Participatory budgeting for Schools
in 60 seconds
Participatory budgeting (PB) is a way for people to directly vote on how money should be spent.
It's a powerful way for children and young people to have their say in the decisions that affect them.
Here's how it works...
1. Ideas are generated about how a budget should be spent
2. People vote for their priorities
3. The projects with the most votes gets funded
So, why PB in schools?
Builds more confident and active young citizens
A real experience of democracy in action - because young people want to
Offers a positive engagement experience.
Strengthens school culture by building positive relationships.
Awareness of wider community needs and ways of addressing them.
Contributes to raising attainment across the whole school
An innovative and effective mechanism to engage with parents and pupils, in particular those who face barriers to participation.
Contributes to maths, literacy, PSHE, technology and critical thinking.
Builds useful skills in budgeting and financial literacy.
Strengthens school culture
Provides an opportunity to make real the Convention of the Rights of the Child to participate in decisions that affect them.
Provides a way to centre the schools within the wider local community, building meaningful relationships with the community.
Can support and reinvigorate parental and school engagement on a more equal basis.
Lowers the cost of the school day
Can be used as a way to reduce the barriers that families on low incomes often face.
Encourages dialogue about how poverty and inequality can be addressed in the school context.
PB is part of the Pupil Equity Fund guidance...
“Participatory budgeting (PB) is an innovative and effective mechanism to engage with parents and pupils, in particular those who face barriers to participation.
PB directly involves people in participating in budgeting decisions that will have a direct impact on improving their lives and it can engage people who would not normally participate with traditional forms of communication.”
...and is already happening in schools across Scotland.
Cost of the school day
News
Ideas and examples
News
PB in schools is great opportunty to educate, empower and involve.
And young people have told us they want to have their say... ➜
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Want to learn more?
Join the PB Scotland Network.
Read our in-depth resource.
Evidence and Ideas: PB in Schools
This resource looks at Participatory budgeting (PB) in schools from a Scottish and international perspective. It presents insights to the common school themes and points towards useful resources for practitioners.
View the resource
Evidence and Ideas: PB in Schools
This resource looks at Participatory budgeting (PB) in schools from a Scottish and international perspective. It presents insights to the common school themes and points towards useful resources for practitioners.
View the resource
Follow @PB_Scotland
Using a PB approach, a Midlothian project aimed at reducing the disadvantage poorer families experience in meeting the cost of the school day has seen high levels of participation from children, their families, parent council members and school staff.