Youth-Led Participatory Action Research (YPAR)
Youth-Led Participatory Action Research (YPAR)
YPAR is a research technique that is governed by the youth and where the initiate the main tasks. They actively carry out research on topics of their choice that they consider issues in their communities. They are involved in the entire research process from data collection to data analysis. They are able to do this thanks to the facilitated program that allows them to acquire soft skills such as creative thinking, leadership, and social accountability, all of which are instrumental in their addressing the problems that they are facing.
What are the main objectives of Youth-Led Participatory Action Research (YPAR)?
The fundamental motives behind YPAR consist of strengthening the youth by their participation in the research project, proposing an analysis of the communities' problems and emulsifying intercession. An example of this could be where a high school students group initiates research on the environment in a specific area, organizes awareness campaigns of the local people, and gives out policy recommendations.
How does YPAR differ from traditional research methods?
YPAR is different from the traditional research methods because it prioritizes the youth perspectives and their active participation in every stage of the research process, right from problem identification to the final findings dissemination. YPAR which is different from the standard kind of research, which frequently has adult researchers as the primary, only, alone, solely, persons in charge, in the driving seat, on the steering, at the helm, YPAR stressed in co-learning and shared power, making it much more meaningful and impactful for the young people.
What skills can youth develop through participating in YPAR?
Through the YPAR program, young people can learn a range of skills such as critical thinking, data collection and analysis, effective communication, teamwork and leadership. For instance, in the course of their interviews, students not only learn to ask questions and listen actively but also they learn to synthesize information, which are all valuable skills that they can use in different areas of their lives.
Can you provide an example of a successful YPAR project?
One exemplary YPAR project is the 'Youth Empowerment Project' which is based in a low-income neighborhood and led by teenagers who are investigating the effects of food deserts on their community. The young ones collected data by doing surveys and interviews, after which they presented their findings to the local authorities who decided to create new community gardens and contribute to the health of their diet through the provision of healthy food somewhere else. Apart from its role in resolving a pertinent problem, this project was instrumental in uplifting and empowering the youth, reinforcing their sense of self-assertion.