‘Taking Part Toolkit’: Promoting Participation (North West Children’s Taskforce, England) 2002
Commissioned by a multi-agency Children’s Taskforce in North West England this project, with Polly Wright, included publication of a Toolkit which included: a Report (review of literature and policy, informed by young people’s views and experiences); a Resource Pack (youth forums, case studies, useful references/ resources/ websites); Participation Standards (processes and structures necessary for effective participation; establishing a commitment to participation; planning and developing participation; skills, knowledge and experience); and an Audit Tool (resource for practitioners and young people to review participation, celebrate successes, note issues and develop an action plan). The Taskforce commissioned delivery of a series of workshops about developing participatory practice for managers and practitioners in projects working with children throughout the North West and workshops were delivered in various other forums.
- Toolkit: Wright, P. and Haydon, D. (2002) ‘Taking Part Toolkit’: promoting the ‘real’ participation of children and young people, Manchester: North West Children’s Taskforce
- Workshops, with Polly Wright: ‘Developing Participation’, delivered to managers and practitioners in children’s services and Children’s Fund projects throughout the North West of England (2002-2003)
- Presentation: Plenary: ‘Participation – Principles and Processes’ at the Association of Chief Police Officers ‘Youth Justice’ Conference, Bristol, England (2002)
- Workshop, with Polly Wright: ‘Participation: the views of children and young people – implications for policy and practice’, Association of Chief Police Officers ‘Youth Justice’ Conference, Bristol (2002)
- Workshop, with Polly Wright: ‘Involving All Children and Young People’, ‘Joining Up Children’s Services: early signals from Children’s Trusts’ Conference, NCB/ Barnardo’s, London (2003)
- Workshop, with Polly Wright: ‘Involving Children and Young People in Consultation and Evaluation’, Barnardo’s NW ‘Participation’ Conference, Cheadle, England (2003)
‘Participatory’ and Ethical Research with Children, 2008-
Presentations exploring the practicalities of ‘participatory’ research and the ethical issues to be considered when conducting research with children and young people include:
- ‘“You have to be seen to be heard!”: the meaning of participation for ‘hard to reach’ children and young people’, Participation Seminar, Research Forum for the Child, Queens University Belfast, Northern Ireland (2008)
- ‘What is “participatory” research?’, Researching Children and Young People Postgraduate Conference, Research Forum for the Child, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland (2010)
- ‘Doing Research with Children and Young People’, Researching Social Justice Workshop, ESRC Festival of Social Science, Queens University Belfast, Northern Ireland (2017)
- ‘Doing “participatory” research with children and young people’, Conducting participatory research in the margins: experiences, dilemmas, insights, Open Seminar, University of Tampere, Finland (2018)
- With Phil Scraton:‘Sensitive Research with Children and Young People: Ethical Issues’, Cross-disciplinary Seminar, University of Sydney, Australia (2018)