Participation Of Young People Research Articles

Young People as Co‐producers in Policing across England. An Evaluation of the ‘Youth Commission’ on Police and Crime

This paper discusses a recent study on three ‘Youth Commission’ on police and crime projects. Professional viewpoints were interpreted to understand how they valued young people's participation and made sense of their experiences and capabilities. Framed within policing reforms, the ‘Youth Commission’ projects regard young people as co‐producers, who work in partnership with professionals to address police and crime issues. The focus is upon professionals and their relationships with young people for transformative participation and social outcomes. Working in partnerships showed interdependency but identifies further challenges if professionals do not truly value young people's participation.

Beyond Magic Carrots: Garden Pedagogies and the Rhetoric of Effects

In this essay, Kate Cairns considers the implications of assessing garden pedagogies, arguing that a rhetoric of effects assumes an essentialist conception of the child-as-educational-output and bolsters a neoliberal vision of social change rooted in personal transformation. Drawing from ethnographic research with youth gardens in Toronto, Ontario, and Camden, New Jersey, she highlights contextualized experiences of learning and labor that exceed the boundaries of an effects framework. Cairns argues that garden pedagogies must be understood in relation to specific dynamics of racial, economic, and ecological injustice. The essay closes with reflections on how feminist theories of social reproduction might reimagine pedagogies of the garden in a way that attends to young people's participation in life's work.

Listen to them! The challenge of capturing the true voice of young people within early intervention and prevention models; a youth work perspective

This paper aims to explore the challenges to youth work in capturing the voices of young people in a meaningful way within Meitheal and the Child and Family Support Networks model (Meitheal). This is a prevention and early intervention model for statutory and non-statutory agencies working with children, young people and families. This paper, within the context of Meitheal, will explore how best to achieve positive outcomes for young people, and identify what are the barriers which inhibit their full participation in this model. A total of 16 youth workers completed semi-structured interviews that were transcribed and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. The analysis identified three themes: ‘Role of youth work in Meitheal’, ‘Barriers and facilitators of adolescent voices in Meitheal’ and ‘The young person’. The study found that youth workers recognise advocacy and support of young people as a key role for their profession within models of prevention and early intervention. Barriers to adolescents' active engagement in Meitheal were the formal structure and agenda, but also the need to achieve outcomes in exchange of professional validation. Youth workers are also concerned about the nature of young people's participation as being fully participatory and voluntary in the process, whilst questioning if their voices are truly being included in a meaningful way.

Building Bridges into the Community: Social Capital in a Volunteering Project for Care Leavers

Volunteering to address poor life outcomes often experienced by care leavers is emphasised in UK policy. Although volunteering is credited with the ability to generate social capital, there is limited research on the impact of volunteering on the social capital of care leavers. This article re‐examines data from an evaluation of a volunteering project for care leavers. It explores in what ways young people's participation in the project constitutes social capital. The findings support the importance of regular face‐to‐face contact and co‐production for young people to become creators of their own social capital.

Young people's power of action in a peripheral community: confrontations and challenges.

This article, based on doctoral research, aims to understand and draw attention to forms of social participation by young people living in a peripheral community on the coast of São Paulo State. It also examines the manners of health production encountered by the subjects themselves, to reveal how young people have approached this in a context of marked inequality. The young study participants were involved in the activities of an NGO and a hip hop group, where the researcher was placed. The results were constructed on the basis of observations recorded in field diaries and semi-structured interviews, and analysed using the Depth Hermeneutics methodology. They indicate that building community ties expresses the participation of young people and contributes to tackling inequalities and social exclusion. Participation in groups has proven potent and able to shape processes of autonomy, self-care and care for others. However, they appear as isolated initiatives by other institutions. It is also challenging to think of ways of understanding young people's participation, participating together with them in their lives in their contexts, making for horizontal relationships and surmounting the ideas of homogenisation, control and tutelage of this population.

International development aid and young people's participation in societal development of the global south

ABSTRACT International development aid has in recent years sought to strengthen youths’ societal participation by cooperation between international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) and local youth associations. In this paper, we address and conceptualise some of the underlying causes that may enable and/or limit such efforts to support youth participation in the global south. We seek to contribute to the growing literature exploring the multiple scales of young people's political agency. A core argument proposed is that notions of generational relationality, as seen in the case of international development aid targeting youth, must include conceptions of power as a topological relation across space.

Emotion mapping: Using participatory media to support young people's participation in urban design

Young people's participation in urban design is usually either highly restricted or excluded altogether. This paper reflects on a pilot project that explored how communication technologies can be used to support young people to shape the development of their city. A research team at Western Sydney University developed an emotion-mapping platform (invisiblecity.org.au) and offered creative media workshops to young people in Western Sydney's City of Parramatta to support them to explore different ways of expressing emotion through text and image. The study found that emotion mapping provides opportunities to open up discussions about affective experiences of the city that can be integrated into urban planning. However, we argue that such initiatives must overcome the challenges associated with tapping into, making sense of, and amplifying complex, dispersed and always changing everyday media practices if they are to be embraced by young people in ways that ensure they are inclusive and representative. Further, it is critical that initiatives work out how to encourage urban developers to hear and value young people's perspectives on urban environments and how they use them.

Frequency of participation and association with functioning in adolescents born extremely preterm – Findings from a population-based cohort in northern Germany

BackgroundOutcomes after extremely preterm birth (<28 weeks gestation) have been studied intensely, and follow-up into adulthood is well-established. Following the introduction of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, participation has been recognized to be a relevant outcome in rehabilitation research. During adolescence, participation is crucial to adapting to new social roles. The aim of our study was to investigate participation in the domains Autonomy, Relationships and Community Recreation. MethodsParticipation was assessed as part of a cross-sectional, population-based study in a German federal state examining all adolescents born between January 1997 and December 1999 at under 27 weeks gestation. Of the surviving 90 adolescents, 72 (80%) were followed-up at age 14 to 17. Frequency of participation was assessed using the short form of the Questionnaire of Young People's Participation and compared to matched peers. Associations with physical, cognitive, and psychological functioning and contextual factors were examined using multivariate regression. ResultsFrequency of participation in Autonomy, Relationships, and Community Recreation in adolescents born extremely preterm was significantly lower than that of matched peers from the general population (p < 0,001). Lower frequency of participation in Autonomy and Relationships was associated with severe physical and cognitive impairment, and psychological problems. Fifty-seven percent of the adjusted variance in Autonomy and 31% of the adjusted variance in Relationships was explained by our regression models. ConclusionFurther research is warranted to investigate additional factors associated with the restricted frequency of participation of adolescents born preterm to design suitable interventions for improving participation.

Closing the Gap between People and Programs: Lessons from Implementation of Social Accountability for Family Planning and Reproductive Health in Uganda.

Globally, women's access to modern contraception can be attributed to poor service conditions and care. Growing evidence from across the health sector has found that social accountability approaches have the potential to improve the quality of care and therefore the utilization of health services, little of this evidence relates to family planning and reproductive health programs. This paper therefore assessed the results of retrospective implementation research into a five-year social accountability project in Uganda that focused on family planning and reproductive health. A mix of methods was used examine the project's implementation in three districts in Uganda between 2009 to 2013, including political economy analysis, document review, and in-depth interviews. Interviews were coded using ATLAS.ti software and analyzed with a thematic framework, organized by stakeholder groups and across districts. The research found that while the project broadly delivered as intended in local accounts, a wider range of activities and outcomes also occurred. Community participants in the three districts were much more likely to remember more personal changes, such as increased confidence when interacting with health care providers, in their health seeking behavior or in their ability to represent themselves. The research revealed a web of accountability relationships at play. These ranged from formal opportunities for community participation in institutional processes, to the more personal direct relationship between the service users and the health care provider compared to the less direct relationship between the community and local officials. In addition, ways in which elements of social accountability can be combined with features of FP program were seen, such as including outreach activities with civic and rights education. This appears to extend the reach and credibility of these services among community members while also counteracting barriers to women's and young people's participation.

What are the barriers to, and facilitators of, implementing and receiving MHPSS programmes delivered to populations affected by humanitarian emergencies? A qualitative evidence synthesis.

Humanitarian emergencies can impact people's psychosocial well-being and mental health. Providing mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) is an essential component of humanitarian aid responses. However, factors influencing the delivery MHPSS programmes have yet to be synthesised. We undertook a systematic review on the barriers to, and facilitators of, implementing and receiving MHPSS programmes delivered to populations affected by humanitarian emergencies in low- and middle-income countries. A comprehensive search of 12 bibliographic databases, 25 websites and citation checking was undertaken. Studies published in English from 1980 onwards were included if they contained evidence on the perspectives of adults or children who had engaged in or programmes providers involved in delivering, MHPSS programmes in humanitarian settings. Thirteen studies were critically appraised and analysed thematically. Community engagement was a key mechanism to support the successful implementation and uptake of MHPSS programmes. Establishing good relationships with parents may also be important when there is a need to communicate the value of children and young people's participation in programmes. Sufficient numbers of trained providers were essential in ensuring a range of MHPSS programmes were delivered as planned but could be challenging in resource-limited settings. Programmes need to be socially and culturally meaningful to ensure they remain appealing. Recipients also valued engagement with peers in group-based programmes and trusting and supportive relationships with providers. The synthesis identified important factors that could improve MHPSS programme reach and appeal. Taking these factors into consideration could support future MHPSS programmes achieve their intended aims.

THE POSITION OF THE YOUTH IN POLITICAL PARTICIPATION

This study aimed to explain youth definition and characteristics of youth, and also evaluate the importance of the youth political participation. Part of the this aim first of all youth definition is given, after that factors and constraints are evaluated on the participation of youth. And also youth needs and importance of media are focused. All this together with the dynamics associated with young people's participation in voting, volunteering, youth programs and organizations are evaluated

Engagement, passivity and detachment: 16‐year‐old students’ conceptions of politics and the relationship between people and politics

While there is a wealth of literature on young people and politics, most studies have examined their interest, trust and participation in politics as well as their attitudes toward and knowledge about formal politics. Little is known, however, about young people and the concept of politics. This article investigates 16‐year‐old students’ perceptions of the concept of politics and their conceptions of the relationship between people and politics. This knowledge is valuable for citizenship and social studies education, as an increasingly polarised political climate poses challenges to democratic politics and, consequently, to young people's political engagement and participation. In this study, semi‐structured interviews were conducted with nine students at five Norwegian upper secondary schools. The students varied in their interest and involvement in politics. A main finding is that the students perceived politics as processes related to shaping society, as decisions and activities related to ruling a country, and as the activities of discussion and debate. Three conceptions of the relationship between people and politics are presented: engagement, passivity, and detachment. In addition, while the 16‐year‐olds participated in political discussions privately and at school, they stated that they did not participate in political discussions in social media. Implications for citizenship and social studies education include the need to strengthen the bottom‐up perspective on politics and focus on in‐depth understanding of political processes and tools and methods of social‐scientific enquiry, as well as providing students with opportunities for and practice with handling opposition in political discussions online.

Sports Participation and Social Capital Formation During Adolescence*

ObjectiveNational and international policies claim that young people's sports participation improves their social capital. This article is the first to examine if sports participation has a causal effect on social capital formation during adolescence and whether such effects depend on the organizational format or the type of sports practiced.MethodsPropensity score matching is employed in the analysis with possible endogeneity removed by exploiting the information in, and the structure of, the German Socio‐Economic Panel.ResultsRegular sports participation positively impacts adolescents’ social capital through volunteering, helping friends, and civic involvement. Furthermore, these effects seem to develop predominantly in sports clubs (in contrast to other organizational formats).ConclusionThe empirical evidence of this study is suggestive of the relevant societal role of nonprofit clubs as institutions for practicing sport.

Youth, activism, and social movements

AbstractThere has been considerable debate over the extent and role of young people's political participation. Whether considering popular hand‐wringing over concerns about declines in young people's institutional political participation or dismissals of young people's use of online activism, many frame youth engagement through a “youth deficit” model that assumes that adults need to politically socialize young people. However, others argue that young people are politically active and actively involved in their own political socialization, which is evident when examining youth participation in protest, participatory politics, and other forms of noninstitutionalized political participation. Moreover, social movement scholars have long documented the importance of youth to major social movements. In this article, we bring far flung literatures about youth activism together to review work on campus activism; young people's political socialization, their involvement in social movement organizations, their choice of tactics; and the context in which youth activism takes place. This context includes the growth of movement societies, the rise of fan activism, and pervasive Internet use. We argue that social movement scholars have already created important concepts (e.g., biographical availability) and questions (e.g., biographical consequences of activism) from studying young people and urge additional future research.

A children's space? Participation in multi‐agency early intervention

AbstractThe common assessment framework provides a model of early intervention, which is familiar in local authorities throughout England, and asserts a participatory framework of child and family engagement. This article draws on data from a research project undertaken in 1 local authority in the Midlands of England, to explore the experiences of children, young people, and their families, who were engaged in the process of multi‐agency early intervention. The article considers the young people's involvement, including their accounts of attending common assessment framework meetings, and their engagement by practitioners. The research found that young people's participation was limited. The findings suggest that this is, in part, a response to disciplinary discourses around schooling and attendance. In addition, the narratives of parents and young people showed that under‐resourcing of work with young people meant that the time taken to build relationships and engage them in a process of self‐assessment, planning, and decision making was constrained and rationed. The article concludes that to achieve a participatory children's space, an active and more engaged model of childhood needs to be facilitated by practitioners and parents outside the school‐dominated space found in this study.

E. Kay , M. Tisdall , Andressa M. Gadda and Udi Mandel Butler (2014), Children and Young People's Participation and its Transformative Potential: Learning from Across Countries, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, £68.00, pp. 236, hbk.

E. Kay , M. Tisdall , Andressa M. Gadda and Udi Mandel Butler (2014), Children and Young People's Participation and its Transformative Potential: Learning from Across Countries, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, £68.00, pp. 236, hbk.

Street Play as occupation for pre-teens in Belhar, South Africa

Street play is often overlooked as an important activity for young people and can have negative connotations associated with it. There is currently no documented research which describes the meaning children and young people ascribe to street play. What people do every day - which may promote meaning, health and well-being - is regarded as occupation within occupational science and occupational therapy. This paper explores the experiences of pre-teens who engage in street play within the context of Belhar, South Africa. It reports on a study conducted to gain insight into street play from the perspectives of this group of young people, with the purpose of informing occupation-focussed occupational therapy with this population in contexts similar to Belhar. The findings of the study support an occupational justice approach to occupational therapy, which requires interdisciplinary research and practice, in order to inform policies such as the Open Streets initiatives that should promote children and young people's meaningful participation in society. They also challenge the traditional treatment modalities and recommend further research and discussion into rhetoric(s) such as play as power and identity. Key words: street play; phenomenology; pre-teens; occupational justice; play space

Engaging students in school participatory practice through Facebook: The story of a failure

AbstractIn recent years, there has been increasing emphasis on the benefits of social media and social network sites to foster young people's participation in digital public spaces and their civic engagement. Using the principles of the Student Voice approach, this study investigated the use of a Facebook group to support secondary school students’ voices and viewpoints on school quality and policy (N = 98). The results showed that students were reluctant to be active in the group for several reasons, such as mistrust of school policies and resistance to combining Facebook use with school‐related issues. The low participation provided clues to reflect on the design of Student Voice projects to support civic engagement at school and to evaluate the use of digital sites to support Student Voice. Some considerations on the reasons for project failure and how to successfully reach student participation in a technology‐enhanced environment at school that addresses power relations, authenticity and inclusion are provided.

To be or not to be a rights holder: Direct and indirect effects of perceived rights on psychological adjustment through group identification in care

This study explores how young people in residential care perceive their rights and the relationship with their adjustment, through the role of group identification. Data from a non-random sample of young people (N=356; aged 11–18years) in Portuguese residential settings was analysed and a set of mediation effects was found. Findings revealed a set of mediation effects on the relationship between Participation and Protection and Positive Self and between Respectful system practices and behaviours and Emotional Distress, Anger Control and Antisocial Behaviour. Higher scores of these rights perceptions were associated with lower psychological problems, through the indirect effect of group identification (i.e., the sense of belonging to the group in residential care). These findings are discussed based on social and developmental insights together with empirical evidence on residential care. These results provided important practical implications in residential care, namely, assuring the young people's participation, the promotion of professional practices based on the respect for young people and their families, non-discriminatory behaviours and equal opportunities.

Characteristics associated with risk taking behaviours predict young people's participation in organised activities

Participation in organised activities (OAs) such as sports and special groups can shape adolescent risk taking behaviours. Sensation seeking and inhibitory control play an important role in the emergence of adolescent risk taking behaviours and may explain variations in OA participation as well as inform the development of more effective interventions that use OAs. Data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (England) were analysed using logistic regression to test whether inhibitory control and sensation seeking predicted participation in OAs at a mean age of 11.7 years (n = 2557) and 15.4 years (n = 2147). At 11 years of age higher sensation seeking predicted participation in any activity, sports and special groups while low inhibitory control predicted less participation in sports. At 15 years of age higher sensation seeking predicted participation in sports and activity breadth. Opportunities to develop targeted interventions aimed at increasing participation are discussed.