Falkirk Children and Young People’s Group
All pupils in Falkirk have been hearing about an exciting new project which offers them an opportunity to get involved in a Council wide group. If your child has shown an interest in being part of this group, this page provides information about what is involved, and how the group will be run. Hopefully it answers any questions you have and you agree that this is a worthwhile project for your child to get involved with.
What is the group?
At the moment the group is called “Falkirk Children and Young People’s Group” but one of the first tasks for the group will be to agree what they want to be called! The group is being formed to make sure that children and young people are fully involved in making decisions about things that matter to them or affect them. Examples of this will include involvement in Council policies, taking action on climate change and making progress towards Falkirk Net Zero, and ensuring that Children’s rights are being upheld across all Council services. It will have a similar role to a school Pupil Council but at a whole Council level.
How will it work?
Using Microsoft Teams within Glow (a secure national on-line meeting platform which is used by Scottish schools and educational settings) pupils and staff volunteers will discuss various projects, agree on actions and work out how to make these happen. Children and young people will be able to choose which projects they want to get involved in. The groups will be supported by staff, but it is hoped that the children and young people will gradually take more responsibility for how these meetings are run.
How often will the group meet?
There will be different projects that individuals can get involved in and each group will decide how often they are going to meet on-line. It is likely that initially this will be one or twice each school term.
Will it be a safe environment for my child to meet others on-line?
Glow is a secure on-line environment for pupils and the Microsoft Team will be closely monitored by staff. All group members will have an introductory session, where they will be reminded about on-line etiquette and expectations, and this message will be reinforced regularly by staff.
Will taking part mean my child misses out on other classroom activities?
At the moment we don’t have further details about when the meetings will take place, or how long they will last, as we really want the group members to be making those decisions – it’s their group! However the meetings will initially take place during the school day, and this may mean your child being out of class, but this is not unusual in schools as pupils take part in a wide range of opportunities out with regular classes. Being part of this group will help your child develop skills for life and work as part of the wider curriculum provided by our authority.
Why would this be a good thing for my child to take part in?
Your child will have opportunities to develop leadership and communication skills as they connect with pupils from across Falkirk Council. Being able to influence and take action on things that matter to them will also build confidence and a sense of pride and self-esteem. They will be able to experience first-hand just how much of a difference they can make when working as part of a focussed team.
Hopefully this information has convinced you that the Falkirk Children and Young People’s Group would be a worthwhile project for your child to get involved with but if you have any further questions please get in touch using the comments function in this blog.
