Youth participatory action research as an approach to developing community-level responses to youth homelessness in the United States: learning from Advocates for Richmond Youth

Abstract

Drawing from the experiences of Advocates for Richmond Youth - a participatory action research team aimed at building knowledge to inform action to end youth and young adult homelessness - this chapter explores the iterative nature of building internal team capacity in order to establish and maintain a solid infrastructure that supports external engagement in the community. Members of Advocates for Richmond Youth reflect on their multi-year, multi-study process to share lessons learned about the way that power is built in the face of adultism and other oppressive forces, and how to establish a community network of stakeholders committed to centering the needs and leadership of youth with lived experience in order to effectively design and implement solutions that move a community toward ending youth homelessness and housing instability.