Museums, Archives and Galleries may not at first strike you as the cutting edge of children and young people's participation. But look again. And be inspired! We have much to learn about vision, values and leadership, as well of course about inspiring approaches like sleepovers with the dinosaurs!

This video from Nottingham explores the importance of building in the voice and influence of children and young people across services and organisations. There are a range of tools available to help with this. Two I make a lot of use of are the PowerPoint called Building Standards and the pamphlet that goes with it which are attached below.

Our proposed seminar at De Montfort University on Tuesday 26 October has been postponed, but we are still building toward the large national event in Sheffield on 19 April 2011. For further information contact felicity.shenton@durham.gov.uk.

See the interview with RightSpace here: http://www.rightspace.org.uk/content/harrison-carter-young-people-and-research

This event was scheduled to take place on Tuesday 26^th October. However, as a result of the current financial uncertainties, and the imminent announcement of the Spending Review we have decided to postpone the event. Instead we will be running the following events as part of the ongoing debate about the human rights of children and young people….

For the past two years, Investing in Children has been working with Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool on a ground-breaking project that attempts to turn the theory of human rights into reality making things better for children and young people themselves, in a hospital setting. The short piece attached summarises young people’s experience of dialogue and practical significant change for them in the services they receive and the difference they say this makes to them. 

Since 2002 Investing in Children has been working with children and young people who are diabetic and their local health services to improve the way those services are provided. Evidence of dialogue and evidence of change are at the heart of effective participation, as this example suggests.

A RightSpace interview with Kevin Winter from Newark Museum. We have much to learn from a range of partners on the participation of children and young people and we sometimes can be surprised and energised by appreciating the dedication and skill from colleagues working in different sectors than our own.

A RightSpace interview with Ali Thomas and Paula Jackson-Key from YWCA on the participation of women and girls in local centres and the national organisation.

http://rightspace.org.uk/content/ali-thomas-and-paula-jackson-key-ywca