Reflections on participation processes

This chapter provides some reflections on the processes of participation with children in research and evaluation, and how these processes can go beyond voice. It highlights five key aspects of participatory research processes embarking on research with children and young people. First, qualitative participatory processes of research and evaluation can lead to transformational change on an individual, institutional and/or broader societal and policy level. Second, children and young people who are part of research and evaluation have to be considered as central to constructing a process. Third, an understanding of the political/policy, cultural and physical aspects of context was necessary to find mechanisms to encourage a more collaborative and participatory approach with children and young people in evaluation. Fourth, analysis of the existing capacity for communication and participation could lead to more guidance in processes of children's participation. Fifth, building trust, capacity and communication in an evaluation was proposed as being even more important than the methods.