The Finnish Childrens Parliament influences online.
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The Finnish Children’s Parliament influences online
Transcript of The Finnish Childrens Parliament influences online.
The Finnish Children’s Parliament influences online
400 child representatives of Finnish municipalities
9-14 year old influence online
Discussions every week
Every municipality has 2 representatives
Established 2007
Topics of discussion from children• Mold problems at schools • What do you do in the internet? :-)• Student council• School bullying!• Are web games good or bad?• Use of alcohol and tobacco• What’s wrong with volleyball?• Girls and boys• Helmet!
Any issues can be discussed on children’s web parliament!
Direct quotes from our discussion topics online
Web parliament offers a lot
Weekly chat meetings
Discussion forums
Blogs
Questionnaires
Games and fun
Children act as chairs
Password protected place for children
Next to a friend in virtual meetings
Decision-makers in a dialogue
MPs, MEPs, ombudsman for children and other decision-makers meet with us in chat meetings
Children do not only ask but also suggest and talk about different issues
Our experiences so far have been positive
Different ways to get heard
• Children’s reports• Events• Media• Seminars• Statements• Meetings• Creative ways
Elk mascot - child-friendly support
Valto the elk listens to children’s hopes, worries and questions in face to face meetings, through e-mail and online
Children active participants in communicating child rights
• Best way from child / young person to child• Provide material for children (UN CRC art. 13)• Begin communicating child rights early – not when
we’re 15• Let children learn as much as possible themselves• Possibilities and events to influence and to learn
about child rights• Planning and testing ideas and material with children
Children part of planning
Gain children’s attention with humor and respect
• Use of humor and funny things• Adults adressing the issue need to have respect to
children and their views• Think about different age groups of children• Good ideas are not enough, execution needs to be
visible and attractive to children• Child rights part of school curriculum• Promote best practices on communicating child
rights
Different age groups of children
Campaigns and material
• Use of TV and social media• Presentation material with lots of pictures and not
too much text• Use of famous people children like or people that are
good with children and interested in the issue• Make it visible in municipalities – on posters at
schools, on a way to school• Interaction between European children online• Videos, events, workshops
Song of child rights on Youtube
Our examples
• Children talking about child rights to other children and to adults (powerpoint material by adults)
• Cartoons and video interviews by children• Song ”We belong together”• Drawing competition for schools with Europe
Information in Finland• Mini plays written by children• Media workshop (children write articles to local
magazines and material for morning openings at schools)
Children creating messages on child rights
