The CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S MANIFESTO:
the improvements we want to see in Scotland!

(This youth-led project and campaign is enabled and supported by A Place in Childhood and the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland.

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Click here for a Facilitator’s Pack, if you would like to run a group session to add the voices of children and young people you work with to the Manifesto!

 OUR BIG 5 CHANGES:

1: A “CARE-FULL” EDUCATION SYSTEM
Helping and motivating me to achieve my full potential
  • A curriculum built to my strengths, interests and what motivates me best.
  • Ways of teaching that motivate me to learn, such as:
    o learning through hands-on experience and practical projects that teach me about things that are going on in the world;
    o learning outdoors;
    o developing practical skills which prepare me for adult life;
    o opportunities to gain early work experience and the skills I need to get the job I want;
    o getting quick feedback on my work;
  • Ways of teaching that mean I don’t fall behind on schoolwork, including:
    o providing a classroom environment where I’m always able to work well, with support for all pupils who need it;
    o making remote learning as close to face-to-face as possible, involving teamwork with classmates and 1-to1 support from my teachers;
    o planning to ensure consistent teaching when there are high staff shortages;
    o putting coursework online (like colleges and universities), so if I’m off sick or need more time to understand something I can catch-up at my own pace. (We would also have a ready-to-go approach for remote learning, if required).
  • School transitions which always give me a full experience of what to expect beforehand. This includes:
    o between primary and secondary school;
    o secondary school onwards;
    o a proper introduction to the Scottish education system for young refugees and asylum seekers.
  • (Secondary school-ages) Assessments which support my learning and wellbeing, which means:
    o I know what to revise for and I’ve enough time to do so properly.
    o Clear information on how questions will be marked, so I can challenge unfair marks and feedback helps me see where I need to improve.
    o Timetabling which is lighter or more spread out, so it is not so stressful, and doesn’t affect my coursework, life outside of school or revision time.
    o First and foremost, assessments should be to help me to progress, not to measure school performance.
  • (Secondary school-ages) A total workload where I still have plenty of time and energy to take part in activities outside of school, or just play and let off steam! Remember that what I do outside of school is important for my development and wellbeing!
2: REALLY RECOGNISE AND VALUE US AS YOUNG CITIZENS
Working with us to improve services, opportunities, and attitudes towards us, in our communities.
  • Making my community and the places I use cleaner, tidier, and look like people care about them, through education and action.
  • Tackling the things that make me feel unsafe in the place I live, when I’m on my own or with friends, and that keep me from going outdoors.
  • Providing a wider range of motivating things for me to do, and which are accessible to all children and young people.
  • More ways for me to contribute to improving my community (and society). Schools could allow time, focus and space for this through pupil councils and in-school sessions.
  • If you would like to hear more about why these are important to us, click on the links below to hear our stories! Ellyn, age 15 (voiced by Morven, age 17)

3: A “CARE-FULL” SUPPORT SYSTEM
With people who listen, respect and understand me, and where the choices are mine.
  • When I need support, I need to be properly listened to, understood and given choices. This is especially so for those of us with health issues or disabilities, young carers, or who face other challenges in our lives.
  • We need a helpline which can offer us advice on, and options for dealing with, mental health and loneliness issues, including counselling, music, gaming, peer support etc. Don’t underestimate how much COVID has affected our wellbeing!
  • Support and activities for young people to help us avoid alcohol, vaping and drug addiction. This will make our communities safer and address Scotland’s high number of drug deaths.
  • Optional support sessions at school where I can discuss how things are going and get flexible support if I need it.
  • Fair and consistent educational support for our young refugees and asylum seekers, helping them to quickly become a part of our society.

 

4: EQUIP US TO DEAL WITH AN UNCERTAIN WORLD
Clear reliable information about current issues, and the skills to handle complex situations and assess truth.
  • Clear communications from leaders and decision-makers which are easy for all ages to understand. I also want adults to be honest and not pretend they know things when they don’t. It doesn’t help me cope!
  • Teaching us skills in school for handling uncertainty, including:
    o understanding and dealing with complex situations (i.e. ones which are difficult to understand, such as climate change or the pandemic);
    o leading projects ourselves if we want to;
    o assessing the truth of what we’re told.
  • Fact-checked news sources we can trust for (and by) young people.
  • Listening to our (and everyone’s) experiences about what did and didn’t work during the pandemic, so we know what to do in another crisis.
  • If you would like to hear more about why these are important to us, click on the links below to hear our stories! Emma, age 16.

 

5: EFFECTIVE CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION
which begins in my school and community, tackling urgent issues here and now.
  • Opportunities to act on the priorities I see in the place I live, including:
    o protecting and improving my local natural environment and biodiversity;
    o helping a faster transition to renewable energy;
    o tackling waste issues and recycling.
  • Education which better helps me understand climate change locally, the causes, effects, and what I can do to make things better.
  • Helping and seeing my community get more involved in local climate action (e.g. community litter picking, recycling, tree planting, food growing, cycling and walking).
  • If you would like to hear more about why these are important to us, click on the links below to hear our stories! Shona, age 12.

 

OUR 6 PRINCIPLES
what we want our manifesto to achieve and how
  • EQUALITY means fairness in providing education, resources, services and opportunities for young people, regardless of our backgrounds, individual challenges or what makes us the people we are.
  • UNDERSTANDING means genuinely listening, being interested in, and learning from who we are as individuals, and providing opportunities, decisions and support which span from this. This includes understanding and celebrating different views and cultures.
  • DIALOGUE means adults engaging in a real conversation with us which is trustful, inclusive and respectful. We want to be heard and taken seriously by adults so we can influence decisions.
  • CARE means that in all activities related to our Manifesto, we need our physical and mental health to be considered, and for us to be eased into brand new systems (like exams or COVID rules at school), not left in the dark about them.
  • PURPOSE means we need things to do which have real meaning and purpose, and to work together to find out what that these look like in our communities. This includes the support we need to deal with new pressures and uncertainties.
  • ENVIRONMENT means paying attention to the places and spaces where we spend our time. They make a huge difference to our wellbeing, and we think adults often don’t see how much they affect us.