A Narrative Review of Ethical Issues in Participatory Research with Young People

Cullen, Olivia; Walsh, Christine A.

doi:10.1177/1103308819886470

“…In some cases (e.g., Keenan et al, 2012), there was a disconnect between the ethos of YPAR and the events that transpired. Focusing on ethical issues related to participatory research that does not honor the voice of youth, Cullen and Walsh (2020) explained that, when enacted, traditional paradigms supported hierarchies that positioned youth as subjects of study. Similar disempowerment occurred when youth had limited decision‐making roles (cf.…”

Section: Listening To the Voices Of Learnersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similar disempowerment occurred when youth had limited decision‐making roles (cf. Anderson, 2020; Buttimer, 2018; Cullen & Walsh, 2020; Petrie et al, 2006) and were not represented as co‐authors (Caraballo et al, 2017). Nonetheless, reviews of YPAR research (Anderson, 2020; Cullen & Walsh, 2020) suggest that youth typically are part of the process in some capacity.…”

Section: Listening To the Voices Of Learnersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Anderson, 2020; Buttimer, 2018; Cullen & Walsh, 2020; Petrie et al, 2006) and were not represented as co‐authors (Caraballo et al, 2017). Nonetheless, reviews of YPAR research (Anderson, 2020; Cullen & Walsh, 2020) suggest that youth typically are part of the process in some capacity. Furthermore, youth voice and their positionality can inform paradigmatic shifts in teaching and inquiry (see in this issue: Cook‐Sather; Kabuto).…”

Section: Listening To the Voices Of Learnersmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Reimagining literacies through child–parent collaborations

Abrams

¹

,

Schaefer

²

2022

J Adolescent & Adult Lit

0

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“…I collected signed consent forms (see Appendix 5) from all young people and parents of those who were under 16. However, young people's consent had to be regularly renegotiated throughout the project (Cullen & Walsh, 2019). While young people were messaged to remind them about the session and check if they were attending, there were no consequences for not turning up.…”

Section: Ethical Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Creating a Relational Participatory Space: Insights from a Youth Participatory Action Research Project

Davis-Rae¹

2021

Preprint

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Since the ratification of Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, there has been a heightened focus on youth participation as a way of upholding young people’s right to have their say on decisions that affect them. However, programmes that attempt to engage young people in decision-making processes have often been poorly enacted and have failed to adequately address the barriers that limit young people’s ability to participate meaningfully and therefore rarely result in sustained change. This study examined processes with a youth participatory action research [YPAR] project in order to identify and explore processes and practices that might serve to sustain young people’s involvement and support authentic and meaningful participation. The research used an instrumental case study approach to examine an 18-month-long YPAR project operated through an existing youthwork programme. Data were collected through autoethnography, artefact analysis and participant interviews and reflections with youth participants. The study found that peer-to-peer and peer-to-leader relationships were foundational to youth participants’ ongoing involvement over the 18-month period. Such relationships appeared to drive much of the momentum of the action research and enable at times dynamic flows of power between youth participants and adults that encouraged an inter-generational space within the YPAR project. Young people stepped into leadership roles at different phases of the project while adult leaders managed the pace and progress of the project. The study identified five factors that helped to create this relational participatory space: reduced leader direction; valuing youth voice; openness of other participants, reworking adult-centric processes and the implementation of a variety of sharing activities. A number of factors that constrained youth voice were also identified. The study highlights how strong relationships were an integral part of the processes and practices of YPAR, rather than merely a positive outcome of participatory processes. These findings challenge traditional individualistic models of youth participation that frequently fail to acknowledge the importance of intergenerational and collective relationships within youth participatory action research projects. The study therefore calls for a heightened focus on relationship building within participatory processes both at a policy and practical level.

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“…While researchers might hope for participatory processes in which young people are meaningfully participating in every part of the project, this study shows that some may not wish to be so heavily involved and withdraw at times and then re-engage with high participation levels later. One might argue that good participation practice calls researchers to allow young people to have a say about when they do not wish to participate (Cullen & Walsh, 2019;Gallagher, 2008). Further research is needed to determine the reasons why young people might not wish to participate and may illuminate further barriers that will help researchers to make changes at a process level to enable young people to participate more easily.…”

Section: Intergenerational Interaction In Yparmentioning

confidence: 99%

Creating a Relational Participatory Space: Insights from a Youth Participatory Action Research Project

Davis-Rae¹

0

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Since the ratification of Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, there has been a heightened focus on youth participation as a way of upholding young people’s right to have their say on decisions that affect them. However, programmes that attempt to engage young people in decision-making processes have often been poorly enacted and have failed to adequately address the barriers that limit young people’s ability to participate meaningfully and therefore rarely result in sustained change. This study examined processes with a youth participatory action research [YPAR] project in order to identify and explore processes and practices that might serve to sustain young people’s involvement and support authentic and meaningful participation. The research used an instrumental case study approach to examine an 18-month-long YPAR project operated through an existing youthwork programme. Data were collected through autoethnography, artefact analysis and participant interviews and reflections with youth participants. The study found that peer-to-peer and peer-to-leader relationships were foundational to youth participants’ ongoing involvement over the 18-month period. Such relationships appeared to drive much of the momentum of the action research and enable at times dynamic flows of power between youth participants and adults that encouraged an inter-generational space within the YPAR project. Young people stepped into leadership roles at different phases of the project while adult leaders managed the pace and progress of the project. The study identified five factors that helped to create this relational participatory space: reduced leader direction; valuing youth voice; openness of other participants, reworking adult-centric processes and the implementation of a variety of sharing activities. A number of factors that constrained youth voice were also identified. The study highlights how strong relationships were an integral part of the processes and practices of YPAR, rather than merely a positive outcome of participatory processes. These findings challenge traditional individualistic models of youth participation that frequently fail to acknowledge the importance of intergenerational and collective relationships within youth participatory action research projects. The study therefore calls for a heightened focus on relationship building within participatory processes both at a policy and practical level.

show abstract

A Narrative Review of Ethical Issues in Participatory Research with Young People

Cited by 21 publications

References 41 publications

Reimagining literacies through child–parent collaborations

Reimagining literacies through child–parent collaborations

Creating a Relational Participatory Space: Insights from a Youth Participatory Action Research Project

Creating a Relational Participatory Space: Insights from a Youth Participatory Action Research Project

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