Co-production Week: Youth Voice and Participation Toolkit Pilot Training Session

As part of Sefton’s Co-production week (3–7 July), the Sefton Young Advisors delivered a training session to staff from Sefton Council and Sefton CVS on the Youth Voice and Participation Toolkit.

Sefton Young Advisors are paid, trained and professional young people, aged between 15 and 22, who work with community leaders and decision makers to help them better engage young people in community life, regeneration and renewal.

The Toolkit was originally co-developed in 2015 by Sefton Young Advisors, Sefton Council, Health and Voluntary, Community and Faith (VCF) organisations. It is designed to guide the work of services to maximise the strengths and opportunities for organisations working with children and young people. The Toolkit was refreshed in 2022 with input from Sefton Youth Voice Strategic Steering Group.

To help raise awareness of the Toolkit a training session is being developed; with the pilot held during Co-production Week. The training is aimed at professionals, which helps to embed youth voice and participation into their project or organisation. This is a face-to-face session created and facilitated by Young Advisors. The session includes:

• Why we should engage and involve children and young people and the best ways to do so.
• Why shared decision-making and shared leadership is important.
• Looking at a Participation Checklist and how this can support youth voice.

Heather Jago, Strategic Commissioning Manager for the Regeneration Team, said:

“I attended a great session with the Young Advisors Lead Georgia and Young Advisors Archie, Nathan and Nel this week, where they took me through their engagement toolkit for children and young people.  Loved the enthusiasm and energy to have a say and be heard and worthwhile taking the time to reflect on what we do and how this can be improved. Engagement with children and young people is crucial to making sure we are working inclusively, making sure their voice is heard and that they are an active participant in plans for their future”.

The Young Advisors will be offering this session for anyone who is developing projects and services that impact children and young people. 

For more information about the Toolkit or to arrange a training session, please email young.advisors@seftoncvs.org.uk

You can view the Toolkit and more about the Sefton Young Advisors here…