Youth Participation and Young People’s Democratic Inclusion

Abstract

Strategies for child and youth participation are now a routine part of working with young people – entrenched in policy and approaches of governments and nongovernment organizations alike. Since 1989 the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) has provided a cornerstone for youth participation. Over the course of the last three decades, the dominant approach to youth participation has typically involved young people in more formalized, public models oriented toward decision-making. These models, the UNCRC, and youth participation as a whole, have been subjected to sustained critique across a number of fronts. Notwithstanding these criticisms, we still argue for meaningfully including children and young people in democratic cultures and processes. We focus on new ways of “doing” youth participation emerging from recognizing youth participation in everyday contexts and the value of child- and youth-initiated participation. We argue that in pursuing the democratic inclusion of young people, it is necessary to reflect on the purpose of youth participation and draw upon and nurture a multiplicity of youth participation forms. While valuing these diverse forms of youth participation, the chapter highlights the decisive role adults often play in determining whether, when, where, and how extensive youth participation may be. We conclude by arguing that if the ultimate aim of youth participation is to include young people in democratic cultures and processes, then relying on well-meaning adults inclined to promote such inclusion is far from sufficient. Instead, we need conditions that require adults to democratically include young people and be responsive to their diverse needs and interests.