Support materials: Creating a Youth Voice practitioners network

The guidance in this section is to aid in the creation of a youth voice network. This support is designed mainly for implementation across a local authority however it can also be utilised between organisations, communities and schools where suitable.

A network would consist of practitioners across different settings/sectors who have a similar remit in facilitating or coordinating youth voice and participation. The purpose of having a youth voice network would be to:

Share the Youth Voice Toolkit approach and what it is

Create consistency in the approach being used across a local authority or wider setting by practitioners

Allow practitioners to meet and collaborate with others who have similar youth voice responsibilities

Create a clear way to cascade knowledge, professional learning and resources to this group of practitioners

Allow for the opportunity to coordinate the consultation of a single “theme” between children and young people across different settings

In some settings a network if of practitioners may already exist the has a focus on youth voice and participation elements. In this case, that network could be utilised as a youth voice network however it would need to encompass the goals above.

To create a network the steps below should be followed to guarantee the greatest chance of success.

Identify practitioners

A network would consist of practitioners across different settings/sectors who have a similar remit in facilitating or coordinating youth voice and participation. This could include colleagues from schools, CLD, different council departments, agencies, youth workers, health, community leaders, and representatives from voluntary organisations. The goal is to establish group of individuals who share a common interest in empowering young people's voices.

The first step is to identify who these individuals are: To do this, steps would be required to reach out to leaders within schools, communities and organisations so that they could provide names and contact information.

Connect with practitioners

After practitioners have been identified communication with them needs to be achieved. This would require the lead organiser(s) of the network to reach out and achieve buy in. This could be done in a number of ways including:

Direct email invitations: Send personalised emails detailing the network's purpose and benefits, with a clear call to action

Introductory meetings/workshops: Host initial sessions (in-person or virtual) where potential members can learn more and help shape the network

Informational materials: Provide concise materials summarising the network's goal

Presentations at existing forums: Introduce the network concept at relevant team meetings, in-service days or inter-agency gatherings

Establish the purpose and benefits

After practitioners have been identified the next steps focus on making it clear what the purpose of youth voice network would be. These mirror the points at the start of this page however they should be localised in their descriptions where appropriate

This information should be presented in a clear format that achieves buy in and engagement.

Launching a Youth Voice practitioners network

To launch a network the steps below should be followed to guarantee the greatest chance of success. There is no specific order in which these should be done however it is felt the initial essential steps should be conducted at the beginning:

Essential: Create a common space for collaboration

Establish a shared digital platform, such as a Microsoft Teams channel, Google Classroom, or a dedicated online discussion forum. This central hub will allow for seamless communication, resource sharing, and coordinated efforts, ensuring consistency and easy knowledge transfer across the network. If a platform choice isn’t available then email distribution lists are also suitable.

Essential: Establish a meeting process for the network

Agree an initial meeting of network with plans to make this a regular occurrence. The regularity of these meetings does not need to be agreed beforehand however ideas for frequency of the meetings would be useful. Plan to have the meetings online/hybrid/in-person where appropriate.

Mapping existing youth voice structures

Generating a map/list that demonstrates where youth voice takes place currently across the authority/area is useful. This helps practitioners from different sectors and settings to visualise how the makeup of youth voice structures currently looks. This also aids in identifying gaps in youth voice structures within certain settings.

Clear roles and expectations

Clarify the roles and responsibilities of practitioners within the network. Ensure that all members commit to using the approach outlined in the Youth Voice Toolkit. Additional expectations might include:

Attending network meetings regularly

Sharing updates, resources, or challenges from their own setting

Supporting wider professional learning within their setting

Being open to peer feedback and collaborative working

Partnership approaches

When facilitating a youth voice network, common consultation themes are likely to emerge across different settings. It is important that practitioners use the toolkit in a way that allows them to respond to these shared themes collaboratively. This may include:

A school pupil council and a local youth group jointly participating in consultation activities based on an agreed theme

Sharing findings from consultations with other network members to improve collective knowledge and practice

Jointly supporting youth voice action plans developed through peer research, and cascading outcomes to other practitioners and leaders

A local authority/community wide approach that looks to gather a wide range of views

By working in partnership, practitioners can strengthen the consistency, reach and impact of youth voice across schools, communities and services.

Information sharing and sustainability

Establishing clear procedures for network members to share information, knowledge, and examples of good practice is essential. Network facilitators should embed this into the network’s structure to maximise its impact and ensure the long-term sustainability of youth voice approaches across settings.

Key areas of focus should include:

Practice sharing: Practitioners should be supported to share how they are applying the Youth Voice Toolkit in their own contexts, including examples of effective practice and what has contributed to its success.

Sustainable approaches: The network should provide space to share and explore strategies for embedding youth voice in a sustainable way. This could include discussion around timelines, processes, planning tools, and key milestones.

Impact assessment: Practitioners should be given the ability to demonstrate the impact of utilising the youth voice toolkit and what actions are occurring in specific settings as a result of using the Empowering Youth voices Resource Pack. There should also be space to discuss the most effective ways to implement actions and share these with others.

Self-evaluation and governance

Establishing processes to evaluate the effectiveness of the network is essential and helps ensure that all members feel a sense of ownership over how it operates. Practitioners leading the network should embed governance approaches into its structure. This could include:

Agreeing on shared values and operating principles for how the network collaborates.

Establishing a rotating chair or facilitation model to ensure distributed leadership and shared responsibility.

Setting clear terms of reference that define the network’s purpose, decision-making processes, and expected contributions.

Developing a feedback loop where network members can regularly reflect on and shape how the network functions.

This would be further bolstered by a self-evaluation process to measure the impact and effectiveness of the network. It should consider key questions including:

Are the aims and objectives of the network being met?

Are practitioners finding value in their participation?

Are there gaps in youth voice in areas/settings that need further development?

How has practice changed as a result of involvement in the network?

What improvements could be made to increase engagement, sustainability, and impact?