Experiences Of Young People Research Articles

Belonging-Assemblage: Experiences of Unaccompanied Young People Seeking Asylum in the UK

In this article, I examine how belonging takes place within lives shaped by the hostile milieu of UK immigration policies and politics, by focusing on the everyday experiences of unaccompanied young people seeking asylum. Drawing on Deleuze and Guattari’s assemblage, I suggest an understanding of belonging as a rhizomatic assemblage, comprising the interactions and relations of diverse forces and flows. Based on the analysis of in-depth interviews with unaccompanied young people and the professionals who care for or work with them, I conclude that belonging is reconfigured in-between relations, always incomplete and in transition. I argue that belonging is characterised by inconsistencies and ruptures and made possible by the ‘micro-politics’ of those unaccompanied young people encounter in their everyday lives. I contribute to the literature by conceptualising the sociological notion of belonging in a novel way and exposing its key components and nature formed under precarious conditions.

Youth participatory action research as an empowerment-based method for community change

ABSTRACT Youth participatory action research (YPAR) centers the experiences of young people as experts in issues impacting their lives. The process of engaging in YPAR has potential to create positive outcomes for youth researchers, including skills associated with empowerment. As such, YPAR is a valuable method for building community power and capacity for change. Little is understood about the process by which empowerment happens through YPAR, including how youth develop a sense of themselves as changemakers and the indicators that an empowering space and process have been created. The current study identified components of youth empowerment rooted in the experiences of young people who were involved in YPAR. Data were collected through an initiative between university researchers and three community-based organizations. The project included development of three YPAR teams with a total of 15 youth and young adult researchers. Data for this study were drawn from post-project focus groups and observation tools that were completed at each YPAR team meeting. Using a theory-driven coding structure for empowerment, the researchers used an iterative qualitative analysis process to identify key indicators of empowerment that emerged from the data. Examples of how they manifested provide valuable insight to community practitioners as well as community-engaged researchers as they work to support community leadership and power building.

The lasting effects of long COVID on students' school experience

New research has found that long COVID has a lasting impact on children and young people's school experience. Dorothy Lepkowska explains

Portraits of Life After Loss: Understanding Parental Loss Within A Social Context

Parental loss at any age is a life transition that brings with it unprecedented changes. Encountering this loss in emerging adulthood can be especially challenging because of the many consequences characteristic of this stage of life. Existing research has excluded the experiences of young people grieving the death of a parent. Thus, the present study attempts to bridge this gap by focusing on the experiences of emerging adults dealing with parental loss with an emphasis on their journeys of coping with the loss, and how grief unfolded in a social context. In this exploratory research, four participants in the age range of 18–28 years were interviewed, and the data were subjected to interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three superordinate themes emerged from the data, namely, early days following the loss, changing relational realities, and coping in the context of the other. Limitations and implications of the study have been discussed.

Innovative Strategies to Address Systemic Inequities in Youth Sexual Health Programs: A Preliminary Program Evaluation.

Disparities in sexual health outcomes between racial and ethnic groups throughout the state of Washington suggest the presence of systemic inequities impeding young people's experience with and access to sexual health care and education. Emerging innovations in sexual health look to center young people, particularly those who have been historically excluded, in the design and implementation of programs that aim to serve them. The Washington Youth Sexual Health Innovation and Impact Network (WYSHIIN) and 11 grant-funded partners engaged communities of youth across the state of Washington, including Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, and/or asexual (2SLGBTQIA+) and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) youth, with the goal of equitably engaging participants and stakeholders to broaden services in schools and community settings. Evaluation staff from the Washington State Department of Health conducted virtual interviews with community partners for preliminary program evaluation purposes and identified 6 strategies for engaging youth. WYSHIIN partners highlighted strategies for centering youth voice and needs at all levels of program development and implementation, embracing holistic and culturally relevant approaches, and 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion. These themes, reflective of wisdom across multiple Washington communities, offer strategies to address systemic issues that negatively impact youth access to and experience with sexual health care.

‘If you wanna have an easy life in secure, you have to bite your tongue’: Children’s narratives of power, voice and resistance in the children & young people secure estate

Locking up and detaining children and young people is and should be a human rights issue per se (Aymer et al., 1991). The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child provides that ‘no child shall be deprived of his or her liberty unlawfully…the restriction of liberty shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time’ (United Nations General Assembly, 1989). It follows on to state that legal safeguards should be put in place to protect children’s human rights in settings where their rights and liberties are restricted. Despite this there is overwhelming evidence that in the Children and Young People Secure Estate (CYPSE) in the United Kingdom, children’s rights are inconsistently and excessively restricted, suggesting insufficient protection of their human rights (Goldson, 2006). Although the CYPSE is a highly restrictive setting in which children and young people are deprived of their rights and liberties for welfare or criminal justice reasons, there has been very little focus on power, voice, participation and human rights within these settings. In this article the authors outline the narratives of nine children and young people detained in the CYPSE through semi structured narrative interviews. Analysis of the interviews produced themes around experiences of powerlessness, control and restriction, voice & participation and resistance. This paper presents a detailed focus on the narratives around voice and resistance. The authors offer critical insights into how the lived experiences of children and young people in these settings strengthens the need for practice and policy to be informed by children’s rights, power and participation. Implications for how clinical psychology is enacted in these settings is also explored and interrogated, with a deconstruction of the role of a Clinical Psychologist.

Exploring online experiences, cyberbullying and wellbeing for young people looked after in Wales: An analysis of the school health research network 2017/18 survey

For young people the online world affords creative, entertainment and socialisation opportunities but also poses risks including cyberbullying, grooming and harmful content. Little is known about online experiences of care-experienced young people, a vulnerable group who may benefit from online experiences but may be at increased risk online. This cross-sectional study used data from 11- to 16-year-olds in Wales from the School Health Research Network (SHRN) Student Health and Wellbeing Survey 2017/18 ( n = 103,971). Cyberbullying, face-to-face bullying and other online experiences were analysed. The prevalence of these experiences and associated mean wellbeing scores were compared for young people in care ( n = 1,921) and not in care ( n = 83,551), controlling for socio-demographic variables gender, ethnicity and year group. Higher numbers of young people in care were involved in cyberbullying, bullying, sharing explicit images, problematic social media use and regular contact with online only friends. These online experiences were associated with lower mean wellbeing scores. Lower numbers of young people in care had access to smartphones and social networking sites from age 12, and lower numbers were regularly in online contact with close friends and a wider peer group. These online experiences were associated with higher mean wellbeing scores. Young people in care appear to be less involved with online experiences that positively impact wellbeing and more involved in online experiences that negatively impact wellbeing. Promoting positive online experiences and education around problematic social media use may be particularly valuable in helping young people living in care develop healthy, safe and positive online lives.

Using young peoples’ lived experiences to explore definitional characteristics for cyberbullying

ABSTRACT Applying established definitions of bullying to the more recent phenomenon of cyberbullying often results in an ill-fitting definition which is contested by academics. There are particular difficulties when applying the well-documented facets of intentional harm, repetition and power imbalance to the context of online bullying. A contested definition presents challenges when comparing studies and for building theory. This qualitative study investigates defining characteristics of cyberbullying, drawing on the lived experiences of young people (aged 11–17 years) situated in the north west of England. Young people’s experiences point to a more nuanced experience with different characteristics incorporating: the intention to harm or humiliate; that the victim cannot escape from the activities perpetrated against them; an attempt to transfer power from the victim; and the perpetrator hides behind the screen.

Evaluating end of treatment care of young people with cancer.

Existing literature implies there may be gaps in post-treatment support for young people with cancer. This service evaluation explored the needs and experiences of young people when ending cancer treatment in a UK children's hospital to inform service provisions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine young people, aged 13-18years, who had finished active cancer treatment and were receiving follow-up care. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. Four main themes were developed: being in the dark (i.e. limited awareness of what happens when treatment ends); separation from the hospital (i.e. the loss of valued support from staff); consequences of cancer (i.e. managing ongoing psychological and physical effects); and getting back to normal life (i.e. shifting from hospital to everyday life). Recommendations for improving clinical practice were made. Greater preparedness for ending treatment could be achieved by clearly setting out ongoing care arrangements, providing resource packs, having opportunities to mark the end of treatment, and offering peer support. To identify specific post-treatment needs, there should be an end of treatment multidisciplinary review and space for young people to share how they are feeling in follow-up medical appointments.

Stories of Surveillance and Resistance: Young People with Dwarfism and Teaching Assistants in Secondary Schools in the United Kingdom

Abstract Teaching Assistants (ta s) are described as key figures in the inclusion of disabled young people in mainstream schools. However, disabled young people’s insights into ta s’ support remain limited. This paper contributes to such insights by exploring the experiences of young people with dwarfism in secondary education with their ta s in the United Kingdom, drawing on their qualitative, first-hand accounts. I engage in a Foucauldian analysis of ta s’ support, where I argue that, under the guise of support, disabled young people sustain ta s’ panoptic surveillance, aiming at their normalisation. Nevertheless, the stories reveal modes of surveillance that go beyond panopticism, such as panauralism. Moreover, the stories demonstrate how young people resist to their surveillance by re-turning the gaze to their ta s, exercising the synoptic gaze. The paper concludes by considering the contributions of those stories, including the need to consider surveillance in relational terms, its multi-sensory nature, and its constitutive power.

Young people's views and experiences of person‐centred planning: A systematic literature review

AbstractPerson‐centred planning (PCP) is both a philosophy and method of service delivery across varied contexts. It is used in pathway planning for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to promote positive transition outcomes. Due to idiosyncratic use, it is unclear how PCP meetings are organised and structured and to what extent this reflects fidelity to PCP as a philosophy. It is also unclear how young people experience PCP meetings and how this impacts transition. To explore this further, a systematic literature review was undertaken from which six studies were included and their data reported using PRISMA guidelines. Drawing upon Gestalt theory as an interpretive lens, findings from these studies suggest that PCP meetings comprise intersecting ‘foreground’ and ‘background’ elements, making PCP meetings a complex space requiring skilled facilitation. Limitations and recommendations for further research and practice are included.

Experiences of young people living with type 1 diabetes in transition to adulthood: The importance of care provider familiarity and support.

During the developmental transition from childhood to adulthood, young people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are more likely to take less care of their chronic disease. Alongside the developmental transition, young people with T1D also experience an organisational transition in which the care responsibility changes from a family-based approach in paediatric care to an individualised approach in adult care. Little is known from the perspective of the young people about what their interactions with the healthcare providers mean during these transitions. The aim of this study is to explore how young people living with T1D experience interactions with their care providers, and what it means for their developmental transition. Semi-structured interviews with 10 respondents aged 18-20 living with T1D who were recruited from a youth outpatient diabetes clinic in Denmark. Recorded audio data were transcribed and analysed using an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach. Young people experience continuity in the relationship with the diabetes nurse from the paediatric clinic and a personal patient-provider relationship with their well-known and new care providers. This creates a feeling of familiarity and contributes to a seamless transition. The young people express that becoming more involved in diabetes treatment increases their willingness to take more responsibility for their own health. They also express that care providers should support them in managing their diabetes and talk about sensitive topics. Continuity in the relationship with the diabetes nurse makes the transition from paediatric to adult care more satisfying and seamless. To support the developmental transition, care providers should gradually involve young people more in diabetes management and be supportive as they become more independent during the developmental transition.

Embedding an engagement exercise into an administrative data research project: An example focussing on Gypsy, Traveller and Roma young people and their families

ObjectivesThe presentation reports findings from the ADR funded project ‘Testing and demonstrating the value of the Growing Up in England dataset: Gypsy, Traveller and Roma case study’. It will (1) address the rationale for embedding an engagement exercise in this project; (2) set out methodology and findings; and (3) draw broader implications for administrative data research.
 MethodsTwo engagement workshops were co-organised with the civil society organisation Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT). Recruitment was via FFT outreach networks and young people aged 14-29 and their broader family groups were invited to attend. Participants included Romany Gypsies, Traveller and Roma young people and family groups, ensuring diversity of experiences and perspectives. Informed consent was obtained from all participants (and from parents/carers for under 18s). The purpose of the engagement exercise was to hear directly from Gypsy, Traveller and Roma young people about issues raised by our analysis of the newly linked Growing Up in England (GUiE) dataset.
 ResultsFeedback from the workshops explores the educational experiences of Gypsy, Traveller and Roma young people and their families and provides important insights into barriers to educational progression and unmet needs for support. Additionally, feedback from the workshops provides new insights into the views, perspectives and experiences of Gypsy, Traveller and Roma young people and their families relating to administrative data collection and data use. One key concern highlighted by workshop participants is that the disclosure of Gypsy, Traveller and Roma identity in administrative data collected by schools, hospitals and other public services could result in discrimination or other forms of adverse or hostile treatment.
 ConclusionsThe findings from the engagement exercise have important implications for our GUiE project and for broader reflection on public attitudes to administrative data. Additionally, the exercise enabled us to address NSDEC recommendations on engagement. However, engaging with Gypsy, Traveller and Roma young people has involved specialist input, time, funding and additional ethics review, which all require careful consideration and planning.

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions on children entering and leaving care in Scotland

ObjectivesThe Covid-19 pandemic caused huge upheaval across the world, and the Scottish children’s social care sector was not exempt from this. This study explored the extent to which the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions impacted on the rate at which children and young people were entering and leaving care in Scotland.
 MethodsAnalysis was conducted on the Scottish Government’s ‘Longitudinal Looked After Children’ dataset which contains information on the care journeys of all children who were ‘looked after’ in Scotland between April 2008 and July 2021. Through a descriptive analysis, the study determined how the pandemic restrictions impacted the rates of children entering care, the rates of children leaving care, and the stability and duration of care placements at this time.
 ResultsDuring the initial year of the pandemic, there was a marked reduction in the number of children both entering (38%) and leaving (22%) care when compared to the year prior. The reduction in entries to care were less notable for infants under the age of 1 than it was for older age groups. Fewer children entered care under compulsory measures, with an increased proportion entering through ‘voluntary’ Section 25 measures. The impact on entries to care and exits from care varied substantially across local authorities in Scotland. The stability and duration of children’s placements were also impacted, with children moving placements less and staying in care for longer periods of time.
 ConclusionThe pandemic restrictions had a substantial impact on the interactions of children and young people with the ‘care system’. At a time where there is great focus on improving the experience of young people in care within Scotland, it is important that lessons are learned and implemented for future disruptive events.

Language and belonging in Australian schools: perspectives and experiences of families from refugee backgrounds

ABSTRACT With increased attention on the school belonging experiences of young people from refugee backgrounds, there is limited understanding of how parents construct and respond to their children’s experiences. Given the important role that parents play in their children’s education, this study explored the perspectives of three mothers from newly arrived refugee backgrounds, as they responded to drawings created by their children about their schooling experiences in an Australian primary school. Employing an arts-based approach, data were collected from students’ drawings and semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that the mothers viewed language as a mediator in children’s belonging experiences. English language proficiency bridged opportunities for their children’s academic and social success, with translation support providing opportunities for both the children and the mothers to actively participate in the school community. Additionally, mothers felt that peers from the same language and cultural backgrounds contributed to their children’s sense of belonging while ‘local’ peers amplified difference. The study found the mothers often focused on what their children lacked or how they were different when discussing barriers to belonging, suggesting there is a need, particularly within schools, to shift focus from what these students’ lack to what they contribute to their school communities.

An Exploration into the Lived Experiences of Young People Forced to Beg and Sell Goods in Kampala, Uganda

ABSTRACT Children and youth in Uganda are susceptible to forced labor. To gain insight into their lived experiences, we employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods framework, administering 530 surveys then interviewing a subset of 36 survey takers. Through the lens of child standpoint theory, we examined participant demographics, type of work and entry points, abuse, and help seeking/barriers to leaving. Key findings include the following: 1) Participant demographics were largely males under 17 years; 2) parental death and socioeconomic strain in the home led to participant’s vulnerability to forced labor; 3) participants frequently begged and/or sold food or goods, collected scrap metal, bottles, or plastic; 4) employers (exploiters) were mostly parents, other family members, or others that children encounter in Kampala; 5) abuse ranged from physical, sexual, verbal, financial and psychological at the hands of employers, individuals on the streets, and authorities; and 6) participants avoided reporting abuse to authorities for lack of trust, fear of employer, or unawareness of how/where to report. We argue for child/youth-centered research and the training of stakeholders on youth and children’s rights and protections, more funding for child welfare programming and the institution of mandated laws, policies, procedures, resources, coordination and enforcement mechanisms aimed at reducing child forced labor.

Young people's lived experiences shape Scottish suicide prevention strategy

Young people's lived experiences shape Scottish suicide prevention strategy

The leisure practice of the youth in the “Gigante Crocodilo Prime” in Brazil

The sound systems are mega-structures of electronic equipment used to liven up the parties held mainly on the outskirts of Belém, in the state of Pará, Brazil, being recognized as a cultural element, typical of this region and are mostly attended by young who are in the age group of 15 to 29 years old. The aim was to investigate the relationships established by young people during their leisure practices with the “Gigante Crocodilo Prime” sound system of Belém do Pará. The methodology has based on the qualitative approach and consisted of observing the leisure experience of young people in the context of sound system parties, and the data were analyzed by means of the content analysis technique, with the support of the NVivo software. It has been concluded that young people attend the sound system parties to develop a lifestyle taken by technology. Thus, the success and the effervescence of the sound system parties within the context of the outskirts of the city occur due to the development process of the parties themselves, which make their regulars being taken by a sort of sound frenzy that make them feel as if their bodies were being summoned to such venues.

Impact of Long Covid on the school experiences of children and young people: a qualitative study

ObjectivesTo explore the impact of Long Covid (LC) on the school experiences of children and young people (CYP).DesignQualitative study using narrative interviews.Participants22 CYP (aged 10–18 years, 15 female) with LC...

Youth participatory action research: Integrating science learning and civic engagement

Strengthening young people's scientific literacy and civic engagement are important educational goals for Cooperative Extension. We implemented youth participatory action research (YPAR) projects over three years at five schools. The YPAR approach integrates science learning and civic engagement by empowering youth, with the help of adult facilitators, to decide upon a community issue to research, design and implement their research, and then plan a service project based on research findings to address the issue. We explored young people's and educators' perspectives on which project elements influenced youth participation, examined opportunities for youth science and civic-related learning, and asked educators to reflect on their own learning and development. Using data generated from youth focus groups and educator interviews, we found that YPAR grounds science learning in young people's lived experience. It also provides a meaningful approach to science learning through raising young people's critical consciousness of community issues. YPAR may be used in other extension programs to increase motivation for deeper and sustained participation in learning experiences.