Tim's Blog

I enjoyed reading this - think you make the case for involving young people very clear. Of course there are difficulties around when to engage just as there are when it comes to any participation or engagement exercise.

The notion of giving real weight to input from young people as 'experts by experience' in their own lives is one that can't be emphasised enough. A model for valuing experiential expertise can be seen in the NHS' expert patients programme.
http://tinyurl.com/2rtxo5

I agree wholly with your comment that a process
"should test adult ideas against young people's concrete stories about their own lived experience."
It is now a case of getting that message of the value that this can offer across to policy makers.
An encouraging research approach involving young offenders can be found here: http://www.vrg.cf.ac.uk/