NYA is working with the Association of Young People’s Health (AYPH) on a project to disseminate the learning generated from the Department of Health funded “Teenage health Demonstration sites” (THDS). Based on the practice developed across 4 sites in England, NYA will produce a set of practical information, guidance and case studies on one key aspect of the developmental work - ensuring the participation, voice and influence of young people in health provision.

This participation strand is one of a total of six areas that AYPH are highlighting on young people’s health. They are primarily aimed at trustees and strategic leads across health services and their partners to further promote and develop this work in Strategic Health Authorities, PCTs, NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts and other health services.

The NYA resources will include:

•  A ‘Hear by Right for Health’ guide on the range of activities being used to promote the voice of young people in health settings and how to maximise impact across the Children’s Trust landscape. The guide indicates how health services can meet Statutory Guidance and explores how to use the Hear by Right standards framework at strategic and operational levels across partnerships. The guide also discusses Hear by Right’s use as a helpful tool for health services working to The Department of Health (DH) You’re Welcome: quality criteria: Making health services young people friendly.

• A ‘How To’ guide, available via the AYPH site to assist PCTs and other Children’s Trust partners to develop the participation of young people in health settings.

• A set of Case Studies to highlight good practice of young people’s participation, based on examples from health services in the four THDS areas in Portsmouth, Hackney, Bolton and Northumberland, plus two further projects from the voluntary and community sector.

NYA is also planning to work with a number of PCTs to scope, capture and suggest improvements to a number of aspects of current practice involving young people in these areas; these will include the growing use of the Hear by Right standards and how these might be used to inform the work on You’re Welcome in health settings. An initial seminar is planned for January 2010.

Availability

Initial documents will be launched in December 2009 with work completed by January 2010. A link from the health section of the Hear by Right website to the documentation located on the AYPH site will be provided.

More Information 

For more information about this project, you can contact Roger Morford who is a Developement Officer at the NYA via email at rogerm@nya.org.uk