The opinions of children as hands-on experts are still not adequately reflected in initiatives set up by the government or professional organizations in order to address violence against children. To promote participation, Augeo Foundation created the Augeo Youth Taskforce in 2015.

This taskforce consists of about 50 young people who have suffered from adverse childhood experiences first hand. These young people organize special workshops (e.g. for divorce counsellors), share their experiences at conferences, advise policymakers and politicians and conduct youth surveys. As a result, the Augeo Youth Taskforce ensures that young people with hands-on experience are increasingly seen and heard in initiatives to address violence against children.

The Taskforce is also active in different countries in Europe. For example, a ‘Hear and See Me’ training course was organized in the Czech Republic. The young people told their audience how they approach the training courses in the Netherlands in the hope that this information will be used to set up a similar initiative in the Czech Republic. At the 2018 Eurochild Conference in Croatia, a member of the Youth Taskforce will attend as one of the inspiring speakers. Eurochild advocates for children’s rights and welfare to be at the heart of policymaking. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is the foundation of their work.