Community Engagement Officer for South East Wales.

Lleisiau Bach Little Voices provides support for children and young people to carry out research within the framework of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and to advocate for change informed by their research. Based at the Wales Observatory on Human Rights of Children and Young People at Swansea and Bangor Universities, we are able to link the children’s research to world class academic research, higher education teaching and training and wide engagement with community groups and statutory bodies. The current Little Voices Shouting Out project, children aged 7-11 in Wales have submitted their own report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child for the first time. This project is Big Lottery Funded and works with children in primary schools throughout Wales. Children learn about their rights and about the UNCRC and are trained as researchers to investigate the issues they select, using their own chosen methods. In addition to the report that was submitted to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child for the Geneva pre-sessional hearings in October 2015, the project delivers results in the children’s own communities. The children learn about their issues, and develop skills in research and consultation, but they also take their recommendations to people in their schools and wider community who can help make the changes happen. This has resulted in positive change from small adjustments within the schools, for example in relation to play or the physical environment, to potentially far-reaching changes in policy and practice. Specific aimsRaise awareness of the UNCRC and ResearchEnable children to consult with their peers on issues that affect themEmpower children to make the case for changeDecision makers will have better informed understanding of children’s experiences, needs and views in order to make sustainable changeInternational human rights monitoring bodies will have an input from children 7-11 to influence their decisions.

Maintain and further develop:-external engagements and partnerships for collaborative, age-inclusive and/or child and young person-led research and research impact;-engage directly with community groups to carry out research and/or encourage engagement with the Children’s Legal Centre, Wales Observatory on Human Rights of Children and Young People, Swansea Law Clinic and as appropriate, other initiatives within the College; -contribute to tuition and supervision of experiential learning modules;-assist in development and contribute to delivery of CPD courses and assist in supervising students undertaking community outreach.