Museums – unusual suspects and inspirational allies

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.

The strongest individual piece of domestic legislation enshrining the right of children and young people to have their views listened to, respected and taken into account is probably the Children Act of 1989, which stands as a twin pillar to the Convention on the Rights of the Child of the same year.

It has often been said that pushing back the boundaries to best promote a cultural change supporting participation has been achieved by children and young people most on the edge – those with significant experience of personal social and health care services, such as those looked after and undergoing child protection proceedings as covered in the Act. It is a sign of their influence and success that, while much still needs to be done here, the baton is often seen in the hands of other runners for the cause. Some of the most inspiring in recent years have been museums, galleries and libraries. There are some great examples at http://hbr.nya.org.uk/ of both organisational change and change for children and young people directly. Recently, Kevin Winter from Newark Museums spoke to RightSpace about the case for participation in museums and the value to young people and the organisation that results.