Recently, we asked a group of young people we support a simple question: what do you wish adults understood about being young today? Their answers covered many of the subjects we might expect: social media, mental health, education, employment, lockdown, independence, the future. As I listened, I found myself reflecting on something that has become increasingly prominent across our sector—youth voice. It seems to be everywhere. Funders ask about it, organisations measure it, strategies are built around it, and reports highlight it. We rightly celebrate examples of young people influencing decisions that affect their lives, for there is much to celebrate. Young people should be heard. Too often, decisions are made about them without them. Too often, adults assume they understand young people's experiences without taking the time to ask. But as I listened, I found myself wondering whether we sometimes mistake youth voice for the thing we are actually trying to achieve; because what came through most strongly was not simply a desire to be heard, but a desire to know that somebody cared. One young person spoke about the reassurance of knowing someone was there during difficult times. Another described the importance of having somebody alongside them as...
3 days ago
by Nathan Singleton
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