This research explored young people’s views on the facilitators and barriers for youth participation in civic activities, through seven semi-structured interviews. It considered the techniques that facilitate young people’s participation in civic activities, the impact of adults in the participation process, and explored how these experiences support young people to be the next generation’s leaders. This research generated the following key findings.
1. Youth councils provide young people with a forum to learn and develop skills as the next generation’s leaders;
2. Young people need and appreciate the involvement of adults who support their participation; 3. Young people should be able to contribute to the design and development of youth centric participation processes; and
4. The way that adults conceptualise young people impacts on their ability to participate in civic activities.
88
1. Youth Councils provide young people with a forum to learn and develop skills as the next generation’s leaders
Through this research a number of examples emerged of the skills and attributes that young people developed, helping to shape them as the next generation’s leaders (Barber, 2009; Craig, 2003; Thomas & Percy-Smith, 2009; Ule, 2013). Through their participation the respondents cited a
number of internal and intrinsic motivators, including building their confidence in working in a group and feeling able to voice a youth perspective. They learnt leadership skills as they led working groups and attended council meetings and events. They developed their communication skills through a range of mediums including written and spoken messages. They also developed skills through training and events, and learnt to negotiate and ensure everyone had an opportunity to be involved.
Alongside skill development they experienced a range of new activities that provided them with a foundation knowledge base of civic activities. This included their meetings where they used democratic processes such as chairing, mooting new ideas, moving and debating suggestions. They also experienced a range of council processes such as policy changes and submission processes, attendance at regular council meetings, and reporting on a regular basis to account for their youth council activities. Finally they were exposed to the challenges of speaking up on behalf of a cohort, and the need to consult and gather a wide range of views and opinions. All of these skills and experiences are key assets for developing as the next generation’s leaders, and is supported by existing research.
2. Young people need and appreciate the involvement of adults who support their participation
A strength of youth participation in civic activities is the potential for young people to learn and develop skills based on the guidance and support of adults. The respondents saw direct links between the support they received from adults, the success of youth participation and ultimately the skills they developed as a result. Consequently any model seeking to exclude adult involvement or input would be counterproductive.
In this research the respondents offered a clear and consistent view the involvement of adults is necessary, particularly concerning behind-the-scenes support and guidance, without any desire for
89
them to remove themselves altogether. The respondents also gave a clear message there are limitations to this involvement, and whilst young people require support from adults and their involvement is appreciated, they should not lead decision-making processes, nor take power away from the young people to run processes as they chose. Many of the youth participation theoretical frameworks suggest a hierarchy of participation. The lower levels of the hierarchy suggest adults are in control and run any participation models, with the top of the hierarchy suggesting that young people take full control of the participation process (Arnstein, 1969; Burford et al., 2012; Hart, 1992; T J Keelan, 2002; Shier, 2001). This research fits with the theoretical frameworks that do not use a hierarchical model, which instead suggest organisations and adults should use a model that best fits the intended results or outcomes of the participation process and confirms the importance of adult engagement and support (Kirby et al., 2003; Treseder, 1997).
3. Young people should be able to contribute to the design and development of youth centric participation processes
What was not available to the respondents, were any formal avenues to make suggestions and offer ideas for their engagement and that of a wider youth cohort. The respondents had a range of ideas for wider youth engagement by involving others in civic activities, but had no formal avenue to suggest or put ideas forward.
The respondents were very clear they did not want any processes to be ‘dumbed-down’ for them. In fact several of them mentioned they enjoyed engaging in participation processes without any change to accommodate them. Likewise the respondents spoke about the danger of having formal adult centric process such as formal application and interview processes. The respondents felt these adult centric processes excluded many young people from applying to be on the youth council and meant youth councils could be fairly one-sided with what they described as the ‘high echelon’ of youth. However once young people were involved, they noticed that processes were changed or adapted to accommodate their engagement. This included things like relaxed interview processes, induction and initial training to develop an understanding of their role; and providing information to them through a range of mediums. Young people can tell when adults are trying to get them to fit into adult processes and this risks patronising young people (Harris et al., 2010; Treseder, 1997). Young people do not want a simplified or dumbed down adult process, they want youth specific processes.
90
4. The way that adults conceptualise young people impacts on their ability to participate in civic activities
There are benefits and risks to how adolescence and young people are viewed. A positive
representation can benefit the young people actively involved while also ignoring those who are not. Likewise a negative view can minimise the contribution young people can make or prompt them to try harder and be more actively involved (Batsleer, 2010; Buckingham, 2008; Holliday et al., 2010). However what is most important is viewing each young person as unique, and enabling young people to engage in a youthful way so you do not lose the benefits of young people’s participation, be expecting young people to think like adults.
This research found that the respondents felt the way they were perceived by adults, impacted on youth participation in civic activities. When they were viewed positively, the respondents felt more inclined to be involved and give time to civic participation. They also felt a positive view meant that adults were prepared to give their time to support youth participation and to encourage their involvement. However, they also had concerns about being viewed positively. The respondents felt this skewed the view of young people generally. They were concerned their high level of
engagement, led adults to assume that all young people in the community were like them. This has the potential to further disenfranchise disengaged youth, because the adults making civic decisions may not consider them. The respondents were concerned that this provided another reason for disengaged youth to miss out on participating in civic activities.
Alongside this when viewed negatively, it provided some of the respondents’ motivation to become more involved in civic participation. For some young people, being told they could not do something, made them want to achieve even more. So while it meant that adults were not providing them with opportunities to participative in civic activities, for some this encouraged them to try harder. This avenue is fraught, with some young people taking action themselves, and working against the wishes of their wider youth council.
91