Why?
Agency;
The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) defines agency as ‘being able to make choices and decisions to influence events and to have an impact on one’s world’. Children should be active participants at home and in the community. This means they can make age appropriate decisions, have some control over their lives, learn to get along with others, and express themselves in a range of ways. This also means we value their contributions and dignity as a person, listening to their thoughts and feelings.
Why we engage?
All children and young people have a right to participate in decision-making about their own life and their communities. This is not limited by ability, age, ethnic background, personal circumstances, or behavior. ‘Children have the right to say what they think should happen when adults are making decisions that affect them and to have their opinions taken into account’.
Allowing children to have a voice fosters the development and understanding of:
• Social development,
• Democracy,
• Independence,
• Resilience, and
• Self-esteem and confidence.
Agency fosters a sense of empowerment and ownership, and most importantly it aligns with their rights.
Participation;
Intervention underpins participation in the context of children’s voices as a deliberate process put into place giving children the opportunity to express their views, influence decision making and achieve change.
While at the conference we shall apply multiple models of participation methods, but Lundy Model of Child Participation shall by principal guide our preparations with guidance of Treseder- degree of participation; Lundy examines the considerations necessary for effective participation and Treseder’s model examines different degrees of participation. Both are important to understand in the context of quality children’s participation practices.
The conference envisages achieving the following;
• Children to feel valued,
• Supported and listened to,
• Develop a sense of belonging and grow confidence to voice their opinions,
• Building lifelong skills that can assist them in the future and
• Creating a brighter future for the United African Continent.