chevron-down Created with Sketch Beta.
October 12, 2021 HUMAN RIGHTS

Ladder of Participation

Ladder of Participation

Ladder of Participation

Ladder of Participation

Adapted from Hart, R. (1992). Children's Participation: from Tokenism to Citizenship. Florence: UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre

8) Youth-Initiated, Shared Decisions with Adults

This happens when projects or programs are initiated by youth and decision-making is shared between youth and adults. These projects empower youth while at the same time enabling them to access and learn from the life experience and expertise of adults.

7) Youth-Initiated and Directed

Youth initiate and direct a project or program. Adults are involved in a strictly supportive role.

6) Adult-Initiated, Shared Decisions with Youth

Projects or programs are initiated by adults but the decision-making is shared with the youth.

5) Consulted and Informed

Youth give advice on projects or programs designed and run by adults. The youth are informed about how their input will be used and are told the outcomes of the decisions made by adults.

4) Assigned but Informed

Youth are assigned a specific role and informed about how and why they are being involved.

3) Tokenism

When youth appear to be given a voice but in fact have little or no choice about what they do or how they participate.

2) Decoration

Youth are used to help or "bolster" a cause in a relatively indirect way, although adults do not pretend that the cause is inspired by youth.

1) Manipulation

Adults use youth to support causes and pretend that the causes are inspired by youth.

Entity:
Topic:
The material in all ABA publications is copyrighted and may be reprinted by permission only. Request reprint permission here.