Voices of Kilkenny’s youth wanted

Children and young people in county Kilkenny are being encouraged to take part in an initiative giving the voice of our youth a platform to be heard.

The Ombudsman for Children Dr Niall Muldoon has made the call for young people to participate in Child Talks 2021.

Now in its fourth year, Child Talks is an annual event held by the Ombudsman for Children’s Office where children and young people up to age 18 are given a platform to talk about the issues that matter most to them. This year’s theme is ‘My Hopes for the Future.’

Since Child Talks began in 2018 young have people have talked about lots of different issues – school, disability, period poverty, culture, sexuality, family and lots more. It is completely up to the speakers.

Dr Muldoon has called on children and young people in county Kilkenny to apply to Child Talks 2021 and to have their say on the issues that matter to them.

“The past 18 months has highlighted the importance of hearing children’s voices and their concerns. Child Talks gives us a real insight into the problems and issues children are facing and helps us to get a better understanding of their world.

“At a time where children’s voices have often been forgotten, Child Talks gives young people a unique platform to share their story, vision, and hopes for the future.

“Child Talks has changed over the past four years, largely due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the message and value has remained the same. Child Talks gives our speakers the confidence and courage to speak up about the issues that matter to them and find the value in their voice,” Dr Muldoon concluded.

Taking place on November 19th to mark World Children’s Day, Child Talks 2021 will be a hybrid online-physical event streaming live from the RDS in Dublin.