"When a music leader listens to my opinion, I feel like I'm valued. You feel like you belong there."
– Chloe, Creative Academies
CONTENTS
WHAT IS YOUTH VOICE AND PARTICIPATION?
Youth voice and participation, ‘youth voice’ for short, is when young people influence how an organisation or project is run.
Examples are when young people and children…
- …make decisions
- …shape sessions
- …undertake leadership roles
- …give feedback that’s acted upon
WHY DO IT?
Amplifying young voices equalises access to music making, learning and earning. And it doesn’t have to be costly or complicated. Young people are the leaders, changemakers and influencers of the future. Put them centre-stage and you’ll soon see the benefits.
Young people will….
- Feel empowered and heard, in a society that often disregards their views
- Be part of music projects fit for their ever-changing world
- Develop their confidence, communication and activism skills
Your organisation will….
- Be more relevant for young people and have a bigger impact on their lives
- Develop new skills and insight, boosting staff morale
- Improve its credibility, and access to funding
Did you know youth participation is a fundamental human right? The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states:
“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.”
YOUTH VOICE COMMITMENTS
Join our journey to better youth voice by following these five commitments:
Create
Be innovative about how we #ShareThe Mic. Make the process fun!
Collaborate
It’s not about giving up control, it’s about sharing power.
Care
Always act on what we hear and learn.
Communicate
Share how we’ve acted on what we’ve heard.
Champion
Give all ages and abilities a platform to get involved.
"Organisations have the key to unlock the power and the resources to bring out the best in young people."
– Aicha, Positive Youth Foundation
RESOURCES
Are you inspired to accelerate your youth voice journey?
Check out the useful resources below.
Youth voice - the basics
What youth voice looks like in practice and why it's important.
Tips from young people
Want to know what young people have to say on youth voice and participation? These resources will help!
Youth voice in the early years
Nobody’s too young to have their voice heard. Find out how to engage 0-5 year olds.
Youth voice in research & evaluation
Wondering how to incorporate youth voice into research and evaluation?
Youth voice consultation workshops
Youth Music partnered with three projects to deliver a series of consultation workshops for younger groups. Here’s what we learned:
And here are the session plans as inspiration to borrow from and adapt for groups you work with.
Youth engagement equaliser
Sound Connections developed ‘The Equaliser’ tool to help everyone take steps on their youth voice journey - from beginners to experts.
Youth voice & participation handbook
The definitive guide to youth voice and participation for the creative and cultural sector from Sound Connections.
How to showcase young people's music
A practical guide on how to showcase young people’s music and talents through youth-led events from Lincolnshire One Venues.
Young trustees movement
A movement to change charity boards by doubling the number of young trustees by 2024 from the Young Trustees Movement.
Youth voice training & further resources
Even more training and resources on youth voice and participation.
Lewisham Music - A focus on Youth Voice
An IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility) Case Study from Lewisham Music.
A free online Introduction to Youth Voice course from Upstart Projects.
Videos from Youth Music Empower Hour sessions
Youth voice for Music Education Hubs
A toolkit designed for Music Education Hubs from MAC Birmingham
Youth Music quality framework
A tool to help plan and evaluate your young person centred activities.
Youth Music funding
If you apply for funding from Youth Music, you'll be asked to show how your project has been or will be co-designed with children and young people.