At Barnardo's we believe that children and young people should have opportunities to have their voices heard and be taken seriously in decisions that affect them, and that this leads to better decision-making and improved services.
Our vision is that the voices and lived experiences of children and young people are at the heart of Barnardo’s, and they inform how we work and the decisions we make in every part of the charity.
Our new 2022-25 Strategy lays out the framework for how we will achieve this. Over the next 3 years, we will:
- Embed our vision and approach, and tools for change across all parts of our charity.
- Better coordinate, monitor and evidence the impact of children and young people’s voice and influence across our charity.
- Design and offer a menu of meaningful opportunities for children and young people to inform and influence decision-making in all contexts, internally and externally.
- Develop and strengthen the quality of our voice and influence work, ensuring it is always safe, ethical, inclusive and impactful.
- Build up our external profile and reputation as both leaders in voice and influence practice and advocates of children and young people’s voices and lived experiences.
We will know we’re delivering on our vision when children and young people:
- Have a range of safe, ethical, inclusive and meaningful opportunities to choose from – they have space.
- Are well supported to form, express and share their views, in their way, on their terms – they have voice.
- Are communicating their views directly with the people who can make a difference – they have audience.
- Can see the difference their views have influenced, because we respond (or act) and feedback to them – they have influence.
Want to know more, or have questions?
Get in touch with the Voice and Influence Team: voiceandinfluence@barnardos.org.uk