Support materials: Frequently asked questions
This section details some of the most commonly asked questions when it comes to utilising the Youth Voice Toolkit and associated parts. This area will be populated with more commonly asked questions as the toolkit is widely utilised.
This approach was developed from regional work in Forth Valley and West Lothian. Practitioners across these authorities fed back that it has been impactful for meaningful consultation with children and young people. This regional approach is currently utilised in communities and schools to capture the views of children and young people on a wide range of themes and has been in operation since September 2023.
The Empowering Youth Voices Resource is based on a peer research approach. This supports increased and more diverse and representative opportunities for young people to be involved in consultation. It is important that across schools and community settings, children and young people’s rights are respected, protected and fulfilled. In January 2024 The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) (Scotland) Act 2024 gained royal assent. This was enacted into Scots Law on 16 July 2024. The act will ensure that children’s rights are respected and protected in Scotland. All public bodies and organisations that provide services on behalf of a public body must comply with the legislation.
A setting is specific place in which children and young people gather to learn or participate. This would include a school, a youth group, a local community organisation etc.
A theme is any particular topic or area that affects the lives of children and young people. It can cover topics within school, community or locality, while also be relate to larger local and national priorities. The theme is what children and young people, who receive input on the Empowering Youth Voices resource pack, consult their peers on.
Examples of common themes are detailed below:
Learning and Teaching
Involving learners in shaping how they are taught, what helps them learn best, and the kinds of subjects or topics they want more focus on.
School Environment and Wellbeing
Exploring how safe, supported, and respected young people feel in school, including areas like anti-bullying, mental health support, and relationships with staff.
Local Services and Facilities
Gathering views on local parks, youth clubs, libraries, and public spaces, and how accessible, safe, or useful they are for young people.
Opportunities for Participation and Volunteering
Consulting young people on what opportunities exist (or are missing) for getting involved in community life, from local decision-making to clubs and groups.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Understanding young people’s experiences of emotional wellbeing, access to support services, coping with stress or anxiety and ideas for improving mental health resources.
Poverty, Inequality and the Cost of Living
Issues around access to food, clothing, digital connectivity and how economic inequality impacts their everyday lives and wellbeing.
Not necessarily. If a local authority or organisation already has a Youth Voice Charter in place, it can be used, provided it aligns with the principles of the Toolkit. Otherwise, you are encouraged to co-create one with young people using the charter development steps provided.
If a local setting (e.g. a school or youth organisation) already has its own Youth Voice Charter, that charter can still be used to guide practice in that specific context. However, when creating a wider community or local authority Youth Voice Charter, it’s important to ensure that it reflects a broader, shared set of principles that apply across multiple settings.
You may choose to:
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Acknowledge and include elements from existing charters within the new one.
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Engage with local settings during the consultation process to ensure alignment.
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Clarify scope, stating that local charters remain valid while the new charter provides a unifying framework for broader practice.
This approach ensures consistency while still respecting local identity and existing work.
Yes. The toolkit can help you establish one. You can also use a class or small group as a starting point to trial the resource pack.
You should use this research to help influence change in your setting, the way this is detailed is through the creation of a youth voice action plan. Children and young people should look to take forward the steps within this action plan with the support of practitioners. It could help with budget decisions, how resources are allocated, curriculum changes or ways to tackle something challenging.
You must share back with young people what was done with their input, even if it wasn't possible to act on it. Use feedback tools like 'You Said, We Did' boards or reflective sessions to close the loop.
Yes, Education Scotland will provide national professional learning opportunities for practitioners and record these for future viewing. Professional learning opportunities are encouraged at local and organisational levels for those who lead on youth voice/participation and Education Scotland will endeavour to support these where possible.
Yes, the Youth Voice Toolkit is designed to be flexible and inclusive, and can absolutely be used with children and young people with ASN. Practitioners are encouraged to use their professional judgement to adapt and communicate the content in ways that are accessible and meaningful for the learners they work with.
This might involve:
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Using visual supports, simplified language, or symbols to aid understanding
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Delivering activities in smaller, supported groups or through 1:1 work
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Taking more time with certain sections and offering additional clarification
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Involving support staff or familiar adults to help facilitate participation
What matters most is that the core principles of the toolkit stay the same including the principles of the approach (via a Youth Voice Charter), that those involved lead peer research (via the Empowering Youth Voices resource) on a theme and that action is taken as a result of this research.
Yes, the Youth Voice Toolkit can be adapted for use in Early Years settings. While it was initially developed with children and young people (5-25) in mind, the principles are entirely applicable to Early Years.
Practitioners in Early Years settings should use their professional judgement to adapt the toolkit using approaches suited to younger children. This might include:
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Using visual aids, storytelling, or role play to introduce consultation ideas
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Capturing views through play-based observation, drawings, photos or voice
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Involving familiar adults to help interpret and communicate children's views
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Keeping sessions short, informal, and embedded in familiar routines
These adaptations ensure that even very young children can meaningfully engage in youth voice activity in ways that reflect their developmental stage.
Education Scotland recognises the need for additional Early Years specific support and is committed to enhancing this within future revisions of the toolkit.
