'Hear Me' Project Allows Children's Voices to be Heard

“So many decisions are made that have an impact on children; why not let them have a voice?”

This is the premise behind the “Hear Me” project, a grant-funded pilot program that Carnegie Mellon University – CREATE LAB directs.

In their Hear Me quotes, children speak about bullying, living in a shelter, firefighters, teachers, staying healthy by running, and President Obama.

The Hear Me project began in late 2009 and recently expanded, according to Jessica Kaminsky, project coordinator.

“We wanted to find a way to get kids’ voices out there,” she explained. “We wanted to make sure their voices are heard.”

Kaminsky said the greater part of 2010 was spent developing the program and reaching out to partners and media to spread the word.

In late 2010 and 2011, through partnerships with schools and organizations, the small project staff of one part-time and three full-time employees interviewed more than 3,000 children ages 3 to 18 for their ideas about how they would change society.

“The little ones may draw pictures; some have written essays, and others we recorded or taped,” said Kaminsky.

Those stories have been translated for the www.hear-me.net website and transformed into billboards and transit shelter signs. Soon the project will allow people to text a message or use a phone to scan a QR code from a transit shelter to access audio recordings.

“We are using technology to get [the children's] ‘voices’ out there, but the technology is the means to an end – the purpose is for the kids’ voices to be heard," said Kaminsky.

In July, 50 billboards were posted in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

Now the project is decorating 25 transit shelters with stories and artwork.

The project also has created trading cards, bookmarks and temporary tattoos to spread the children’s messages.

The essays and recordings are found on the website, but as it is updated, the site soon will include videos.

The project organizers hope to expand to other schools and children’s organizations. The ultimate goal is to expand the pilot program to other cities and states, said Kaminsky.

“If it works here, then it will work in other cities as well,” she said.