Las Voces de Mujercitas Empoderadas: Documenting Support for Youth with Youth Participatory Action Research

Abstract

Youth participatory action research (YPAR) is a critical approach that engages youth as collaborative partners in research. It acknowledges the unique expertise that youth have on the adversities and assets that are present in their familiar systems, such as schools and the community. These projects are often designed to identify and address community problems; however, our projects with local youth aimed to shed light on a pre-existing community asset, Salud y Cariño, an after-school community organization, and a particular moment in time, namely the pandemic shelter-in-place. The mission and epistemologies of the organization set forth by the co-founder and Executive Director informed our partnership and guided our approach to this work. Utilizing qualitative methodologies, the authors (a faculty member, two graduate students, co-founder and director of a local non-profit, and a high school senior) collaboratively designed and implemented an interview-style documentary and photovoice projects, which garnered testimonies on participants’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic regarding school and the community organization. By centering the perspectives of participating Latinx girls and non-binary youth, we demonstrate the effects of this local community organization on its participants during and after the COVID lockdown, and what it means to the youth they serve. The identified themes associated with program participation during this time include the following: (1) building community and a family, (2) creating a welcoming safe space, and (3) infusing love and happiness into everyday activities. We conclude by reflecting on the process of building these collaborative projects and their implementation. Our reflections and findings contribute new insights into utilizing YPAR approaches to research and showcase leading community assets and actors.

From Schoolyards to Government: A Comparative Analysis of the Positive Effect of Teenager Participation in Local Governance

“…The engagement of teenagers in local governance not only contributes to the development of more inclusive and representative policies but also fosters a sense of civic responsibility and empowerment among young citizens. Additionally, literature also makes reference to "the unique expertise that youth have on the adversities and assets that are present in their familiar systems, such as schools and the community" (Ellington et al 2023). This literature review explores the various dimensions of teenager participation in local governance, including its importance, challenges, and potential solutions, drawing from a range of academic and policy sources.…”