Facilitating youth participatory action research (YPAR): A scoping review of relational practice in U.S. Youth development & out-of-school time projects

Abstract

YPAR is increasingly used as a powerful tool for research and action but, its’ practice is often a ‘black box’, with the mechanisms in play absent or not described in detail. When methodological practice is made more explicit, it is illuminated that all too often, youth are not meaningfully integrated into many important aspects of the research. However, we know that relationships are central to the success of YPAR. As such we explore the research question of: ‘what are the relational practices in YPAR that can facilitate critical inquiry, reflection and action?’.We conducted a scoping review of 40 articles that discuss YPAR practice in youth development and out-of-school time spaces. Our results highlight a series of practices aimed at facilitating critical dialogue, sharing power and building a collective identity. These practices can help keep the YPAR practice aligned with its’ epistemological aims and support the practice of critical inquiry and reflection into action.Facilitating Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR): A Scoping Review of Relational Practice in U.S. Youth Development & Out-of-School Time Projects.