Highland Chat4Change

We want Highland to be the best place for children to grow up and we know that children and young people have the best ideas about how to make that happen.

This project was set up to enable children and young people to have their say in the development of the three year Children’s Services Plan and in its ongoing performance review.

One of the first approaches to be developed was the Healthy Minds Highland series of seminars, in partnership with the Highland Council, where the process of developing a Highland Charter for Children and Young People was launched. Working in partnership with the Youth Convener, Highlife Highland, Voluntary Youth Network and the Care and Learning Alliance (CALA), we will seek digital and other means of enabling children and young people to be in dialogue with decision makers.  

The Healthy Minds Highland Seminars also led to the reintroduction of Highland Children’s Champions who are able to champion the voice of children and young people in all Council committees.

Healthy Minds Highland Seminar

Healthy Minds Seminar: In partnership with Highland council, Inspiring Young Voices, contributed to the delivery of another successful Healthy Minds Highland digital seminar on the 24th of March as part of our Chat for Change initiative. Delegates from across Highland joined to hear contributions from:

Dornoch Primary School with children there guiding the delegates through their PSE curriculum plan. The children have put so much work into creating an array of fantastic resources!

Crocus Group discussed their work as a bereavement support service for children and young people living in Highland. They talked delegates through their ‘Grief Brief’ which was developed by children and young people experiencing bereavement and loss.
The final workshop was a contribution from young people involved in the development of Dingwall Health and Wellbeing CLD practice.

At our most recent seminar held on the 28th of April we had many fantastic contributions from:

• Tending the Light in The North Festival Review– Kai Archer and Jemma Macdonald
• The Place – Janette Douglas
• Sutherland Activity Day- Yvonne Ross 
• LGBT Youth Scotland OutLanders Discord group- Laura Dudley- Smith
• MikeysLine Mental Health Youth Champions – Allana Stables

If you would like to be part of a future Healthy Minds Highland seminar please get in touch with alix@inspiringyoungvoices.org.

Highland Chat4Change Discord

The Chat4Change Discord was set up to provide a safely moderated, fun & informal digital community where young people aged 13(+) living in Highland can engage in dialogue with decision makers in their lives.

This pilot project is now closed and we have gained valuable experience and knowledge from this work which will help develop and improve our work in future projects.