The LCIRN welcomed a new research node focused on youth-led participatory action research (YPAR) in September 2020 and the node has already grown to more than 20 members! Led by Dr. Emily Ozer and Dr. Marieka Schotland of UC Berkeley, the node is exploring how the YPAR approach can support life course intervention research.
What is Youth-Led Participatory Action Research (YPAR)?
YPAR is a social justice-focused approach for promoting social change and positive youth development in which youth conduct systematic research and actions to improve their schools, communities, and other systems (e.g. health, juvenile justice). YPAR entails an iterative process of research and action led by youth and guided by adult allies. YPAR is an approach that transforms the power and process of research; it is not a specific research method. YPAR studies can use quantitative and/or qualitative methods.
Why does YPAR matter for life course intervention research?
When conducted with integrity, YPAR can:
(a) promote positive development for youth who participate in multiple key domains,
(b) help address inequities in youth-serving systems and organizations,
(c) strengthen the relevance of developmental science questions and validity of methods, and
(d) inform intervention design and evaluation.
