'You think you know? ... You have no idea': youth participation in health policy development

Abstract

This paper draws on research in the United Kingdom which set out to explore young people's understandings and experiences of health as experienced in their everyday lives and according to their own terms of reference, rather than in response to policy priorities. The project involved a peer research process followed by a large community learning event in which practitioners, community leaders and decision makers were brought together in dialogue with young people to develop understanding and explore responses to young people's health needs as a collaborative process. The paper documents an 'alternative' 'participative action research' approach to involving young people in research and developing responses to issues and problems that affect them. The paper highlights the value of a dialogical and enquiry-based approach supported by the use of visuals for engaging professionals in collaboration with young people in a process of learning for change. It draws attention to the 'policy gap' between professional understandings of young people's health needs and young people's lived realities and how this is reflected in differences in what young people and professionals consider appropriate responses to stress.

How Do Adolescents View Health? Implications for State Health Policy

“…This “emic” approach is consistent with youth development principles [9], taps into ecological models of health that situate youth in families and communities [10], and links health and well being to both individual capacity as well as family and community assets [11]. Ideally, adolescents themselves should participate in the process of defining their relevant health issues and proposing solutions [12, 13]. However, beyond notable exceptions with international health [13, 14], transitioning youth [15], sex education [16], and injury prevention [17], adolescents themselves are rarely consulted in policy formation.…”

“…Ideally, adolescents themselves should participate in the process of defining their relevant health issues and proposing solutions [12, 13]. However, beyond notable exceptions with international health [13, 14], transitioning youth [15], sex education [16], and injury prevention [17], adolescents themselves are rarely consulted in policy formation. In an effort to inform the Indiana Coalition to Improve Adolescent Health's (ICIAH) policy recommendations, we describe Indiana adolescents' views of health and provide implications for state policy.…”

Youth participation in the fight against AIDS in South Africa: from policy to practice

“…In terms of the 'narrow' possibilities, young people's participation is seen to improve service delivery through responding to their specific needs and concerns. 'Broader' understandings see youth participation as leading to empowerment and collective social action in the interests of challenging the processes of their social exclusion (Morsillo and Prilleltensky 2007, Percy-Smith 2007, Watts and Flanagan 2007. Highlighting the potentially liberating aspects of youth participation Morsillo and Prilleltensky (2007) discuss the 'level' -individual, community or social -at which transformation can occur, emphasising the difficulties of achieving change at the community and social levels.…”

Mismatches between youth aspirations and participatory HIV/AIDSprogrammes in South Africa

“…Such approaches provide techniques through which young people can identify their own priorities, and add to individuals' understandings of health and wellbeing, often stepping beyond narrow adult or professional-oriented definitions of health (Percy-Smith, 2007;Vaughan, forthcoming). Ideally such approaches serve as a springboard for social action, tackling issues identified by young people in ways that young people feel are appropriate to their own self-defined needs and interests (Skovdal, forthcoming).…”