more effective and efficient programs and policies

over my life I have been extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity listen to children and young people, socially excluded populations, refugees and first nations peoples both here at home but all over the world. I have heard and witnesses their extraordinary humanity, the extraordinary strength in telling their truths but what was most telling was their hope.

involving socially excluded populations including children and young people in organisational decision making makes sense. It makes sense because socially excluded populations want to be recognised as persons in their own right and to have their views respected. It makes sense because, like all people, they have a right to express their views when decisions are being made that directly affect their lives. It makes sense because they are experts in their own lives; they have a body of experience and knowledge that is unique to their situation. As a result, they can tell decision makers things that they don’t know. They can get us to look at things differently.

and it makes sense because we know that initiatives designed for socially excluded people will be more likely to be effective if they themselves participate in their development and implementation.

the recent Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse highlights the importance of taking a rights-based approach and ensuring that children and young people are listened to, as an important tool to making institutions safer for children.

the advantages to government and non-government organisations include better and more responsive service delivery, greater engagement and increasing awareness. Programs designed for socially excluded populations and children and young people are much more likely to succeed if these groups have been involved in planning, developing and implementing. The benefits for all, and even more so, specifically for children and young people include greater confidence, increased connectedness and learning skills including expanding their problem solving skills.