Welcome to our 2023 Child-Friendly Warwickshire Advent Calendar!
Every child deserves to be heard.
In 2021, Warwickshire County Council committed to creating a Child Friendly Warwickshire, which means working together to make Warwickshire the best place in which to grow up and learn.
At the beginning of this journey, we heard the ideas of young people of all ages from around the county. They told us what child friendly means to them which helped us to develop our five guiding principles. These are that all children and young people should:
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Be heard- have a voice to shape where you live
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Be safe - have secure, safe and stable lives
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Be healthy - have access to the health services you need
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Be skilled - have the opportunity to enjoy the learning you need, leading to the achievements and employment you want
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Be happy – enjoy access to activities and entertainment with safe, secure, green and clean areas in which to play.
We want children and young people in Warwickshire to be heard and have a voice to shape where they live.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUfJoLmTmPo
Why it is important?
Youth voice is important because it supports young people to have a positive impact and affect change in their communities. It can be a really empowering process, giving young people a sense of ownership withing their communities and society more broadly. Young people should be supported to take actions and make decisions themselves, not only through adult-led processes.
How can you do that?