The Centre for the Study of Childhood and Youth presents a
“CHILD PARTICIPATION WORKSHOP”
DATE: Tuesday 26th January 2010
VENUE: ICOSS, The University of Sheffield, 219 Portobello, Sheffield, S1 4DP
TIME: 10.30 – 4.00pm
GUEST SPEAKERS:
Dr Roger Morgan, Children’s Rights Director
Dr Barry Percy-Smith, Reader in Childhood and Participatory Practice, The University of West of England
2009 marks the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This was a landmark treaty not only because it was the first binding treaty on children’ rights, but it was also the first to recognise children as autonomous individuals and holders of rights, as subjects rather than objects of international law. For many, the Convention led to the first faltering steps towards recognising children as human beings, rather than just becomings, and marked a new way of dealing with them. However, the autonomy that the Convention gives children has proved controversial in the past 20 years. Government and non-governmental agencies in both developed and developing countries have struggled to implement, or have resisted adopting, this principle of the Convention into their policies and practices.
As a result, the Centre for the Study of Childhood and Youth at the University of Sheffield is organising a one-day workshop which aims to assess the progress of the concept of children’s participation in one region of the UK – Yorkshire – as it is being put into practice across a variety of governmental and non governmental organisations. Specifically, the workshop will enable participants to engage in dialogue on the following issues: the meaning of the term ‘participation’ for organisations and how it corresponds with theoretical perspectives; the various ways organisations foster children’s participation; and the benefits and problems organisations have experienced as a result of involving children in their programmes. In addition, the workshop will enable participants to share examples of good practice in relation to children’s participation.
Please RSVP to: Mrs Dawn Lessels, Administrator, The Centre for the Study of Childhood and Youth, the University of Sheffield. Email: d.j.lessels@sheffield.ac.uk, Telephone: 0114 222 6069.
As there are limited places at this event, bookings will be accepted on a first come basis. Deadline for bookings is Monday 18th January 2010. There will be a charge of £10 to attend the event.
www.sheffield.ac.uk/cscy Message by Mary Wickenden
Posted by the Childhood Email List at the Childhood Research and Policy Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London. To join this list or to post a message please send emails to ssru@ioe.ac.uk.
