Presentation I created and delivered as part of a seminar for other Registered Social Landlords in the North East. Highlights the benefits of Youth Involvement and the engagement model of the Project I Coordinate. (More information available upon request)

2. Workshop aims:
• Consider Participation in relation to Young People
• Recognise that Participation is a right for young people
• Consider your own practice in relation to Youth Participation
• Share your own knowledge/learn from that of others
• Become part of a sharing network consisting of North East
Registered Social Landlords

3. Youth Engagement: Why Bother?
Young people are the future Generation
• They are future leaders
• They are future employees
• They are future entrepreneurs
• They are future family makers
• Young People are here- they are now!
‘It is our duty as Housing Providers, to ensure that we involve young
people in decisions that will affect them in their neighbourhoods, such as
shaping policies and services. As well as offering personal development
opportunities. Thus empowering young people to develop valuable skills
and experience that will support them in their future.’
Jenny Stabler (Youth Participation Coordinator, Home Group)

4. What is Youth Participation?
Youth participation is:
• more than simply taking part in an activity. It refers specifically to the
• involvement in the process of identifying needs, exploring solutions,
making decisions and planning action within communities
• often regarded as the involvement of young people in decisions that are
made that affect them.
• Treating young people as Citizens now (as opposed to Citizens of the
future)
• Involving young people in all decisions that are made about the community
and society in which they live.’
National Council for Voluntary Youth Services 2011

5. So what does this mean for RSL’s?
Our Strategy – what we will deliver for our customers
• A decent home in a healthy neighbourhood which meets the needs of the
customer;
• Excellent quality care and support services personalised to the needs of
the client;
• Innovative neighbourhood services that deliver strong, healthy
sustainable communities;
• High quality development that provides a great place to live
• Exceptional central supporting services (finance, HR, communications,
IT, legal etc) which make us an efficient and high performing organisation
Home Group 2011

6. What does participation and
involvement mean for you/r
RSL?
Breakout Workshop 1

7. How is Home Group delivering Youth Participation
in the North East?
• Young Enterprise (Schools)
• Community Events
• Home2Work
• Our Say, Our Way

8. What is Our Say Our Way?
A national pilot project externally funded by the Big Lottery
• For Young people between the ages of 12-22 to get involved
• Opportunities to develop employability skills
• Making a positive contribution to their communities
• An educational opportunity, with possibilities of formal NVQ
training, media training (website design, photography) and being
involved in recruitment and fundraising.
• An opportunity to make new friends, and attend meetings in
different parts of the country.

9. What are the key outputs?
• 70 Young People to make a positive contribution to their
community
• 5 young people to participate in apprenticeships
• 100 young people to contribute to the Our Say, Our Way
website
• Other social Landlords will understand the needs of
young people
• Young Residents of social housing will work with their
own landlords to replicate the OSOW model of
Engagement

10. Why consult with our young people?
• Home Group is able to tailor their services more
effectively when young people’s opinions are heard;
• Home Group wants to develop young people’s
participation in their neighbourhood so they can be
actively involved in making decisions that affect them;
• It helps Home Group to build partnerships between
young people and other members of their community.

11. Young people have ideas and set up projects and invite adults to
join them in decision making
Young people have initial ideas and decide how the project is to be
carried out. Adults available but do not take charge.
Adults have the initial idea but young people are involved in every
step of the planning and implementation. Not only are their views
considered, but they are also involved in taking the decisions.
The project is designed and run by adults but young people are
consulted. The have a full understanding of the process and their
opinions are taken seriously.
Adults decide on the project and young people volunteer for it.
The young people understand the project and know who decided
they should be involved and why. Adults respect their views.
Young people are asked to say what they think about an
issue but have little or no choice about the way they express
those views or the scope of the ideas they can express.
Young people take part in an event e.g. By singing, dancing
or wearing t-shirts with logos on, but they really do not
understand the issues.
Young people do or say what adults suggest, but have no
real understanding of the issues, or they are asked what
they think, adults use some of their ideas but do not tell
them what influence they have had on the final decisions.

12. What is your RSL
currently doing?
Breakout workshop 2

13. So we all want to involve young people?
So do other Government and non Government organisations!
• Children have the right to say what they think should
happen, when adults are making decisions that affect
them, and to have their opinions taken into account.
(United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
Article 12)
We can and are, making this happen

14. To name but a few ways..
• building strong relationships with groups of young people at youth projects
in or around our stock areas.
• We hold weekly sessions and activities, working on Community Project
ideas
• Delivering training (Accredited and Non Accredited)
• Team building evenings/weekends.
• Representation on a National Steering Group
• Support them to make links with appropriate people who can advance
change.

15. National Steering Group for OSOW
• Three North East representatives on the National OSOW Steering Group
• Designed new branding for the national project, and Website
• Quarterly Steering Group Residentials
• Supporting National Partnership to build a working model or Toolkit of
Youth Participation ‘best practice’ examples for other Registered Social
Landlords.
(The partnership aims to have this completed by Dec 2011)

16. The future:-
• Exit/Sustainability strategy from OSOW
• Bronze, Silver and Gold Youth Offer
• Learn from this pilot project and other Registered Social Landlords in our
region
• Actively looking at Social Media Platforms as a way to engage with our
young people in dimensions they already use
• Partnership work with other RSL’s
• Partnership work with Social Enterprises/ Youth Organisations

17. How can we work together
to benefit young people
in our neighbourhoods?
Breakout workshop 3

18. Thank You!
Jenny Stabler
Youth Participation Coordinator
Home Group
jenny.stabler@homegroup.org.uk
www.oursay-ourway.co.uk
0191 3324934