Report shows disparity in views of child participation in community services

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Western Sydney University is highlighting a report titled "Did you hear me? Children and Young People's Experiences of Participation in Community Services," developed by The Practice Project, this UNICEF's World Children's Day, Wednesday, 20 November 2024.

The Practice Project within the School of Social Sciences is aimed at changing social work with children and young people. The project includes Samia Michail, Professor Gabrielle Drake, and Angelica Ojinnaka-Psillakis.

Lead researcher and Lecturer Samia Michail worked with her team and three partner organizations, Uniting, Mission Australia and Life Without Barriers, to speak with children, young people and staff about their experience in participating in community services.

These conversations led to the development of three main findings:

1. Children and young people and services do not think about participation and how it happens in the same way.
2. Sector, organization and staff efforts to engage children and young people in decision making are not always experienced as participation by children and young people.
3. The quality of relationships children and young people have with staff influence how they understand, engage and commit to participation opportunities.

Michail explains that these findings encourage organizations to work closer with children and young people and check on whether the initiatives that are being developed to hear children's voices are actually having the desired outcome.

"These are significant findings that ensure the community sector uses scant resources efficiently to achieve better outcomes for children and young people while also operationalizing universal children's participation rights," said Michail.

During the discussions the team held with children, young people and staff, one youth participant explained the importance of being involved in the conversation:

"Listen to me, I'm an expert in my own life…"

While one staff participant noted the complications that they are faced with balancing the voices of the youths they are working with and the system itself saying:

"It's almost like our hands are tied behind our back and we're trying to have that conversation with them going, we really tried, buddy. We will take your feedback on, but what else can we do when they're literally trying to –you know. So, that's, I think, another barrier, is the external pressure to our system that has to be there because this is just the way it is."

Michail urges colleagues working across the community services sector to listen to the children and young people they work with and represent and consider their input when making decisions that directly impact them.

The Practice Project also has a podcast series that builds on the initial report and you can find the report and other resources via The Practice Project website.

Provided by Western Sydney University