4: Critical Youth Participatory Action Research

When considering the research I wanted to do in this area, I knew one thing for certain: I wanted it to be community based but incorporate the voices, needs, and values of youth. Through deeply engaging with young people, I was hoping to change the conversations practitioners, organizations, and communities were having about youth and their potential. I was also interested in what kind of space young people who have faced challenges with traditional youth leadership development programs would create for their own program. It was important to ask young people themselves what they look for in a youth program, one they would find not only enjoyable but accessible to themselves and their peers. The best approach to meet these needs was Critical Youth Participatory Action Research (CYPAR). This research method provided the foundation needed to invite youth to participate in a process of reimagining leadership and to design a leadership development initiative. This method is designed to facilitate a strong commitment to empowering the communities it serves and to acknowledge the systems in which these communities exist and their impacts. This chapter will explore the foundations of CYPAR and the tools which support this successful approach to researching with teens.