AYJ meets Norwegian youth voice organisation Change Factory

On 15th November, the AYJ team, Leaders Unlocked and one representative from the Young Advocates met with Change Factory. Representatives from Change Factory were visiting London, and other countries, to build an international network for youth justice.

Change Factory is an organisation based in Norway, with the goal of sharing knowledge from children with politicians, educators and the wider public. The ‘Pros’ – children and young people who are experts by experience in areas such as the justice and welfare systems – distribute their knowledge via booklets, presentations, and films.

We met with a current Pro, a ‘graduated’ Pro, and Hannah, a Project Manager from Change Factory, to exchange knowledge about the youth justice system in both Norway and England and Wales, and to develop our understanding of the ways in which the youth voice can be amplified to influence policy. The Pros shared their stories of being labelled as ‘dangerous’ and being kept in institutions prior to working with Change Factory; they told us that when they were first contacted by the organisation, they were suspicious of it as they weren’t used to being treated as intelligent or as experts in their own experiences.

 “It costed the Norwegian government millions of pounds to keep me in an institution. That didn’t help me at all. What helps me is being a functioning member of society now, working with Change Factory.”

 It was very special to engage with, and learn from, an organisation with similar goals and values to the AYJ. See you again, Change Factory!