Youth Advisory Panel

Back in 2003, 15 young people took part in recruiting Ireland’s first Ombudsman for Children. When Emily Logan was appointed to the job, she asked this group of young people to stay on and work with the OCO. Calling themselves the OCO’s Youth Advisory Panel (YAP), they took part in a wide range of activities during the important first years of the OCO. In doing so, they helped to shape the organisation that we are today.

In 2007, young people on our first YAP made way for a new group of 25 young advisors. From different parts of Ireland and with very different life experiences to one another, the young people on our second YAP played a vital role in the OCO for over two years.

We would like to say a big thank you to the young people on our two youth panels for bringing tremendous commitment and energy to their work with the OCO.

We have learned a great deal with and from our YAP members. Watch and listen to what some of our youth panel have to say about their time on YAP. We have also put together a short booklet that we hope will be useful to other people who are thinking about setting up a panel like YAP.

Read the Story of the Ombudsman for Children’s Youth Advisory Panel

Listen to what some young people have to say about their experiences of being part of the OCO’s second YAP …

YAP talk about their time on the panel