Many local governments are working to contribute to the call to action by providing for the needs of children and young people through both direct services and infrastructure as well as creating an enabling environment through policy and planning.
UNICEF’s work is structured around 5 overarching areas of well-being for every child:
- Every child survives and thrives
- Every child learns
- Every child is protected from violence and exploitation
- Every child lives in a safe and clean environment
- Every child has a fair chance in life
Below are 5 of the programmes on the use platform being implemented by local governments for children and young people around the globe.
Parliament of Children and Adolescents, Montevideo
The program involves training in human rights and civic education for children and adolescents, with an inclusive focus. As part of the process, workshops are held and work is carried out with elected representatives through municipal cabinets and sessions in the national and departmental parliaments. Educational institutions from all the municipalities of Montevideo participate in the program.
https://use.metropolis.org/case-studies/parliament-of-children-and-adolescents-of-montevideo
Traffic Agent App, Oslo
The Traffic Agent is a mobile app to determine road maintenance requirements. It targets primary school children, who are some of the most active walkers in Oslo. Using a ‘gamification’ approach, children can report dangerous spots or problem areas on their way to and from school. This data is fed into the Agency for Urban Environment’s traffic and technology section, which uses it to prioritise road maintenance needs for the next year’s budget.
https://use.metropolis.org/case-studies/the-traffic-agent
Providence Talks, Providence
Children from low-income households hear 73% fewer words than children living in high-income households and 54% fewer words than children in middle-income families. In an effort to remedy this issue, the City of Providence launched Providence Talks. The program provides families with a “word pedometer,” a piece of technology that counts the number of words and conversations that children are exposed to in the home. Families are visited twice monthly by a coach who monitor their progress, while offering tips for improvement to parents.
https://use.metropolis.org/case-studies/providence-talks
Educational Parks for Youth, Antioquia (Departement)
Building on a successful experiment in Medellin, the Antioquia Department government has set up a network of 80 educational parks to encourage the learning of science, technology, arts and culture amongst young people. Each of the parks is being designed with a unique local identity and with the aim to promote a culture for peace and respect for civic values.
https://use.metropolis.org/case-studies/educational-parks-for-youth
Beach online employability advise, Brighton & Hove
BEACH (Brighton & Hove Employability Advice and Careers Hut) is a website that has been developed to improve young people’s employment opportunities. It offers employment advice, specifically relating to the local situation, and was designed for young people by young people. A collection of film clips, other advice and information, is available on the BEACH website. The website is targeted at students but also can be accessed by parents and as a resource for teachers.
https://use.metropolis.org/case-studies/beach-online-employability-advice
For more programmes related to children and young people you can search the use database by SDGs or topic – children and young people: https://use.metropolis.org/search