Guidance will help nursery, primary and secondary school teachers, youth workers and other educators
Young Scot and Children in Scotland have launched a new resource to help children and young people understand and protect their rights.
ActivateYourRights supports proposed legislation that, if passed by the Scottish Parliament, will incorporate the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into Scots law through The UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill.
Scotland would be the first nation in the UK to directly incorporate the UNCRC into law.
Over the last year, the charities have worked in partnership to empower children and young people to take the lead in developing a range of resources to increase awareness and understanding of the UNCRC and children and young people’s rights in Scotland.
The guidance will prepare nursery, primary and secondary school teachers, youth workers and other educators ahead of historic legislation.
There are also ActivateYourRights resources for young people to access directly in their own time online.
Jackie Brock, chief executive of Children in Scotland, said: “Through our engagement work, we’ve learnt how central rights are to the way children and young people express themselves and experience the world.
“As we move towards full incorporation of the UNCRC, this excellent new resource will help capture the instinct children and young people have for articulating their rights – and demonstrate how they can take action when their rights are not respected.”
While 196 countries are signed up to uphold the UNCRC, Scottish Government plans to go further – enshrining legal rights of children and young people aged up to 18 in Scots law.
Under the new law, public authorities will be legally obliged to act compatibly with the rights incorporated by the Bill. These range from the right to education, a home, good health and to be listened to.
Louise Macdonald, chief executive of Young Scot, said: “Scotland is putting children and young people at the heart of the decision-making process to protect their rights. Through ActivateYourRights, we’re empowering young people to recognise their rights and to know what to do when they aren’t respected.”
Educators can access the ActivateYourRights Facilitator Pack on youngscot.net. There’s also articles, videos, podcasts, and quizzes for young people on the young.scot website.
The resources translate the UNCRC into everyday examples of rights being upheld. Educators are encouraged to pick and choose appropriate activities from the pack to drop into lessons, workshops or sessions.
The facilitator pack will be made available to any practitioner working with children.
Lucia, 16, Dundee, ActivateYourRights panellist, added: “It was brilliant for the panel to work so closely with Young Scot and Children in Scotland to develop these amazing resources for our teachers and other educators.
“I really love the interactive content that young people can access on the young.scot website."
