Who

Who should we involve and why?

The New Zealand Local Government Toolkit for Child and Youth Participation gives New Zealand local government staff practical information about involving children and young people in council planning and decision-making.

Defining 'child and youth'

When we refer to 'child and youth' on this website, we mean children and young people up to 25 years of age. (For the sake of brevity in this resource, we sometimes use 'young people' or 'youth' to refer to this entire group.)

Why councils should involve children and young people in decision-making

  1. The Local Government Act 2002 and other New Zealand legislation requires it.
  2. To contribute to society is a basic human right (see Article 12 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child)
  3. Children and young people are the experts on how they experience the world.
  4. The next generation will feel more connected and able to contribute.
  5. Research confirms that children and young people do want to participate in decisions that affect them.

Degrees of involvement

Treseder (1997) has developed a model which demonstrates how children and young people can be involved to varying degrees in decision making. This model recognises the fact that in certain areas – for example, in schools or in many council decisions – involvement will never result in children and young people completely controlling the decision that is made.

Empowering children & young people training manual: promoting involvement in decision making (Save the Children). Phil Treseder, 1997

Participation refers to children's and young people's involvement in decision-making, whatever form this may take.

Consultation means deliberately asking children and young people about their views. These views may or may not be incorporated into council decisions.

Consultation can be unstructured or structured, wide-ranging or specific. Consulting children and young people about their general views can lead to more specific consultation. Greater participation may follow, through workshops, project initiatives or advisory groups.

The benefits of child and youth participation

Councils benefit by getting a wider range of ideas for long-term planning. Councils can:

  • better understand young people's ideas, interests and needs
  • target resources to what children and young people really want
  • be more successful with youth-related services.

Children and young people benefit when:

  • they are listened to and respected
  • their sense of belonging, self-esteem and responsibility increase
  • they gain skills in communicating, cooperating and problem solving
  • they learn where to go for help
  • they experience democracy in action.

The community benefits when the next generation actively contributes. More effective youth services and programmes will also benefit the wider community. Example: late night buses requested by young people are used by everybody.

Signs of commitment to child and youth participation

If your council is committed to participation, it actively encourages young people's involvement in designing, planning and managing policies, services, and public facilities. Your council will always consider the impact on children and young people before going ahead with any plan.

And, as a council, you will regularly consult with children and young people about community issues — general issues as well as youth-specific issues.

The foundations for involving children and young people in decision-making include:

  • procedures and systems responsive to the needs of children and young people
  • mission and vision statements that incorporate participation
  • support for initiatives involving children and young people
  • information that is timely, freely available, and easy to access (young people can help here)
  • youth-specific positions of responsibility; skilled staff to champion the work.

Committed councils will walk the talk:

  • continually monitor and review their systems and outcomes
  • ensure that young people's recommendations are seriously considered
  • establish links with agencies that support the involvement of children and young people.

A youth-friendly council will support councilors and staff with:

  • clear guidelines about the council's youth participation policy and procedures (e.g. for making contact, obtaining consent, reimbursement, and feedback)
  • training and resources
  • systems that are known and used by all concerned
  • a positive attitude towards young people's participation.


    Last updated: August 2008