About
The Right Way to meaningful participation
‘The Right Way’ project aims to put children and young people’s voices at the heart of decision-making spaces to make sure they have a say in issues that affect their lives. This project is more than a resource hub – it’s a tool designed by young people to help adults engage with them in a way that actually works for everyone involved.
The right for young people to have their views heard on matters that affect them and for those views to be taken seriously is one of the general principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). However, although the UNCRC was incorporated into Scots law in 2024, there’s still a lot of work to do to ensure this right is fully realised.
The process through which this right is respected, protected and fulfilled in policy decision-making is called meaningful participation. Since 2022, a team of Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament have been working with SYP staff, partners and Scottish Government officials to develop resources designed to support adults who work with young people, including decision-makers, to ensure they know how to implement meaningful participation in their workplaces.
Our work shows that The Right Way to engage young people in decision-making depends on a range of factors, including the young people involved, the policy area, who it impacts most, and the timescales. Therefore, the materials and resources on this website are designed to be implemented at different stages of the decision-making process.
Article 12 in action
When children and young people are involved in decision-making, they are able to develop a sense of agency which empowers them to share their views with confidence, driving meaningful change. Children and young people aren’t only ready to help identify the issues affecting their lives, but also to work collectively with adults to find solutions that benefit everybody. Hear from Daniela Onyewuenyi and Jack Anderson MSYPs as they explain why this project is so important.
The Young Rights Champions Podcast
Throughout ‘The Right Way’ project, MSYPs and young people across Scotland have been central to its work. The group of MSYPs involved are known as the ‘Young Rights Champions’ (YRCs).
As part of their work, the YRCs have launched the Young Rights Champions podcast, which covers topics ranging from free breakfast and period products in schools to meaningful participation with young people, breach of rights, and votes at 16.
Listen to the Young Rights Champions podcast on Spotify here.