Recent policy frameworks for addressing the well-being of young people have increasingly adopted a prevention framework that emphasises age-relevant support, a social inclusion approach, targeted ...assistance for the most disadvantaged, and more avenues for the voices of young people. However, despite the increased policy commitments to youth consultation and participation, there is confusion about the operational implications of such commitments, and implementation across different program areas has been patchy. This paper provides a conceptual framework for understanding the various forms of youth participation, ranging from information exchange to more open and self-managed participation; and the associated rationales for various forms of participation. It is argued that there are three main rationales for greater voice and participation of young people across a variety of institutional settings and policy areas. First is the argument that young people have the
right to be nurtured, protected and treated with respect, and where appropriate be involved and consulted. Secondly, it is argued that
improvement of services for young people requires their views and interests to be well articulated and represented. Thirdly, it is asserted that there are
developmental benefits arising from participation, for both the individuals themselves and for civil society as a whole.
Sensory friendly theatre programs aim to increase theatregoing access for the disability community by dismantling barriers in the social and sensory environments to create more inclusive theatre ...spaces. This qualitative study targeting youth performers' experiences in sensory friendly theatre revealed four themes: enjoyable performer experiences, "sensory friendly" as a novel concept, sensory friendly performance as different but not lesser, and desire for expanded sensory friendly opportunities. Youth performers' positive participation experiences align with those of parent and organizational stakeholders in existing literature. Findings support sensory friendly theatre's value and inform future efforts to increase youth preparation for sensory friendly shows.
Youth Theatre Journal managing editor Elena Stephenson interviewed Adelaid Fisher, 18, about her experience as a playwright on the project, #ENOUGH: Plays to End Gun Violence. As part of this ...initiative, 184 teen playwrights from all over the country submitted short plays. Adelaide's play, Miss Martin's Malaise, was one of seven selected. An edited transcript is presented.
The objectives of the current study were to estimate the prevalence of nine types of bullying victimization among adolescents in Grades 7 to 12, and examine how these experiences vary according to ...gender and school grade. Data were drawn from the Manitoba Youth Health Survey. The sample size was N = 64 174 and included boys and girls from Grades 7 to 12. Nine types of bullying victimization were assessed. Gender and grade differences were noted with girls being more to likely than boys to report six types of victimization. The odds of bullying victimization were higher in Grades 8 to 12 compared to Grade 7. Effective anti-bullying intervention strategies need to address a range of victimization types and should consider gender and school grade. Interventions should start before Grade 7 and continue until the end of Grade 12.
We assessed barriers and opportunities for youth engagement in agribusiness. Results show that the majority of youth were engaged in agricultural production, especially in Zambia, while in Vietnam, ...they engaged in more diversified agricultural activities including input supply, transportation and advisory services delivery. Perceptions regarding the agricultural sector showed significant (P < 0.01) negative impact on youth participation in agribusiness in Vietnam, but not in Zambia. Barriers to effective youth engagement were; lack of start-up capital, low profitability of enterprises, and personal aspirations. Employing innovative value chain financing and market linkages can enhance enterprise profitability and youth participation in agribusiness.
There is a pragmatic and moral imperative to empower younger generations to tackle environmental degradation., In Iran and drought-stricken Isfahan with a dying river, children and the youth can play ...a major role in saving this historically significant city. This paper presents the results of a future-oriented drama-based participatory event in a high school in Isfahan. During a 6-day event, firstly, 25 female participants were interviewed about environmental hazards and their sense of agency toward the future. Subsequently, a council-of-all-being-inspired drama was staged during which the participants played local environment-related characters from Isfahan. Finally, on the fourth day, in a focus group, we discussed the reflections of students on this intervention. Paralyzing fear and despair, patriarchal social structure, consumerism, and deep-seated habits were regarded as the main barriers to pro-environmental behavior. Participants felt that they cannot overcome the weight of history to shape their desirable futures. Drama unveiled the participants consume-preserve dilemma, helped them empathize with nature, develop a sense of hope, decipher the importance of individual micro-steps, and even start an inter-generational dialogue.
•There is a pragmatic and moral imperative to empower younger generations to tackle environmental issues.•Environmental education needs future-oriented approaches and creative methods.•In Iran and Isfahan which suffer from different environmental problems, younger generations can play an important role to change the ongoing trajectory.•Consumerism, patriarchy and old habits were mentioned as important barriers of pro-environmental behavior.•Drama helped participants to empathize with nature, realize importance of individual responsibility, start a constructive dialogue with parents and perceive gradual disappearance of Zayanderood from a fresh perspective.
Ozer et al seek to provide further clarity in the underdeveloped research area about youth engagement and participation, highlighting distinctions among youth participation approaches, and propose a ...research agenda moving forward. They noted that the term youth engagement is used so broadly as to be potentially problematic. Beyond the importance of differentiating the diverse approaches described, they have observed confusion between youth-led research, organizing, and evaluation approaches versus standard formative research practices conducted with adolescent research participants such as focus groups and interviews.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to consider the role of student voice in secondary school reform.
Design/methodology/approach
Through a literature review, it defines the concept of student voice ...within bodies of research on youth participation internationally.
Findings
It notes the ways the USA is distinct and lagging behind. It then looks at the broadening scope of ways that young people have become involved in change efforts. It considers ways that student voice can deepen implementation efforts and strengthen classroom practice. It breaks this discussion into: outcomes for classroom instruction, organizational change, and the relationship between student voice and power. The paper ends with a discussion of the importance of attending to issues of power in youth–adult relationships, including ways to avoid the co-optation of young people.
Originality/value
This paper reviews the most recent work showing how student voice can impact change, with a particular focus when possible on urban secondary schools to fit with this special issue. It updates a previous review of the field conducted ten years ago (Mitra, 2006). Before beginning this review, however, it is important to understand how student voice varies across global contexts.
This systematic review examines how marginalized young people access and engage with health services and navigate health-care systems in high-income countries.
Medline, CINAHL, PsychInfo, The ...University of Sydney Library database, and Google Scholar were searched to identify qualitative and quantitative original research, published from 2006 to 2017, that focused on selected definitions of marginalized young people (12 to 24 years), their parents/carers, and/or health professionals working with these populations. A thematic synthesis was undertaken identifying themes across and between groups on barriers and/or facilitators to access, engagement, and/or navigation of health-care systems.
Of 1,796 articles identified, 68 studies in the final selection focused on marginalized young people who were homeless (n = 20), living in rural areas (n = 14), of refugee background (n = 11), gender and/or sexuality diverse (n = 11), indigenous (n = 4), low income (n = 4), young offenders (n = 2), or living with a disability (n = 2). Studies were from the United States, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Portugal, including 44 qualitative, 16 quantitative, and 8 mixed-method study types. Sample sizes ranged from 3 to 1,388. Eight themes were identified relating to ability to recognize and understand health issues; service knowledge and attitudes toward help seeking; structural barriers; professionals' knowledge, skills, attitudes; service environments and structures; ability to navigate the health system; youth participation; and technology opportunities.
Marginalized young people experience barriers in addition to those common to all young people. Future studies should consider the role of technology in access, engagement, and health system navigation, and the impact of intersectionality between marginalized groups.
PDF
