Support materials: How to make a 'theme' understandable for children and young people

Firstly, take time to clarify what the theme actually means beyond just the headline, identifying the concepts and/or components. Consider why this theme is relevant to children and young people, so that you can support conversations and build this into discussions when using the Empowering Youth Voice Resource Pack. 

Examples of theme headlines and clarifying what it means: 

Health and Wellbeing – this is about how you feel in your body and mind. It includes feeling safe, happy, and supported at school, home, and in your community. 

Bullying and Respect - this is about how we treat each other and making sure everyone feels safe, included, and respected. It’s also about knowing what to do if someone is being unkind or hurtful. 

Digital Safety – this is about staying safe when you’re online. It includes knowing who you’re talking to, what you share, and what to do if something feels wrong or upsetting. 

Communication  

Does this group of children and young people have particular communication needs that would help them better understand a theme? How do they prefer to learn new information, is it in a visual, verbal, written, discussion etc based format?

Relatable 

Are the core concepts of this theme relatable to children and young people? Can you help them get a better baseline understanding by linking the theme to elements of their lives e.g. if the theme is based around attendance can you ask children and young people to reflect on some of the feelings they have when they don’t want to come to school and the reasons behind this?

Use simple language 

When introducing a theme, it's important to strip away jargon or adult terms and use clear, age-appropriate language. Children and young people are more likely to engage with a topic when it feels easy to understand. Using short sentences, familiar words, and an open tone helps keep their attention and ensures understanding. 

Simple language examples:

Climate Change - 'The Earth is getting hotter because of pollution from cars, factories and other things we do. This is changing our weather and hurting nature.'

Financial Literacy - 'It’s about knowing how to spend your money wisely so you don’t run out.'

Participatory Budgeting - 'Participatory budgeting means you help decide how some money gets spent in your school/area. You get to vote on what ideas matter most, like fixing a park or starting a new club.'

The Curriculum - 'In school you learn through lessons planned by teachers. These lessons follow a plan to help everyone learn important things like maths, reading, science, and more. Different activities/lessons are used to help you learn in a way that works best for you.'

Create relatable examples 

To help young people understand a theme, it’s important to link it to situations or experiences they already know. These could come from school, home, friendships, social media, or hobbies. When something feels familiar, it becomes easier to understand and talk about. 

Relatable example descriptions 

Theme: Democracy 
Relatable example: 
'Have you ever had to vote on what game to play at break time, or what movie to watch in youth group? That’s a bit like democracy where everyone gets a say, and we go with what most people choose.'

Theme: Respect and Inclusion 
Relatable example: 

'Imagine you're at lunch and someone new joins your group. They dress differently and speak another language. Some people start whispering and laughing. What could you do to make them feel included? What would respect look like here?'

Turn the theme into real life scenarios that reflect the lives of those involved. 

Using short stories, role-play, or ‘what would you do if...?’ scenarios to bring the theme to life. It helps young people explore the concept in action, and see how it might show up in their day-to-day world. This approach builds both understanding and knowledge of the theme alongside a willingness to engage with the consultation. 

Creative methods for children and young people to explore a theme could include: 

• Storytelling with props  

• Themed arts and crafts 

• Songs and rhyme creation 

• Imaginative role-play 

• Comic strip creation 

• Picture sharing 

• Interactive games and activities 

• Creative writing 

• Animation or videos 

• Drama 

• Debate and discussion circles 

• Collage or murals 

• Podcast or blog production 

Providing children and young people with opportunities to explore a theme through creative approaches helps them build a stronger foundation for the peer research that they will carry out. 

Use probing questions 

Prompting questions allow practitioners to go a little deeper in this sense check approach by using probing questions. It also allows children and young people to reflect, clarify and expand on their thinking, while also addressing any misunderstandings or assumptions.