Community Improvement: How children and young people got involved

The Community Partners Programme set out to explore if active community participation was an effective means of countering children and young people’s social exclusion. Targeted at 9 – 15 year olds, the work was developed in partnership with local organisations and aimed to create opportunities for children and young people, while building capacity in this child rights approach and influencing wider structures. It took place in urban and rural areas – Glasgow, Edinburgh, Fort William and Thurso.

Children and young people’s rights and own concerns were the central focus. Group-work promoted personal development, team working and joint action. Projects ranged from environmental improvements and car crime to local history and community identity. Tangible changes included a brand new playpark, a refurbished one, a wildlife garden and litterbins on streets where there were none.

The learning contained in this report and the accompanying toolkit * offers a contribution to our better understanding of what works in encouraging children and young people’s effective involvement in communities