Using participatory methods in research with young people

Young people have valuable and unique insight into their own wellbeing and their quality of schooling. Actively engaging with youth as key stakeholders, this project trialed a qualitative visual participatory research method to document secondary school students’ experiences of education. Youth participation in this research extends beyond consultation to an active and ongoing role, (co)creating a methodology and exhibition that reflects the notions of inclusiveness and equity.The youth informed exhibition will showcase the inclusive participatory research practices through:- a short digital series sharing the youths’ reflections of (co)collaborating in research;- a visual exhibition of youths’ experience of schooling and the strengths and challenges of being a youth in today’s time.Here is Christine Grové overview of her latest work - the Youth Booth participatory research project sharing the thoughts and understanding behind the methodology.--This video featured in the Youth Booth exhibition showcasing the work of 10 Victorian young people produced over the 2019-2020 Australian summer. Their work captures their collective experience: being digitally savvy, the stress of study, influence of social media, climate change and the impact of poor mental health. These perspectives, along with our video series produced alongside this, allow us to see the complex situations that impact the youth experience of education.For schools, teachers, parents and policy-makers it highlights the importance of listening and collaboration with young people, particularly when developing policies and implementing practice to build more inclusive communities. For researchers, we hope this exhibition highlights one way to use participatory visual research methods to support and strengthen the voice of youth.The exhibition adopts a rights-based perspective which emphasises the importance not only of listening to youth, but actively and authentically collaborating on matters that directly affect them.The study was conducted by researchers Dr Christine Grove and Louisa Trainer in 2019-2020 at Monash University and is funded by the Monash Education Small Grant Award.

青少年对自身福祉与在校求学质量拥有宝贵且独特的洞见。本项目将青少年视为核心利益相关方，积极开展合作，尝试采用质性视觉参与式研究方法（qualitative visual participatory research method），记录中学生的教育经历。本次研究中的青少年参与并非仅止步于咨询环节，而是承担了积极且持续的角色，共同（合作）创制研究方法与展览，以体现包容性与公平性的理念。
本次由青少年参与策划的展览将通过以下形式展示包容性参与式研究实践：
- 一则短篇数字系列影像，分享青少年对研究协作过程的反思；
- 一组视觉展览作品，展现青少年的在校求学经历，以及当代青少年成长过程中的优势与挑战。
以下是克里斯汀·格罗夫（Christine Grové）对其最新研究项目——"青年展台（Youth Booth）"参与式研究项目的概述，该项目旨在分享研究方法背后的思考与认知。
本次"青年展台"展览中展出的视频记录了10名维多利亚州青少年于2019至2020年澳大利亚夏季创作的作品。这些作品展现了他们的集体经历：数字素养、学业压力、社交媒体的影响、气候变化以及心理健康状况不佳带来的冲击。这些视角，连同同期制作的视频系列，让我们得以窥见影响青少年教育体验的复杂处境。
对于学校、教师、家长与政策制定者而言，本项目凸显了倾听青少年心声并与其开展协作的重要性，尤其是在制定政策、推行实践以构建更具包容性的社区之时。对于研究者而言，我们希望本次展览能够展示一种可行路径，即运用参与式视觉研究方法，支持并强化青少年的话语权。
本次展览秉持基于权利的研究视角，强调不仅要倾听青少年的声音，更要在关乎其切身利益的事务上开展主动且真诚的协作。
本研究由克里斯汀·格罗夫博士与路易莎·特雷纳于2019至2020年在莫纳什大学（Monash University）开展，项目获得了莫纳什教育小额资助奖（Monash Education Small Grant Award）的支持。