Methods

There are lots of ways to get young people involved in community projects. It’s important to choose methods that are right for the children or young people you’re working with.

Below are some useful ideas on how to get young people involved in the community.

Set up a young people’s policy

  • Creating a policy (or a paper that explains how you aim to work with young people) with youth groups themselves will help an organisation or group make sure that it has the proper guidelines for getting children and young people involved.
  • It will also remind the organisation or group to focus on important issues for young people as well as adults.
  • It can send a strong message to young people that they do matter.

Outreach/Street work

  • Meeting and talking to young people where they hang out can be a good way of getting to know them, but it also gives them the chance to get to know you.
  • Talking to young people can help to develop mutual respect and build positive relationships.

Questionnaires

  • This can be a useful way of getting young people’s opinions on a particular issue or service.
  • It can be sent to a random sample of young people or all of the people you wish to survey, depending on the numbers involved.
  • It needs to be kept short and interesting, using things like tick boxes, word circling, pictures and symbols.

Face-to-face interviews

  • They can be carried out with a number of young people who give snap shot of the type of people (and the share of people) in the community – by sex, age, ethnic background, etc.
  • These can be done with a questionnaire, or as in-depth discussions.

Youth peer research

  • Peer research is about getting young people to carry out research on people similar to them.
  • Young people get the opportunity to learn a wide range of research skills through training that will help them carry out local research among their peer group.
  • The skills and experience that young researchers gain can be used in school, college or future employment.

Drawings, multimedia artwork, design and model building

  • Young people are asked to draw, paint or produce other artwork to express their views on a certain topic.
  • Design activities might include a ‘Planning for Real’ exercise, where young people work with scale models to plan and discuss design options.

Discussion or focus groups

  • Group interviews or discussions of about eight to ten young people can get people talking about their issues, attitudes and choices in depth.
  • They’re a good way of getting views to be shared.
  • They can be used to get the views of representatives of a particular group – for example, young women or young people from a particular ethnic group.

Meetings and presentations

  • They can provide a way of asking young people about an issue and can be open meetings or invitation-only.
  • Make sure the meetings are interactive and use things like role-play or photography.
  • They’re a good way of meeting young people on their own territory – for example, in a youth club or playground.
  • They can be used with groups like school councils or after-school clubs.

Newsletters and websites

  • These can be designed exclusively for young people or by young people, working with adults.
  • Young people get the chance to gain useful experience and learn new skills.
  • Can be used to support school curriculum activities.
  • A good way of showcasing the results of research.

Junior/Young People’s Association

  • These provide a way of bringing together young people from a particular geographical area.
  • A Junior or Young People’s Association is similar to a Tenants’ and Residents’ Association and could have direct links with an existing Tenants’ and Residents’ Association.
  • You need to be clear about where decisions taken by this group fit into decision making in other parts of the community.

Youth forum /council/young people’s panel

  • Youth councils (including school councils), discussion groups or a young people’s panel are a way of bringing together young people to regularly discuss issues that affect them and their lives.
  • Young people need to be clear on what their purpose is in the group and what their responsibilities and powers are.

Estate/area walkabouts

  • Getting young people to take part in estate or area walkabouts can help make sure that young people’s views about their environment are taken seriously.
  • It’s also helpful because young people may be aware of things that adults are not.

Citizen’s jury

  • These are made up of about 12-16 young people, aged 11 upwards, and aim to represent a snapshot or example of the community.
  • Juries meet over a number of sessions, hearing presentations from ‘witnesses’, giving different sides of an argument. These could be used to look at issues like leisure activities, environmental issues, or community safety.
  • Witnesses could be local authority officers, ‘experts’ or representatives of pressure groups.
  • The process requires an independent moderator (which is like a referee).

Need ideas?