My Rights, My Say Young Advisors launch new resources

Two new resources from the My Rights, My Say Young Advisors are now available for practitioners supporting children and young people with additional support needs. 

You can find the resources here:

• ‘You have the right to be heard’ poster 

• ‘A good advocate’ poster 

The Young Advisors are a group of young people with additional support needs aged 12-21 who share their views and experiences of support at school. Their work shapes the My Rights, My Say service and aims to ensure that all children in Scotland are heard in decisions about their education. 

The Young Advisors have been hard at work over the last year and now they have plenty to show for it. Meeting regularly online and in-person, the group have been supported by Children in Scotland staff to discuss a variety of issues and experiences related to additional support for learning. This has culminated in a series of resources which the Young Advisors hope will aid practitioners in their work supporting children and young people with additional support needs. 

‘You have the right to be heard’ poster 

This poster was created following discussions about the role of the Young Advisors in supporting My Rights, My Say. My Rights, My Say supports children and young people with additional support needs to have their views listened to and taken seriously, in line with Article 12 of the UNCRC. The Young Advisors pointed out that in order for rights to be upheld, young people first need to know that they have them. They also wanted to help more young people hear about My Rights, My Say.

The poster is designed for use in any setting where children and young people may be. It makes clear that children have the right to be heard in decision making on matters relating to their education and support. The poster also provides space for professionals to add key contact information, including a photograph. This resource also tells young people how to contact My Rights, My Say for support. 

What makes ‘a good advocate’ poster 

This poster came from some collaborative work between the Young Advisors and Partners in Advocacy, one of the My Rights, My Say services. Partners in Advocacy asked the Young Advisors to help them better understand what young people want from independent advocacy.  

Exploring the concept of ‘advocacy’ in its broadest sense, the Young Advisors discussed what qualities and skills are needed to be able to support someone’s views to be heard. They shared their own experiences of having parents and carers advocate for them, as well as experiences using advocacy services. All of these insights culminated in the poster, which sets what all adults should aim for when advocating on behalf of a young person, including being kind, determined, and understanding. 

What’s next? 

The My Rights, My Say Young Advisors are going from strength to strength, continuing to explore topics and themes that are important to them. Having set out their goals for the year ahead and welcomed some new members following a national recruitment drive, the Young Advisors still have so much more to say – so watch this space!