Children’s Commissioner talks Current Projects & Future Plans! Interview w/ The NGY show
As the Children’s Commissioner, Rachel De Souza is responsible for protecting and promoting the rights of every child in this country by taking their views to government and parliament, making sure that what they want is known and understood. Her job came into being just over 20 years ago after a tragic incident shone a light onto the necessity of protecting children in care, at risk of abuse and children who are vulnerable.
De Souza’s first act as Children’s Commissioner was to launch wide scale survey, “The Big Ask” alongside professional footballer Marcus Rashford, created to ask all the children of the country, “What’s holding them back?” “What do they need to thrive?” and “What do they want from their future” coming out of lockdown. After a massive response of half a million young children, De Souza made it her plan to care for their needs. De Souza reflects upon some of the devastating stories she has encountered during her time as Children’s Commissioner, and expresses how they have driven her to work harder to make the lives of million of children across the country as loving and happy as possible.
De Souza touches on social media and how it can be so toxic for young people with growing minds and emotions, she highlights how she believes schools should be more involved with the education around social media use for young children. She proposes that they should be pioneering young people to help them find their inner compass instead of them absorbing information and mis-information from the internet. De Souza advises that there is “power in numbers”, when asked what she thinks young people could do themselves to make their community safer and more inclusive – explaining the importance of taking opportunities such as Student Voice work.
De Souza asks The NGY show some questions about how she can help improve the system as Children Commissioner to encourage children and young people not to rebel against school and other societal norms. She also speaks of future projects in her plans in terms of next years general election!
Check out the full interview for more!
The Big Ask survey is an ambitious and comprehensive initiative led by the Children’s Commissioner for England. Launched in 2021, it aims to gather the views and opinions of children and young people across the UK, giving them a platform to express their thoughts on various issues affecting their lives. The survey covers topics such as mental health, education, safety, and the environment, seeking to identify their concerns and priorities. By amplifying children’s voices and experiences, the survey aims to influence policymakers and ensure that their perspectives are taken into account when making decisions that directly impact their lives and well-being.
To find out more about the Childrens Commissioner visit:
https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/
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