Shared Values
Indicators
Click any indicator to view examples of what others are doing or planning to do to meet that indicator.Emerging
Established
Advanced
1.1 - The participation of children and young people is a central commitment of the organisation
1.2 - The organisation defines its shared values for children and young people’s participation (See Hear by Right Shared Values table)
1.3 - The organisation adopts the Convention on the Rights of the Child, recognising Article 12s central role
1.4 - Children and young people take part in reviewing and agreeing the shared values for the active involvement of children and young people
1.5 - The shared values are made visible and accessible to a wide range of staff and children and young people by, for example, mission statement, charter, pledge or entitlement card
1.6 - Shared values are agreed with partner organisations and community groups
1.7 - The agreed shared values are used to set policy and review performance across the organisation and with partners
Things to think about...questions to ask...
- Is there a strong commitment to involving children and young people at the heart of the organisation’s values and beliefs?
- Who shares these values and how can you show this?
- Who has been involved in shaping and agreeing the shared values underpinning children and young people’s participation? Have children and young people themselves been involved?
- How are a range of children and young people to be included, especially from groups who often get left out?
- What are the benefits of involving children and young people for themselves, for the organisation, its services, staff and leaders?
- Is there shared understanding of the boundaries of active involvement, who is meant to benefit and how this is reviewed?
Evidence (paper, verbal, observation)...
- Vision or mission statements
- Policy statements
- Minutes of meetings
- Charter
- Publicity
- Recruitment and selection material
- Media reports
- Success criteria or performance indicators
- What do children and young people say about how this standard is being met? What are their priorities?
Commentary
The active involvement of children and young people is of benefit to them, the wider community and the organisation or partnership and what it wants to achieve. It is vital to have strong agreement about the shared values so that there is unity of purpose, resolve to put in the required resources and commitment to make sure children and young people most often left out are included and responded to. There also needs to be honesty about what can and cannot be changed and what the limitations are due to the organisation’s responsibilities. The shared values on the previous page will be a useful starting point.