The children involved are particularly vulnerable due to their situation or characteristics, as these children most frequently experience rights violations and are less likely to be heard.

The project has four main objectives:

• to empower children in circumstances or with characteristics that make them particularly vulnerable, by demonstrating how these children can be heard and how their voices can be taken seriously.
• to ensure the views of children are heard by policy makers, by passing on children's message EU leaders and in particular providing an input to the development of the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child and to the EU's work on tackling child poverty and social inclusion, but also to national policy makers
• to improve the practice and support the development of a culture of children's participation, by  developing tools for children?s participation methodologies, in particular vulnerable groups of children.
• to strengthen mutual learning across EU Member States and the exchange between children and organisations, by providing an opportunity to exchange views on children?s experiences and how children's voices are heard elsewhere in Europe.
  

Activities

Development of  a participatory methodological framework for conducting focus groups with children.

Organisation of focus groups with children in vulnerable circumstances or from vulnerable backgrounds as well as with a random group of school age children in the 8 countries participating in the project.

Research on existing studies addressing the rights of the most vulnerable children from the perspective of children themselves

Organisation of a final conference in Brussels end 2012 to present project results

Outcomes

A methodological framework and a focus groups tool kit for consulting with children will be produced.

Several reports will be available including country reports with the issues arising from the focus groups consultations, as well as a final report presenting the project findings.

Introducing Video

Have a look at our video explaining the project and presenting the partners! » YouTube

Project partners

• Amalipe Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance (Bulgaria) »Link
• Roots Research Centre (Greece) »Link
• FCYA - Family Child Youth Association (Hungary) »Link
• Pavee Point Travellers' Centre (Ireland) »Link
• Yohri - Youth and Human Rights Institute (The Netherlands) »Link
• FISI - Foundation Institute of Social Initiative (Poland) »Link
• Mälardalen University (Sweden) »Link
• CRAE - Children's Rights Alliance England (UK) »Link
• UEF - Universal Education Foundation »Link (Learning for Well-being portal)