The law says that what you think is very important and should be at the centre of any planning for your education and future.
What you think is often known as ‘ your views, wishes and feelings’.
This means that your thoughts and ambitions are very important and adults supporting you should be listening to you and helping you work towards achieving them.
How can I get across my views?
It may help you to prepare what you want to share with others.
You can ask a trusted adult, such as a parent/carer to help you to prepare and record your views, wishes and feelings.
Remember, this process is about what you think not what others may think.
There are lots of ways that you can share your views such as:
- Making a list of important things
- Writing it all down or ask someone to write for you
- Drawing pictures
- Making a diagram of important things
- Making a PowerPoint
- Making a collage
- Recording yourself, or making a VLOG
- Making a journal of your thoughts and feelings
Resource Hub (mefirst.org.uk) have produced some resources on sharing your views that you might find helpful.
You may find information on technology and other ways that will support you in sharing your views and making decisions on the Mind of my own website.
What can I do prepare?
Think about:
- Who you are? – what is great about you and what do others say they like about you?
- How do you like to communicate with others?
- How do you like others to communicate with you?
- How are you feeling?
- What are your hobbies and interests?
- What is important to you?
- Who is important to you?
- What is going well at home?
- What is not going well at home?
- What is going well at your school, college or setting?
- What is not going well at your school, college or setting?
- What are your ambitions and wishes for your future?
- How can others support you to do your best?
You could write your answers to these questions down or ask a trusted adult to help or discuss these with you.
Sharing your views, wishes and feelings
Sharing your views, wishes and feelings, might be something that you feel comfortable doing yourself, or if you prefer someone else could do this for you.
If there is a meeting to go to, and you don’t want to attend you could just send some information instead. For more information about meetings see the sections below.
How can I share my own views?
You could share your views in person by attending the meeting yourself. At the meeting you can talk about your views.
It may help you to think about the following:
- Have you prepared what you want to share?
- Can you send you send your view, wishes and feelings to the meeting organiser so that others can look at it before the meeting?
- Would you prefer to say what you think on the day in the meeting? Do you need any help to do this from a trusted adult?
If you don’t want to attend the whole meeting, can you go to part of it or join it via telephone or internet (e.g. Zoom or Teams)
Sending Information
You can send your views, wishes and feelings to the person who organised the meeting if you do not want to attend a meeting. By doing this you will still have your say.
Things to think about
- Have you written down everything you want them to know?
- Does do you need to send any extra information to help them understand?
- You could ask someone to contact you to talk to you about what is sent?
- Ask the organiser how will you know that your views have been listened to? Will someone contact you after the meeting?
- Do you have any questions that you would like people attending the meeting to answer? If so, make a list.
Someone else Sharing Your Views
If you decide you want someone to share your views, wishes and feelings for you it is important that they know what these are.
Once you have decided on someone you could ask them to help you written down your views, or could talk it through with them.
It might be that you will attend a meeting, but do not want to speak directly. Or that you do not want to go and someone is going to go for you.
Things to think about:
- Does this person know you well?
- Do they understand what is important to you?
- If you are not attending the meeting, how will they let you know what happened?
- If more information is needed, will they be able to contact you to ask, or could they answer on your behalf?
- Do you need them to take any notes for you?
- Could the meeting be recorded for you?
- Could you go to part of the meeting, or join it via telephone or internet (e.g. Zoom or Teams)?