Mixed methods Participatory Action Research to inform service design based on the Capabilities Approach, in the North of England

Katie Shearn,Anna Brook,Helen Humphreys,Carrie Wardle

doi:10.1111/chso.12496

Abstract

AbstractProponents of the Capabilities Approach advocate that young people should be able to live lives they have reason to value, supported by public services. Mixed‐methods Participatory Action Research involving 47 young people aged 13–16, five practitioners, and one commissioner was carried out to develop a local Capabilities Framework. The framework had five themes: ‘people and relationships’, ‘places, spaces and time for me’, ‘learning and skills’, ‘freedoms, rights and responsibilities’ and ‘health and wellbeing’. Recommendations for service design include cross‐sector working to support the promotion of social opportunities and services, and interventions focused on the strengths of each young person.

Highlights

Worldwide, young people's wellbeing is primarily defined by individual, social and environmental determinants (Coll-Seck et al, 2019)
The focus areas were ‘people and relationships’, ‘places, spaces and time for me’, ‘learning and skills’, ‘freedom, rights and responsibilities’ and ‘health and wellbeing’. We compare these ideas to established capabilities lists found in the academic literature
The study has gained a deeper understanding of what young people [in town] have reason to value, what supports them to become capable and responsible and what assets might be built upon to provide them with opportunities

Summary

Introduction

Young people's wellbeing is primarily defined by individual, social and environmental determinants (Coll-Seck et al, 2019). . |2 climate change, a global pandemic, terrorist threats and economic crises, young people, even in developed countries, are experiencing challenges to their wellbeing, outside of their control (Goldhagen et al, 2020). Health services for young people are often based on a deficit model focused on fixing problems or preventing ‘risky’ behaviour (Bailey et al, 2015). The public health team in one town in northern England identified the opportunity to develop services to better support young people to thrive. Research in the town had previously identified an alternative approach to young people's services rooted in the Capabilities Approach (Shearn et al, 2019). The public health team wanted to explore the possibility for service design based on this approach

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