Young voices
Our prevention project is keen to ensure that young people have a voice in the work that we do. We work with young people on participatory projects to hear their voices and gather their views, to ensure that interventions aimed at young people on sexual violence are shaped by the needs and concerns of young people themselves.
16 Days East Lothian Young Voices Call For Change
As part of our 16 Days of Activism 2021 campaigning, our East and Midlothian Sexual Violence Prevention Worker, worked with a group of 15 young people (s3 – s6) in East Lothian on the national theme of this year’s campaign – #WhatWillYouDo. Over a series of workshops, we asked them about what their views, experiences and concerns are, and what changes they would call for. The project was led by the participants – giving them the space to discuss and explore the issues that they really cared about, or thought needed to be addressed.
They created posters and banners about a range of issues – as well as on the key theme of awareness of the prevalence and normalisation of gender-based violence. The partipants also recorded audio clips, highlighting – in their own words – their concerns, observations and calls to action.
When we ask the participants about what changes they want to see – a key call is for more action from their fellow pupils to speak out and challenging abusive behaviours and language. They also want more accountability and action from the educational institutions they attend.
We would like to thank all the young people who took part in this project.
Prevention project blogs
Find our more by reading some of our blog posts by young people below.
My Big Beating Voice: Celebrating Our Journey
We Need to Talk: Young People’s Views on Gender Based Violence and What Needs to Happen