'Whatever you say . . . say nothing'. Youth for youth, reflections on a 2-year youth participation project

From January 2000 to December 2002 save the Children worked in partnership with a group of young people, concerning their experience of the conflict and their invisibility within the new political context in Northern Ireland. This paper will consider the learning realised through this partnership with children and young people, reflecting first on the difficulties in working directly with the issues of experience and identity within the context of ongoing conflict, second on the expectations of young people and organisations working for change within this problematic and sensitive context, and finally on the barriers young people experience working for change within a fluctuating political environment.

Despite the fact that the number of young people involved in this initiative was small, it is hoped that the reflections and learning within this paper may be of use to those interested in exploring the challenges of partnership approaches with young people.