Q.

I am a parent of a 4 year old who has recently begun at his local primary school. I'd like to find ways of encouraging a more participatory culture at the school. The headteacher is interested in talking more about this as this is something they want to develop too, can you recommend any resources?

A.

There are some examples of PB being done in schools and with children, but not many.

However, we're hoping to change that through our Every1Counts project, which we launched back in the Spring with our partners Involver and the Citizenship Foundation.

You can find out more from the dedicated website here http://www.every1counts.org.uk

If your headteacher is interested in it, we'd be happy to come and talk to them or the governors about it further. We would be really interested in working with the school to develop a process that work for them as this is something that's quite new in the UK still and something we're wanting to develop.

You may also find the Everyone Counts resources developed by Walsall NDC from their work in 8 primary schools useful too. The approach is different - just similar names, which is confusing!

Other examples of children and young people being involved are the Berkhampstead Youth council (video on our website), Newcastle's Children's Fund, Walsall's Everyone counts, and Tower Hamlets Young Mayors.

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News: The Participatory Budgeting Unit is changing! Apr 24, 2012; Get involved with The People's Budget! Feb 21, 2012; PB Unit rolling out masterclasses Jan 27, 2012; Miles Platting Decided Nov 18, 2011; Recycling with You Choose in Tameside Nov 14, 2011; [More]

Blog: We need to move beyond the ‘Councillors know best’ approach in Edinburgh Apr 17, 2012; Participatory budgeting in the big apple Apr 10, 2012; We the people will decide how the money will be spent: Reclaiming power, politics and money for the Common Good Apr 02, 2012; Where is the empowerment when you only let me have a go once? Mar 21, 2012; Choose Health in Deptford Dec 07, 2011; [More]

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