Children’s Voices in Slovenia: Key Outcomes of the “Our Opinion Counts!” Project

In 2025 and 2026, Eurochild member, the Slovenian Association of Friends of Youth (SAFY) carried out Our Opinion Counts!, a project funded by the Erasmus+ programme. The project aimed to strengthen the participation of children and young people aged 13 to 18 in decisions that affect their lives.

The project consisted of four regional consultation events and one final national event. These events provided children and young people with opportunities to express their views on issues they themselves had identified as important. Adults and local decision-makers also took part in the regional consultations, while national-level decision-makers participated in the final event.

The central theme was children's right to participation – how children understand and experience participation, and what meaningful participation should look like in practice. Discussions focused on four key areas: school, healthcare, the green transition and the digital environment.

A total of 139 children participated in the project. Their key messages were:

• School: Introducing more practical and interactive teaching methods, fostering greater mutual respect between teachers and students.
• Healthcare: Reducing waiting times for specialists, ensuring that doctors communicate directly with children, rather than discussing their health and treatment primarily with their parents.
• Green transition: Raising environmental awareness through education and encouraging greater use of public transport.
• Digital environment: Introducing appropriate age restrictions for the use of digital technologies, strengthening education on online safety, improving digital literacy among older generations and establishing a digital platform for participation.

The views and opinions gathered during the consultations were compiled into SAFY'S White paper on the implementation of children's right to participation. One of the project's most significant achievements was the opportunity for children and young people to personally present the White Paper to five ministers or state secretaries at their respective ministries. These visits gave young participants a valuable opportunity to speak directly with national decision-makers, present their perspectives and engage in meaningful discussions about issues affecting their lives.

The project demonstrated that children and young people not only want to be heard but also have valuable ideas and recommendations to contribute. Meaningful participation requires more than giving children a voice – it means listening to their views, taking them seriously and ensuring they can influence decisions that affect their lives.

For further information, please contact Petra Zega, Professional Associate, at the Slovenian Association of Friends of Youth.

Image taken from Slovenian Association of Friends of Youth of website.