Youth-Driven Workshops Empower Children to Advocate for Their Rights

Youth-Driven Workshops Empower Children to Advocate for Their Rights 

Introduction

Youth-driven workshops have proved effective in empowerment of children to advocate for their rights in the context of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal on First Nations child welfare. Children actively participate in these workshops, becoming agents of change and contributing to discussions and decisions regarding their welfare. Notably, workshops provide children with a platform to express their concerns and experiences, thereby enhancing their agency and promoting their rights. Children's deeper awareness of their rights and confidence in expressing their perspectives are enhanced through age-appropriate dialogue and activities (King et al., 2016). These initiatives promote children's empowerment and emphasize the significance of their voices in policy discussions affecting their lives. Thus, the workshops promote a more inclusive and rights-based approach to addressing issues in child welfare systems through child participation. 

King, J., Wattam, J., & Blackstock, C. (2016). Reconciliation: The kids are here! Child participation and the Canadian human rights tribunal on First Nations child welfare. The Canadian Journal of Children’s Rights, 3(1), 32- 45. 

The article by King, Wattam & Blackstock explores the significance of child participation in resolving First Nations child welfare issues, particularly within the context of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.  The article aims to emphasize the importance of involving children in decision-making processes pertaining to their welfare. Key findings suggests that youth-driven workshops can help children advocate for their rights, foster agency, and effectively articulate their needs. This source emphasizes the crucial role of child participation in enhancing Indigenous children's rights and well-being making it relevant for my chosen topic. The article is thus relevant since it focuses on empowering youth to advocate for their rights promoting inclusive decision-making and amplifying the voices of marginalized communities. 

LeFrançois, B. (2013). The psychiatrization of our children, or, an autoethnographic narrative of perpetuating First Nations genocide through ‘benevolent’ institutions. Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society 2(1), 108-123 

The paper "The psychiatrization of our children" by B. LeFrançois examines the relationship between psychiatric procedures and the legacy of colonization on Indigenous communities, with a particular emphasis on the children of these people. The author employs an autoethnographic methodology to investigate the ways in which psychiatric therapies sustain systemic oppression and the ongoing genocide against First Nations peoples. Key findings show that by pathologizing their experiences and upholding colonial power structures, mental institutions may be harmful to young Indigenous people. This source is significant because it clarifies the intricate relationships that Indigenous communities have between mental health services, cultural identity, and past trauma. LeFrançois' article, which emphasizes culturally sensitive methods that prioritize Indigenous voices and challenge oppressive systems, is pertinent to the focus on youth-driven workshops that enable youngsters to speak for their rights. 

Chambers, L. (2017). Jordan’s Principle: The Struggle to Access On-Reserve Health Care for High-Needs Indigenous Children in Canada. American Indian Quarterly, 41(2), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.1353/aiq.2017.a663047.

Chambers' 2017 article explores the challenges Indigenous children face in accessing healthcare on Canadian reserves, highlighting the implications of Jordan's Principle. The purpose of Chamber’s article is to investigate the obstacles that high-need Indigenous children and their families have when trying to access the healthcare system. Key findings show that there are substantial systemic impediments and delays in the delivery of necessary services. The article highlights the importance of giving Indigenous kids the tools they need to fight for their rights, especially access to healthcare, even though it has nothing to do with youth-led workshops. The paper highlights the significance of taking proactive steps to reduce healthcare inequities and advocate for the rights of underrepresented communities, including youth who are Indigenous. 

Pon, G., Gosine, K., & Phillips, D. (2011). Immediate response: Addressing anti-native and anti-black racism in child welfare. International Journal of Child, Youth & Family Studies IJCYFS, 2(3/4), 385-409.

The paper by Pon, Gosine, and Phillips highlights how important it is to deal with prejudice that is anti-Black and anti-Native in the child welfare system. It seeks to draw attention to the detrimental consequences that systematic racism has on Black and Indigenous children and families, while also urging quick action and outlining potential reform measures. Because of the notable differences found, key findings highlight the necessity of addressing systemic racism in child welfare treatments and outcomes. The source emphasizes how anti-racist laws and culturally sensitive practices are essential to ensuring equitable results for all kids and families. This paper is consistent with my focus on youth-driven workshops that, by tackling racism and systemic hurdles inside institutions that affect children's welfare, empower youngsters to speak for their rights. 

Santhanagopalan, R., Heck, I. A., & Kinzler, K. D. (2022). Leadership, gender, and colorism: Children in India use social category information to guide leadership cognition. Developmental Science, 25(3), e13212-n/a. 

In their 2022 paper, Santhanagopalan, Heck, and Kinzler examine how children in India use information from social categories, particularly gender and colorism to build their ideas of leadership. Through research, the authors examine how children perceive leadership traits based on social categories. Important discoveries reveal that children display different degrees of comprehension and prejudices in leadership, impacted by elements like gender and race. It is essential to comprehend cultural dynamics and biases, particularly in situations when children's rights and empowerment are prioritized.  This source emphasizes the need for interventions encouraging equity and advocacy among young people while offering vital insights into the early phases of social cognition development. Thus, the article is relevant since its focus is on empowering children to challenge societal norms and advocate for their rights, which aligns with the theme of youth-driven workshops. 

Arunkumar, K., Bowman, D. D., Coen, S. E., El-Bagdady, M. A., Ergler, C. R., Gilliland, J. A., ... & Paul, S. (2018). Conceptualizing youth participation in children’s health research: insights from a youth-driven process for developing a youth advisory council. Children, 6(1), 3. 

Arunkumar et al.'s 2018 article explores the establishment and function of a youth advisory council (YAC) in children's health research. The goal of the study is to investigate the idea of youth involvement by incorporating young people in the decision-making process. Through a youth-driven approach, the authors hope to enable young people to actively participate in studies on children's health. Important conclusions emphasize how important it is to involve young people in decision-making since it promotes advocacy and a sense of ownership. This source highlights how important it is for young people to be empowered to fight for their rights, particularly in circumstances related to healthcare. The article is pertinent to my area of interest since it emphasizes how youth-led workshops may develop advocacy skills and give children's opinions more weight, which is in line with the goal of enabling young people to speak up for their rights.