 Dialogue Youth is about making sure young people can access information and influence the public services provided for them. It's about making services more responsive to young people and having ways at a local and national level that young people's views and voices can be heard.
Dialogue Youth - Involving Young People
This is the key to Dialogue Youth success and where, locally, the principle is put into practice. Young people are involved in the planning and management of Dialogue Youth locally, and link with local youth forums, pupil councils and local members of the Scottish Youth Parliament.
This means Dialogue Youth helps ensure local young people, aged 12-18, are fully involved in the community planning process.
Every Scottish local authority adopted the Dialogue Youth initiative aa a way of improving services for young people and in engaging young people in the decision making processes that impact on their lives.
KEY THEMES
Each local authority adopted approaches to meet local needs and therefore to ensure consistency and measurable outcomes a set of 5 themes were agreed. These are detailed in the Dialogue Youth Operations Manual.
Dialogue Youth - Smartened Cards
Using the nationally established Young Scot card and its existing services (discounts at over 1800 outlets, advice lines etc) as a 'base card', Young Scot and local councils worked with the Scottish Executive to build onto the successful National Entitlement Card for Older people and is now being progressed as part of the Scottish Government's Customer First Initiative.
By November 2007, the Young Scot/NEC card had been developed to include a range of applications and although some are not yet available in every council, considerable progress is being made. The range of current applications include:
- Cashless Catering
- Concessionary Travel Scheme for 16 -18 year olds and full-time volunteers
- Proof of Age Standards Scheme PASS hologram
- Library Access Card
- Leisure Access Card
- Credit Unions
- Local discounts in retailers, public services e.g. gyms
- Young Scot consultations and information
- e Voting
As at November 2007, some 310,000 young people had Young Scot Cards.
PASS - Proof of Age Standards Scheme
All across Scotland, local authorities are working with Young Scot and the British Retail Consortium to turn their local cards into voluntary proof of age cards.
These cards carry the new PASS (Proof of Age Standards Scheme) hologram, which is a new national scheme covering all proof of age card issuers. This hologram will make it easier for shops and businesses to recognise valid proof of age cards, and give young people access to the services to which they are entitled.
This includes cheap bus fares as well as access to cinemas, buying videos and DVDs, and age related goods and services.
Dialogue Youth - Research and Resource Base
At a local level Dialogue Youth works with young people, local organisations and council departments to gather information and carry out research into issues affecting young people. The findings are then used to inform services in the future and mean young people play a real part in the community planning process.
Dialogue Youth is also an ideal route for young people to become involved in national surveys and consultancies eg on e-democracy, smoking policies etc.
The young people then pass on their findings to the relevant Scottish Government or council department - often in startlingly original ways!
Dialogue Youth - National Youth Information - Information Channels
- Local Pages
Each Dialogue Youth has its own local pages on the national youth information portal at www.youngscot.org. Young people have been trained by Young Scot as web journalists and have editorial control and can upload their own material.
These pages have proved extremely popular and provide direct contact and communication with young people locally.
- Young Scot Books
Dialogue Youth initiatives support and promote the distribution of Young Scot Information books in schools. These reference books cover a variety of issues and opportunities and have been informed and designed by young people. They provide a valuable resource for teachers, youth workers and young people.
- Podcasting/ Text Messaging
Each Dialogue youth initiative has received training and eqipment to enable young people to develop text alert servicess and podcasting. These innovative ways of informing and engaging young people are growing in popularity.
Dialogue Youth - Personal and Social Education
Dialogue Youth works in partnership with schools, youth organisations and other professionals, using the Young Scot Books, Tutor Training Kit and other resources to support PSE and citizenship in the curriculum. Dialogue Youth initiatives have provided significant 'citizenship experiences' for young people supporting them to be responsible citizens, effective contributors, successful learners and confident individuals.
Democratic Engagement
One of the most important themes has been the engagement of young people in democratic processes within local authorities and community planning structures. In 2005 the Scottish Executive commissioned an independent evaluation of Dialogue Youth and the report concluded that the initiative had made a significant contribution to the engagement of young peopole in community planning processes. From establishing youth forums to the use of the Young Scot Card as a tool for evoting - for local members of the Scottish Youth Parliament to pupil councils. Young people are now on Community Health partnerships, Community Councils and some councils have changed their own committee structures to ensure young people are represented and have a voice. In others, youth conveners have been appointed - young people acting as advisers to the politicians.
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