funky dragon

What does Extending Entitlement mean?
There are a number of things we believe that every young person in Wales deserves in order to be able to take advantage of the opportunities and choices that they will be presented with.  These things are referred to as entitlements, because they are what the government believes young people should or, are entitled to, receive. 

We believe these entitlements are important to: 

• help young people make the best choices
• gain personal development and enjoyment lead fulfilling lives.

There are ten entitlements. They are outlined and explained here.  As a young person in Wales, you are entitled to:

1. Your rights

• learn what your rights are and understand them
• make sure you are able to claim them
• make sure you understand and accept the responsibilities arising from them.

The adults who are responsible for helping them should tell all young people about their rights. If they are not told directly then young people should be able to ask about their rights and be helped to claim them. The people that could help with this include Youth Workers, Careers Advisors and Teachers.

2. Being heard - your voice, your choice

• It is your right to have the opportunity to be involved in making decisions, planning and reviewing an action that might affect you. It is your right to have a voice and have a choice, even if you don’t make the decision yourself.

All young people have a right to be involved in making decisions that affect them. On a national basis young people can get involved in this through Funky Dragon, the Assembly’s Participation Project or through a range of national organisations such as Barnardos, NSPCC, Tros Gynnal etc. On a more local basis Youth Forums and Councils have been set up across Wales to involve young people. School Councils are another way that Children and Young People can get involved. Organisations that provide services such as sport, leisure, transport and housing should also be asking young people to tell them how they can make improvements.

3. Feel good

• You are entitled to feel confident and feel good about yourself.

People who provide services and assistance to young people should do their work in a way that helps young people feel more confident and good about themselves.

4. Education and employment

You are entitled to:

• be able to learn about things that interest and affect you
• enjoy the job that you do
• get involved in the activities that you enjoy including leisure, music, sport and exercise, art, hobbies and cultural activities

All young people should be able to learn about the things that interest them and enjoy learning whether in school, college, work or elsewhere. They should be given adequate opportunities to learn, gain skills and achieve fulfilment and satisfaction from learning. Young people should be given adequate opportunity and choice through work experience tailored to meet their needs.

5. Taking part/getting involved

• You are entitled to be involved in volunteering and to be active in your community.

Young people should be able to get involved in voluntary activity if they wish. They should be made aware of where these opportunities exist and what they are likely to gain personally by taking part. This can either be national e.g. in large fundraising events such as Children in Need or a local project such as a community centre management group or helping older people by walking their dog etc.

6. Being individual

You are entitled to:

• be treated with respect
• be treated as an equal by everyone
• be recognised for what you have to contribute
• be recognised for your achievements
• celebrate what you achieve

All young people should be treated with respect. They should be recognised for their contribution and for the success they achieve as a result of it. This can be in school, college, at work, at home or in the community. People who are there to help you should make sure that this happens.

7. Easy access

• You are entitled to gain easy access to the best services available, locally and nationally, and to have someone available to help you find them.

Young people should be able to get good quality services whether in health, education or another area. On a local basis someone should be made available to help young people to find and access such services. This could be through Citizens Advice Bureaux, Community Health Councils or Advocacy providers.

8. Health and wellbeing

• You are entitled to lead a healthy life, both physically and emotionally.

Young people should be given enough information and choice to make informed decisions about their health. They should be able to access advice and support relating to their health when they need it. A number of services are provided locally and nationally to do this. This includes information online through projects such as CLIC or NHS Direct or through the local NHS such as at your Doctors Surgery and Dentist.

9. Access to information and guidance

• You are entitled to be able to get information, advice and support on a wide range of issues that affect your life, as and when you need it.  This includes advice and support relating to your career.

All young people need information to be able to make decisions.  They also need to know where to get the information. National projects such as CLIC, Funky Dragon and Careers Wales Online may provide some of this information. On a local basis many areas have Information shops, Libraries, Careers shops and Citizen Advice Bureaux where they can get personal advice, face to face, on a range of issues.

10. Safety & Security

• You are entitled to live in a safe, secure home and community.

In order to make the most of all the opportunities that life presents, young people need to feel safe, secure and free from threats and bullying. The people who are there to help them, including their local community, school and the police should help to make them feel safe.