ECHO: Youth Voice for the Child Guarantee
We empower young people aged 13-17 from the Baltic countries to become leaders and shape the policy agenda on reducing social exclusion. We aim to connect children’s experiences with expert knowledge and create real change.
Project Directions
Youth Leadership
We give a central role to young people aged 13–18. Through dialogue and international visits, they will raise questions about the European Child Guarantee system themselves.
Strengthening Advocacy
We strengthen the capacity of NGOs to defend children’s rights at national level and coordinate actions between countries.
Participation
We encourage cooperation between children and decision-makers, empowering the younger generation to represent themselves beyond the project.
Project Progress in Lithuania
Focus Groups: Children’s Voice
Focus groups were organised, during which children openly shared their experiences of school, home and emotional health. The main insights from children were:
Friends are the best part of school, but children feel very tired because of the workload. Some compare school to a “prison”.
A safe space, but it was observed that parents often come home tired, leaving little energy for quality time together.
The system feels like a “maze”. When speaking about psychological support, children often feel that they are not listened to.
Time with friends makes children feel happy, but there is not enough time for it. Children want to be genuinely listened to by adults.
Preparing Information
- Collecting and systematising information about the Child Guarantee system in Lithuania.
- Creating, designing and adapting child-friendly materials for children.
- Selecting future ECHO ambassadors.
International Exchange in Riga
15 selected young people will meet in person for training. There, they will gain knowledge and officially become ECHO project ambassadors in their countries.
Local Events and Advocacy
Ambassadors will organise events in their countries. At the end of the project, meetings with decision-makers are planned, with the aim of achieving real policy change.