At ECF, we are dedicated to raising the standard of engagement across all communities and creating more opportunities for public participation. Through our work, we recognise that young people’s voices are often underrepresented in public consultations, despite their unique insights and valuable perspectives. In fact, young people are the second least likely group to feel that participating in political activities will make a difference.

Our Children and Young People’s Engagement Toolkit is designed to address this gap. Developed in line with the RIBA Engagement Overlay, this toolkit focuses on engaging children and young people aged 6 to 21, aiming to strengthen youth participation and, in turn, deliver more effective and inclusive outcomes. Although 18 to 21-year-olds are legally considered adults, we argue that, for engagement purposes, they should be classed as young people rather than adults, as many are in full-time education. 

The toolkit provides a variety of creative methods for engaging children and young people, ranging from participatory in-person sessions and games through to digital tools tailored for younger audiences. Additionally, it identifies common barriers that discourage youth participation, offering strategies to overcome these obstacles and ensure their voices are included.

Our guidance also covers the legal and practical requirements essential to working with children and young people, along with a set of broader engagement considerations:

• Practical steps for planning sessions that effectively engage young participants.
• Creating a welcoming atmosphere where all feel comfortable contributing.
• Techniques to motivate children and young people to participate actively.
• Ensuring activities are engaging, relevant, and age appropriate.
• Steps for follow-up and reflection to maximise the impact of the engagement.

Our toolkit draws on ECF’s experience in community and youth engagement, offering a practical resource that empowers planners and project teams to engage children and young people meaningfully and inclusively.

A notable example of our work is the engagement undertaken for the Future of St. Nicholas Shopping Centre project, which proposed redeveloping the site into a mixed-use space featuring housing, cultural, and community facilities. For more insights into our approach and the outcomes of this project, please read the case study below.