“Don’t take our opinions to heart, it’s not personal if we criticise – we just want things to get better”

Children and Young People’s Commissioner Nicola Killean has hosted a second Shoogle Lab event. 

The Commissioner’s Young Advisors worked with participation expert Professor Laura Lundy to create the session that focused on the link between feedback from children and accountability from adults in the education system, and what a framework for that could look like for Scotland.  

Through the Shoogle Lab, the Commissioner’s ultimate aim is to improve participation in education, giving all children greater access to their right to be heard on decisions that affect their lives. This includes decisions that affect them individually and those covering wider education reform. 

The online event – facilitated by Young Advisors Aisha, Arianna, Grace, Phoebe, Robert, and Saif – followed the first Shoogle Lab into education in December. 

That brought together young people, education leaders, and world-famous musician Dame Evelyn Glennie. The theme of the day was the power of listening to children and young people. 

It explored the questions of what does good listening mean; what does inclusive participation look like and what are the barriers; and where is there good practice. 

Young Advisor Aisha, 15, said at the online Shoogle Lab: “We need to be understood rather than just heard. When adults give feedback they should clearly explain what can, and cannot, be done and the reasons why.  It manages expectations honestly and builds trust. By explaining what was actually done, it demonstrates that children’s voices lead to real outcomes. This encourages us all to continue sharing ideas and keep taking an active role.”

Young Advisor Grace, 17, said: “I’ve had good experiences where I have been given feedback on things I have said. The best feedback has timelines that we can follow along and check up. I’d also say don’t take our opinions to heart, it’s not personal if we criticise, we just want things to get better. 

“Good feedback needs to be a balance of being informative but don’t give us too much information. We don’t want too much mush!”

Young Advisor Robert, 17, said: “Adults being accountable in education means taking responsibility for actions and being reliable. If you say something, do something.”  

Young Advisor Saif, 17, said: “We can be asked our opinions and we spill our hearts out to try and make school better, and then it’s far too normalised that we never hear back about what has happened as a result.”

Commissioner Nicola said: “Children have the right to participate in decisions that affect them. That means sharing their views, and having those views seriously considered. They need feedback on how their views are taken into consideration when decisions are made, and today we have been discussing how we can make that better within education.

“Our Shoogle Lab brings people together to shake up and improve education for all children, and it’s been very rewarding to work alongside the Young Advisors with Professor Lundy, and education leaders.” 

Children work alongside decision-makers at the Shoogle Lab to improve the delivery of children’s rights. The final Shoogle Lab on education will be held in June 2026.