NETWORK OF YOUNG ADVISORS (NYA) – PARTICIPATION OF CHILDREN AND THE IMPACT ON THE WORK OF THE OMBUDSMAN FOR CHILDREN

What did we do

We organize consultation meetings with children and young people and focus group discussions aimed at enhancing children’s involvement in decision-making, are considered as being particularly beneficial.

In 2010, the Ombudsman for Children founded the Network of Young Advisors (NYA) as its standing advisory body and a form of child participation. The NYA members act as advisors to and associates of the Ombudsman for Children, but also as ambassadors, communicating information about the work of the NYA and the Ombudsman for Children to their peers and taking steps to ensure that they know their rights and the ways to protect them. Acting within the scope of their role as advisors, they inform the Ombudsman about their views of the place of children in society and problems faced by children in their communities, suggesting ways to solve these problems. In carrying out their advisory role, they work closely with the Ombudsman for Children and the adult staff members of the Office of the Ombudsman for Children, and exchange views and opinions via a closed online forum. Each member of the NYA promotes and argues for his/her own point of view, acts on his/her own behalf, and does not represent any group, school or town. The NYA members are constantly active in the online forum, which enables a constant exchange of opinions between meetings.

http://dijete.hr/en/publications/

The place is called:

Croatia and International

Date

1/1/2010

18/3/2021

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Tell us what you found out –
what were people’s experiences, views or ideas for change?

In 2019, members of the Network of Young Advisors (NYA) cooperated with two advisory boards established by the UNICEF, OFFICE FOR CROATIA: Advisory Board on Children’s Participation, and the Advisory Board on Children’s Rights and Socially Responsible Business.

One NYA member is involved in the work of the National Eurochild Forum (NEF Croatia).

In 2019 NYA members shared their feedback on the draft of the Bucharest EU Children’s Declaration, using the feedback form available for children and organisations working with and for children; they were also invited by the ENOC, to participate in the process of participation of children and young people in the development of new UN standards relating to the peaceful assembly. As the Human Rights Committee is developing a new General Comment (GC) on the right to peaceful assembly, several members of the NYA participated, completing the online survey.

In November 2020, members of the Network of Young Advisers to the Ombudsperson for Children responded to the invitation of Eurochild and NEF Croatia (National Forum of Children’s Councils Eurochild) to get involved in the process of consulting with children on the development of a new Strategy for Children’s Rights in the European Union and EU document “Guarantee for Children”.

Therefore, the NYA members discussed some fundamental issues concerning children’s rights, the quality of life of children, but also the way in which the current Corona crisis has affected children’s lives. At the moment, the NYA is participating in preparation of the Alternative report of the Ombudsman for Children to the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

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    Tell us your advice on doing participation activities - what worked well, what you enjoy, what is inclusive?

    Training and policies. The Office of the Ombudsman for Children employs a multidisciplinary team of experts of various professions (legal experts, psychologists, pedagogues, a social pedagogue, a social worker, a speech therapist and an economist). All expert staff of the office are with university degree in law and social sciences, with a specialization in the field of children's rights, experience in child participation policy, mechanism and methodologies. They also have in-depth knowledge and experience in working with children of various backgrounds and level of vulnerability and communicating complex legal, political and social matters in a child-friendly manner in order to support the process in conveying key messages back and forth. A special consideration is always given to the care and protection of children involved, in accordance with our Child Protection Policy.
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    What do you try to change?

    What has changed?

    Several generations of young advisors have identified the need to further investigate the nature of the participation of children in school activities. So, in 2017/2018, the Office of the Ombudsman for Children, in cooperation with the scholars from the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Zagreb, conducted research on the participation of children in the education system. Further participatory work with the Young Advisors is planned with the goal of validating the research results, formulating recommendations and further disseminating the results and conclusions.

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