Youth-led Participatory Action Research Research Articles

YPAR and powerful partnerships for change: reconceptualisations of youth-led participatory action research and catalytic validity

ABSTRACT Youth-led participatory action research (YPAR) empowers children and young people to platform their capability to create knowledge based on their lived experiences. It is this insider knowledge of childhood, which adult researchers lack, that enables the young to make significant contributions to educational research and to secure positive change. This article reports and reflects on YPAR in a secondary school in Thailand. Pupil researchers alongside the author, an adult ally, sought to establish if and to what extent the wider school population shared their dissatisfaction with the need for learners to take paid-for classes in addition to their regular school lessons. Through pupils taking photographs that captured their lived reality in regard to supplementary paid-for classes, the sharing of these images with the school leadership team, and the generation of data from a wider survey, the young people argued for, crafted, and secured positive change to their school lives and, potentially, beyond. YPAR enabled educational leadership to make evidence-informed decisions. However, the traditional YPAR concepts of confrontation and dialogue between young people and adults as equals were found to be contextually inappropriate, suggesting that, within power-rigid contexts, ‘powerful partnerships’ with adult allies are more comprehensible to those who live within those contexts, and, thus, more effective in securing positive change. The paper therefore suggests that strategies cognisant and sympathetic to established power hierarchies are needed if positive change to the lived realities of children is to be achieved. Considering this finding, reconceptualisations of YPAR and its catalytic research validity are offered alongside the results and discussion of the YPAR itself.

Exploring the challenges and benefits of online youth-led nutrition programs

Nutrition educators at the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) have been engaging low-income youth in youth-led participatory action research (YPAR) for several years. During COVID-19, these educators transitioned from in-person to online YPAR programming. Delivering the YPAR program online presented challenges but also fostered new strategies and provided benefits. This study assesses the challenges, strategies and benefits of online YPAR programming, and it examines future program implications from the perspectives of both nutrition educators and youth. Qualitative interviews were conducted via Zoom with eight nutrition educators who attempted to implement YPAR programming during the 2020–2021 school year. We used a retrospective Qualtrics survey to gain information from 54 youth participants. We found that online facilitation encouraged the innovative use of technology, which was especially important because it allowed teams to connect with each other during tumultuous times. This online format made meetings easier in terms of planning, documentation and logistics. However, the online format presented particular challenges, such as coping with internet and technology difficulties and trying to sustain authentic engagement among participants without in-person interactions. Consequently, 50% of nutrition educators and 45% of youth respondents said they preferred a mix of in-person and online meetings for future YPAR programming.

Creating spaces for co-research

In the current era of peak youth, young people’s voices and authentic participation are needed more than ever. This article focuses on how youth participation in research can enhance wider understanding of young people’s experiences, perspectives and solutions, while also empowering young people. There is an established tradition of engaging young people and children with the qualitative research process, ranging from youth focussed research to youth-led participatory action research. Within this we occupy a middle ground, arguing for the need to create heterotopic spaces for participation in which both young researchers and professional researchers learn from one another’s expertise. Mindful of the roadblocks to authentic participation, this article systematically approaches engaging young people at six critical stages in the research process, namely: setting the framework; question design; data collection; analysis; validation; and sharing results for discussion and action. Youth co-research offers methodological rigour grounded in a reconceptualization of where expertise can be found, a committed approach to research training and youth empowerment, greater access to hard-to-reach groups of young people and data validity built upon close engagement with young researchers. To demonstrate our approach, we share in this article three youth co-research case studies, which focus on young people experiencing climate change disruptions in Uganda, young people impacted by COVID-19 in Indonesia and Nepal and a youth think tank convened between East, West and Southern Africa. The rigour and value of youth-engaged qualitative methodologies can benefit young people, as well as the academics, policymakers and NGOs with whom they work.

Co-creating obesity prevention policies with youth: Policy ideas generated through the CO-CREATE project.

Despite growing recognition of the importance of applying a systemslens to action on obesity, there has only been limited analysis of the extent to which this lens has actually been applied. The CO-CREATE project used a youth-led participatory action research approach to generate policy ideas towards the reduction of adolescent overweight and obesity across Europe. In order to assess the extent to which these youth-generated policy ideas take a systems approach, we analyzed them using the Intervention Level Framework (ILF). The ILF ascribes actions to one of five system levels, from Structural Elements, the least engaged with system change, up to Paradigm, which is the system's deepest held beliefs and thus the most difficult level at which to intervene. Of the 106 policy ideas generated by young people during the CO-CREATE project, 91 (86%) were categorized at the level of Structural Elements. This emphasis on operational rather than systems level responses echoes findings from a previous study on obesity strategies. Analyzing the distribution of systems level responses using the ILF has the potential to support more effective action on obesity by allowing identification of opportunities to strengthen systems level responses overall.

Adolescents' capacity to take action on obesity: A concurrent controlled before-and-after study of the European CO-CREATE project.

This study evaluated the effect on reported readiness for action and attitudes toward obesity prevention among older adolescents (mean age 17) who took part in a youth-led participatory action research European initiative (CO-CREATE Youth Alliances) compared with a comparison group that acted as controls. This was a concurrent before-and-after controlled study across five countries and took place between September 2019 and October 2020. Adolescents (n= 159) recruited from schools and youth organizations came together with researchers and formed 15 Youth Alliances. An online questionnaire measuring their readiness for action and attitudes toward obesity prevention was administered. Alliance members (n= 62) who filled in the questionnaire at both baseline and postinitiative, and adolescents from the comparison group (n= 132) who completed the questionnaire twice were included in the main analysis. Two-level linear mixed models controlling for country-related variance were fitted. Alliance members scored significantly higher than the comparison group on two factors in each of the readiness for action, responsibility, and drivers of behavior concepts. The findings suggest that involving youth in co-creating policies to prevent obesity may increase adolescents' readiness for action and promote a shift in adolescents' conceptualization of obesity from an individual perspective to a societal responsibility and drivers of behavior.

Making the case for youth participatory action research opportunities to enhance social developmental scholarship

AbstractYouth are capable agents with the capacity to engage with and shape issues pertinent to their lives. In the field of social development, we are witnessing an exciting increase in children and adolescent involvement in the research process. Youth‐led participatory action research (YPAR) is one such method, encompassing youth participation in identifying pressing issues within their own communities, collectively gathering, and systematically analyzing data to understand the root causes of such issues, and organizing for social change informed by rigorous empirical evidence. YPAR provides an opportunity to strengthen our understanding of social development processes. Using three illustrative case studies from YPAR projects engaging elementary, high school, and college‐age children and adolescents, I discuss the connections between YPAR as a mechanism for enhancing social developmental research designs, an intervention in and of itself fostering key social‐emotional competencies, and a process for facilitating more equity‐oriented scholarship. The paper concludes with strategies for how researchers new to YPAR may incorporate this practice into their research and key training considerations.

Recruiting and engaging adolescents in creating overweight and obesity prevention policies: The CO-CREATE project.

The CO-CREATE project aims to collaborate with adolescents across Europe in developing policy ideas that contribute to overweight and obesity prevention. In this paper, we present the theoretical basis and methodological approach to recruitment and engagement in the project. The principles of youth-led participatory action research were employed to design Youth Alliances in which adolescents and adults could collaborate. These Alliances should serve to promote and support adolescent participation and to develop policy ideas that would contribute to obesity prevention. Alliance members were recruited in two local geographical areas per country with a focus on reaching out to underrepresented youth. We started with fieldwork to assess locally relevant forms of inclusion and exclusion. The methodology entailed a handbook combining existing tools which could be used flexibly, a collaborative organization, and budgets for the alliances. Engagement started in local organizations, that is, schools and scouts, and with peers. Health- and overweight-related challenges were addressed in their immediate surroundings and supported the inclusion of experiential knowledge. Adolescents were then supported to address the wider obesogenic system when designing policy ideas. The CO-CREATE Alliances provide a concrete example of how to engage youth in public health, in a manner that strives to be participatory, transformative, and inquiry based.

Conducting Virtual Youth-Led Participatory Action Research (YPAR) During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Youth-led participatory action research (YPAR) is an applied research methodology in which youth work in collaboration with adult stakeholders to conduct research projects. YPAR has been traditionally conducted in person, with virtual forums typically serving as ways to share resources and ideas across independent YPAR teams or collecting data. The COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the closure of most public spaces where youth congregate (including schools) and requirements to socially distance, led to translating YPAR projects into completely virtual formats. This paper aims to provide promises and challenges of conducting virtual YPAR during the COVID-19 pandemic. It describes how a team of university faculty, college students, and youth from two community-based youth organizations navigated a YPAR experience during the 2020-2021 academic year. We provide reflections on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on (a) the research setting, (b) the building of collaborative relationships, (c) YPAR methodology, (d) youth engagement, and (e) conceptualization of community action and engagement. We end with the implications for the future of YPAR for practitioners.

Factors that contribute to the mental health of Black youth.

Background:Black people are a growing population in Canada, but limited data are available on the factors that contribute to the mental health of Black youth in Canada. We sought to explore the factors that contribute to the mental health of Black youth in Alberta, Canada.Methods:Using a youth-led participatory action research approach and an intersectional feminist theoretical perspective, we collected data from a diverse sample of Black youth (aged 16–30 yr) in Alberta. We conducted individual interviews and conversation cafés with Black youth.Results:We completed 30 individual interviews and 4 conversation cafés with a total of 99 Black youth. Participants identified the dominant factors contributing to mental health problems as racial discrimination, the intergenerational gap in families, microaggression and stigma, academic expectations, financial stress, lack of identity, previous traumatic events and religion. They also identified factors that contributed positively to mental health, including a sense of accomplishment, openness about mental health, positive relationships, sense of community and spirituality.Interpretation:Black youth in Alberta reported that anti-Black racism and intergenerational tensions are major factors that contribute to their mental health, which suggests a need to address anti-Black racism and ensure more equitable approaches for Black youth in Alberta.

Using Youth-Led Participatory Action Research to Advance the Mental Health Needs of Latinx Youth During COVID-19

Youth-led participatory action research (YPAR) is a collaborative approach for engaging young people as experts and leaders in the research process. The purpose of this study is to showcase the potential of this methodology as a tool for social justice and equity work in schools. First, we review transformative and critical research paradigms that underpin the YPAR approach. Second, we provide an illustration of a YPAR project on youth well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic (May–June 2020). Participants included 375 middle- and high-school students living in an agricultural community (92% Latinx/Hispanic). The research design, recruitment, analysis, and interpretation were youth-led with support from adult allies. Youth researchers identified mental health and academic challenges among peers, and they successfully used survey results to advocate for increased mental health support at school. We discuss the potential and challenges of YPAR as a strategy to inspire youth-led changes to local policy and practice. Impact Statement This study is one of only a few published articles coauthored by youth researchers and sharing findings from a youth-led participatory action research (YPAR) project. We demonstrate how powerful youth leadership and advocacy can be for increasing access to mental health support in schools. School psychologists and adult allies should consider using YPAR as a tool for advancing equity and justice in collaboration with young people.

Evaluation of a youth-led participatory action research to address adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights issues in Senegal

ABSTRACT Participatory approaches are increasingly popular in public health, but remain little used to address adolescent health issues. However, adolescent participation in research has enormous potential for identifying solutions to health issues that concern them. In Senegal, a youth-led participatory action research (YPAR) project was implemented in four communities where teams of adolescents were trained to conduct a research project and identify solutions to address adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights (ASRHR) issues. This article presents the results of the project evaluation, which aimed to explore the potential of YPAR to address ASRHR issues and inform future YPAR projects. Observations and interviews were carried out during results dissemination meetings in each of the communities. The evaluation of the project demonstrated the potential of YPAR to identify relevant solutions, while promoting positive and meaningful adolescent participation. Despite some difficulties, such as community resistance, the youth researchers were able to successfully complete their research project, while developing their confidence and self-esteem. The adolescents were convinced that they could act as agents of positive social change. This project has shown that it is possible and relevant to involve adolescents in research projects, and that this approach has significant potential in global health.

Youth-Led Participatory Action Research in School Counseling as a Vehicle for Antiracist SEL

As youth in the United States continue to become diverse, it is important for the practices educators adopt to be inclusive and antiracist. Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) is a pedagogy that aligns with the social emotional learning competencies and the tenets of antiracist education. We propose that school counselors are best positioned to support efforts to implement YPAR in schools. The following article provides 2 case examples of the use of YPAR: one in a school counseling small group and the other in a classroom co-facilitated with a teacher.

What Can We Learn from Rural Youth in British Columbia, Canada? Environment and Climate Change—Issues and Solutions

“What can we learn from rural youth?” was a youth-led arts-based participatory action research project carried out to understand and facilitate positive youth development in two rural communities in the province of British Columbia, Canada. Data was collected using photovoice, visual art, journal reflections, and group discussions. During the study, youth expressed a strong connection with nature for their development or wellbeing. Issues such as environmental degradation and climate change were identified as causes for concern. They discussed human responsibility for environmental stewardship both in their local communities and globally. Climate change hazards such as flood and fire, human action leading to environmental pollution, and human responsibility for environmental stewardship surfaced as issues for their development. Youth expressed a felt responsibility to act on climate change and to reduce the anthropogenic impact on the Earth. Based on youth voices, we conclude that attempts to engage youth in climate action without considering their psychosocial wellbeing, may overburden them.

Addressing Equity in Schools: Youth Participatory Action Research and Transformative Social and Emotional Learning during COVID-19

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and rise in racial injustices signaled the need to engage students in macro-level interventions to maximize their contributions to their schools, communities, and society. School social workers are uniquely positioned to elevate student voices, hone their critical thinking skills, and capitalize on their strengths and assets. Critical thinking skills can help students analyze the world around them by engaging them in addressing equity issues in their schools and communities. This article introduces the concept of transformative social and emotional learning (TSEL) within the context of youth-led participatory action research (YPAR) and a critical service learning (CSL) framework for school social workers to promote student empowerment. Through CSL, students cultivate advocacy skills by identifying, investigating, and taking action to address concerns. Authors include a case example demonstrating TSEL and YPAR, using CSL as a school social work intervention that recognizes and promotes students’ strengths and assets.

Access to mental health for Black youths in Alberta

Introduction The objective of this study was to examine the barriers that influence access to and use of mental health services by Black youths in Alberta. Methods We used a youth-led participatory action research (PAR) methodology within a youth empowerment model situated within intersectionality theory to understand access to health care for both Canadian-born and immigrant Black youth in Alberta. The research project was co-led by an advisory committee consisting of 10 youths who provided advice and tangible support to the research. Seven members of the advisory committee also collected data, co-facilitated conversation cafés, analyzed data and helped in the dissemination activities. We conducted in-depth individual interviews and held four conversation café-style focus groups with a total of 129 youth. During the conversation cafés, the youths took the lead in identifying issues of concern and in explaining the impact of these issues on their lives. Through rigorous data coding and thematic analysis as well as reflexivity and member checking we ensured our empirical findings were trustworthy. Results Our findings highlight key barriers that can limit access to and utilization of mental health services by Black youth, including a lack of cultural inclusion and safety, a lack of knowledge/information on mental health services, the cost of mental health services, geographical barriers, stigma and judgmentalism, and limits of resilience. Conclusion Findings confirm diverse/intersecting barriers that collectively perpetuate disproportional access to and uptake of mental health services by Black youths. The results of this study suggest health policy and practice stakeholders should consider the following recommendations to break down barriers: diversify the mental health service workforce; increase the availability and quality of mental health services in Black-dominated neighbourhoods; and embed anti-racist practices and intercultural competencies in mental health service delivery.

School Citizenship Education Through YPAR: What Works? A Mixed-Methods Study in Italy

The aim of this study was to assess the quality of the processes of a Youth-led Participatory Action Research (YPAR) citizenship education project by examining a 2-year intervention that involved 43 Italian high school students. We collected qualitative data (focus groups with students and interviews with teachers) to capture participants’ perspectives, as well as longitudinal quantitative data to monitor the process over time (assessing school climate, perceived quality of participation, and group participation norms). The results revealed that YPAR was successful in reducing hierarchy, facilitating group activities, and recognizing youth voice, thus changing students’ perception of their school environment and views on participation and active citizenship. The intervention also changed teachers’ perceptions of students. YPAR proved to be a suitable option for citizenship education in school.

Enhancing Human-Centered Design With Youth-Led Participatory Action Research Approaches for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Programming

Enhancing Human-Centered Design With Youth-Led Participatory Action Research Approaches for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Programming

Enhancing Human-Centered Design With Youth-Led Participatory Action Research Approaches for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Programming.

Existing participatory research approaches have failed to identify innovative methods that overcome the persistent barriers to adolescent sexual and reproductive health service demand and access. Increasingly, programmers have turned to human-centered design (HCD), a problem-solving process that centers the needs, perspectives, and experiences of people, when developing solutions to complex SRH challenges. This article describes the application of a youth-engaged version of HCD as part of Adolescents 360, a transdisciplinary initiative to increase 15- to 19-year-old girls' use of modern contraception in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. Youth-adult design teams (including 111 "youth designers" trained in HCD methods) undertook formative research to inform the design and implementation of interventions. We reflect on the practical implications of using instrumental strategies of HCD with a youth-led participatory approach. Our experience indicates that (1) engaging youth as project partners in transdisciplinary teams requires planned and dedicated financial and human resources; (2) involving youth as action researchers can help identify opportunities to improve program empathy and responsiveness; (3) it is difficult to recruit "extreme users" as project partners because of the high competencies needed in HCD; (4) centering empathy and employing design standards during prototyping can drive decision-making and resolve questions raised by conflicting evidence claims in existing bodies of literature; and (5) testing tangible services and products in real-world settings continues long after the intervention design phase. Youth-adult partnership should continue throughout this iterative and adaptive phase to ensure that the adolescent experience of the intervention remains at the core of intervention delivery.

Feminist Activism and YPAR: Privileged Girls Interrupt Rape Culture

This research focuses on a community-based project that foregrounds youth-led participatory action research with privileged youth. The youth's work involved interrogation of, and resistance strategies for, rape culture. Research findings demonstrate that youth came to see that rape culture has deep roots and disrupting it depends on naming its reality within their lives and its systemic foundations. Building on these emergent understandings, the youth took steps to educate their community about rape culture and gender-based violence, and the consequences of leaving it unexamined. They also created strategies to transform rape culture and facilitate social change within their own community.

Youth Participatory Approaches and Health Equity: Conceptualization and Integrative Review.

There is an array of youth participatory approaches relevant to health equity efforts in community psychology, adolescent health, youth development, and education. While they share some commonalities, they also reflect important distinctions regarding key processes and intended level of impact. Here, we consider the following: (a) youth-led participatory action research (YPAR), (b) youth organizing (YO), (c) youth-led planning, (d) human-centered design, (e) participatory arts, and (f) youth advisory boards. Informed by community psychology theories on empowerment and levels of change and social epidemiology frameworks that focus on the social determinants of health inequities, we aim to promote greater clarity in the conceptualization, implementation, and evaluation of youth participatory approaches; frame the "landscape" of youth participatory approaches and their similarities and differences; present an integrative review of the evidence regarding the impact of youth participatory approaches; and describe several illustrative cases so as to consider more deeply how some youth participatory approaches aim to influence the social determinants of health that lead to the physical embodiment of health inequities. We conclude by identifying areas of future policy- and practice-relevant research for advancing youth participation and health equity.