BellTime Magazine Autumn/Winter 2016 6 | Page 30

BellTIME
BellTIME

Comhairle na nÓg - for young people who want to make a difference

What is Comhairle na nÓg ?
Comhairle na nÓg are child and youth councils in the 31 Local Authority areas of the country . They were set up to give children and young people ( under the voting age of 18 ) a voice in the development of local services and policies . All Local Authorities have regular meetings of Comhairle na nÓg , which link with adult decision-making bodies .
Comhairle na nÓg is the recognised national structure for children and young people to take part in decision-making and one of the ways that Ireland implements the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child ( UNCRC ).
Comhairle na nÓg Annual General Meetings
Every Comhairle na nÓg holds an Annual General Meeting in September or October , to which children and young people are invited from local schools and youth groups . Attendance at AGMs ranges from 80 -150 young people , depending on the size of the city or county .
At the AGM , young people pick topics which are of most importance to them in their local area and give their opinions on the topics during workshops .
Comhairle na nÓg members are elected or selected at the AGM . These members are responsible for working on the topics picked at the AGM and being the consultative forum that works with decision-makers .
How are young people ’ s voices heard through Comhairle na nÓg ?
The Comhairle na nÓg gets young people ’ s voices heard in two ways : working on young people ’ s topics ; and acting as a consultative forum .
Examples of the topics selected by young people include : mental health services for young people , facilities for young people , how young people are treated by the adult world and homophobic bullying . 30
The work of the Comhairle na nÓg on these topics includes : getting the views of other young people , doing background research , meeting with local decision-makers , developing surveys , organising meetings , making videos , producing leaflets or posters , developing online materials and other activities . Through this work , the Comhairle na nÓg members try to make an impact or change to improve the lives of young people .
Consultative forum :
The other important aspect of the work of the Comhairle na nÓg is being a consultative forum , for adult decision-makers in the locality . Many local agencies consult with their Comhairle na nÓg to get the views of young people on the development of relevant services and policies , such as heritage plans , play and recreation policies , policing plans , giving feedback on youth-friendly questionnaires , giving feedback on the location or type of new sports facility to be established in the area . Comhairle na nÓg are also often asked for submissions on local policies or to take part in public consultations .