Integrating Youth Development and Participatory Action Research

This presentation will describe the evolution of incorporating a youth development approach into a participatory action research process at the Alameda County Public Health Department. In 2004, as part of an intensive community capacity-building effort in Oakland's Sobrante Park neighborhood, we worked with 10 youth to conduct a baseline community assessment of youth neighborhood issues. Survey results highlighted their concerns with not only violence and safety, but also an overall desire to provide more youth development activities at the neighborhood level.

In 2007, we set out to re-survey in Sobrante Park and expanded to include West Oakland, thus bringing together youth from both neighborhoods. While engaging 8 youth in participatory research, important youth development issues have come to the forefront. The youth come to us with big dreams of improving their communities, but many face challenges in their everyday lives due to lack of supports, opportunities, and/or services. As a result, it has become essential to incorporate positive youth development activities into our participatory research process. ACPHD staff have worked to mentor youth around educational, employment, and personal issues. Training on data collection and analysis has gone hand-in-hand with building life skills, identifying youth' strengths, developing group bonds, and engaging in fun and meaningful activities. The work around positive youth development has enhanced our capacity to do participatory research and empower youth to take action in their communities. This presentation will highlight what has worked well and what challenges persist in integrating youth development and participatory action research.