Youth Participation

Young Pioneers is a charity run by young people for young people. Active youth participation underpins everything we do, from PR to marketing, procurement to recruitment, our board of young people are actively involved in the decision making process.

We believe that young people have an active role to play not only in the charity but also in their community and society. We encourage young people to share their ideas, think for themselves and to express their views in a manner that can lead to action.

Our charity is actively supporting Youth Participation in East Sussex by recruiting, training and supporting 16 young people to work alongside the Children Service Planning Groups. These young people are helping to shape, procure and inspect Children's services.

To support these young people and others like them we have developed an accredited Youth Participation Award.

This education programme prepares young people to take part in adult decision making processes. It equips them with the skills to make a positive contribution and represent other young people in councils, schools, voluntary organisations or companies that seek to involve young people.

Youth participation is also about giving a voice to those young people who do not always have access to have their voice heard. Young pioneers addresses this issue by training youth researchers. Our youth researchers are trained to engage with other young people to produce market research, carry out surveys or test products and services. As a young person themselves they are able to communicate with other teens, understand the street talk and create a true picture of what young people feel and want.

If you would like our young pioneers to carry out research for you or if you are interested in having your young people trained in effective youth participation please contact countmein@youngpioneers.org.