Guides, tools and activities

Download the fourth individual comic 'Public identity disclosure' from 'Seeing things from both sides: A comic to help young people and professionals understand each others's views about young survivors' participation in efforts to address child sexual abuse and exploitation'

Download the third individual comic 'Feelings of Anger and Frustration' from 'Seeing things from both sides: A comic to help young people and professionals understand each others's views about young survivors' participation in efforts to address child sexual abuse and exploitation'

Download the second individual comic 'Triggering' from 'Seeing things from both sides: A comic to help young people and professionals understand each others's views about young survivors' participation in efforts to address child sexual abuse and exploitation'

Download the first individual comic 'Readiness and Risk Assessments' from 'Seeing things from both sides: A comic to help young people and professionals understand each others's views about young survivors' participation in efforts to address child sexual abuse and exploitation'

This comic is intended for both young people and professionals. The perspectives of both groups are explored through a series of four specific themes that were identified in our research as particularly complex areas associated with young people’s participation in this context.

As readers move through these themes, we hope to spark discussion between and amongst young people and professionals to help them understand each other’s perspectives, needs and concerns when creating safe spaces for young survivors to be heard. We hope to highlight that a consideration of different views can help to support meaningful participation opportunities and outcomes.

This reading list was compiled by staff at the Safer Young Lives Research Centre at the University of Bedfordshire. The list includes materials we have found helpful in thinking about participation rights for children and young people affected by CSA/E in research, policy and practice. This is a living document and will be updated quarterly.

Camille Warrington

Given the centrality of the concept of children participation rights in Our Voices III this concept paper has been developed to clarify our use of the term and support an understanding of the concept in its fullest sense.

Our seven core principles that guide the work of the OVUN and its leadership.

Thinking of writing a blog for the OVUN? Fill in this form to share your ideas with us!

Practical guidelines to help you write a blog for the OVUN.

This toolkit attempts to capture the International Centre's, and partners', learning about promoting safety and managing risk when undertaking group work to address sexual violence with young people. We consider it a working document and recognise that it will benefit from revision and refinement in the future. However, we are sharing this resource to both document elements of the Our Voices Too project and to support wider learning and feedback on this topic.

This document outlines the Safer Young Lives Research Centre (SYLRC)'s commitment to children and young people’s participation, explaining the SYLRC's underlying principles and ethical framework for participatory research with young people. A checklist is also available to support project planning for developing participatory practice and can be applied to any participatory project or initiative with children and young people.

The paper and its contents are open and subject to on-going review as part of our commitment to reflective practice.

This activity helps young people to talk about sensitive topics by creating case studies of young people’s journeys following sexual abuse through a ‘third person’ lens. Within this activity, participants are asked to draw on their experiences to consider how a fictional child or young person might experience support for mental health and emotional well-being needs following sexual abuse. Creating an initial medium for engagement that is removed from their personal experiences, it offers a gentler route in for participants to engage in personal reflection about these sensitive and potentially traumatic issues should they wish to do so. 

The document contains step-by-step guidance and methodological notes for a 3-day youth facilitator training and 12-session life skills and leadership programme for young people who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing sexual violence.

This toolkit provides the necessary resources for youth facilitators to deliver together with adult facilitators:

• a 3-day training programme for youth and adult facilitators; and
• a 12-session programme on life-skills and leadership for young people who have experienced or are at risk of sexual violence.

Both programmes aim to strengthen participatory practice amongst service providers and increase young people’s participation.

Access the resource at Childhub

A 3-day Youth Facilitator training & 12-session life skills and leadership programme for young people who have experienced, or are at risk of experiencing, sexual violence.