

15. Youth Governance
Young people active within strategic decision-making roles, eg young trustees.

16. Embedding youth voice & participation
1. Inform
2. Ask
3. Respond
4. Embed
Embedding youth voice & participation
Equip you and your team with understanding, knowledge, skills
Consult with young people – formal & informal
Respond to needs by co-producing with young people
Embed within the organisation through Youth Governance

17. How is youth voice part of your work?
5 minutes to discuss youth voice within your Hub/organisation:
What are you already doing?
What would you like to do?

18. Youth Governance at Sound Connections
How do we involve young people in decision-making at Sound Connections?

19. Wired4Music trustee perspective
Look out for:
Imposter syndrome
Misconceptions – representing all young people
Tokenism
What worked:
Trustee buddies
Connecting with other trustees
Task and finish groups
meetings; support in between/around meetings
We are still early days

20. Planning ahead Why is this work important/what are the benefits?
What are the potential challenges/barriers?
What support do you need as Hubs to help implement and embed youth voice? This might be from each other, from Sound Connections, from Music Mark, from ACE etc.

21. Thank you!
Get in touch:

22. Sliding scale of co-production
YP ownership/decision-making
Staff ownership/decision-making
YP ownership/decision-making
Staff ownership/decision-making
YP ownership/decision-making
Staff ownership/decision-making
The ratio changes based upon various factors, eg: age, situation, level of trust, level of YP confidence etc