Communication

"We can convince all the youth around us that we have to be heard so new ideas can come out … and we have to show the children what their rights are, so if any violations happen, they will know." Participant from Sudan, Voices of Youth online chat, November 2002

© UNICEF/HQ02-0128/Markisz

A journalist records ‘Say Yes for Children’ celebrants at the Children’s Forum in New York City, USA.

Effective communication is essential to bringing about change, and communication with and between young people has a special part to play.

There are several reasons for this. Firstly, young people tend to be more willing than older people to change their behaviour. Secondly, changes in the behaviour of young people are likely to make the most difference in the future, because young people have the most future! Last but not least, young people are the best communicators with other young people.

There are many different ways of getting your message across, and the best approach depends on what you are trying to achieve. These pages provide an introduction to different communication methods, explain the special characteristics and advantages of each and offer a practical guide to using them.