Get involved and make a difference. Join youth groups, volunteer, and participate in other ways to ensure your voice heard in decision-making.
Let’s create change together!
Meaningful Youth Participation (MYP) means that young people, like you, work in all stages of decision-making in organizations and can participate on equal terms with adults at a number of levels, or alternatively work independently from adults and make decisions solely
with the involvement of youth voices.
For this to be accomplished, mechanisms must be in place that allow you to have an active role in which your voice is heard and respected. For your participation to be truly meaningful, it must benefit you, your peers and society, as a whole.
MYP is a right that all young people have according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). According to this UN Convention, you have the fundamental right to participate and access information related to decision-making processes that affect your life and well-being. Learn more about your rights here.
There is clear evidence that MYP benefits society, has positive effects on YOUR development, and strengthens organizational capacity. YOU(TH) can and should be involved on different levels of the decision-making process. This can be on a local level, within your family, at school, in your community or at work. You can also be engaged in making decisions on a regional or national level or on a national or international youth council.
If your voice is heard, programs and policies can be adapted to reflect the actual needs of young people and can become more effective.
U-Report is UNICEF’s digital community for young people, by young people, where they can raise their voices and share opinions on topics that matter to them.
The Flower of Participation can be a useful tool for you to better understand MYP and the different degrees of participation. It is a fundamental key to understanding what CHOICE and its partners believe are integral parts to MYP.
