Youth-Centered Participatory Action Research: Creating Spaces of Resistance and Change

1. Youth-Centered Participatory Action Research: Creating Spaces of Resistance and Change amid Inherent Inequalities Helene Berman Abe Oudshoorn Jessica Justrabo Oct 15, 2013 Faculty of Health Sciences

2. Promoting Health Through Collaborative Engagement with Youth: Overcoming, Resisting, and Preventing Structural ViolenceCIHR Team Grant

4. Academics from varied disciplines, at various career stages, from Halifax to Victoria Students, Post-Doctoral Fellows National Coordinator Maria Callaghan National Youth Coordinators Alia El-Tayeb Eugenia Canas National Youth Advisory Board Knowledge Users/Community Partners Our Team

5. Nominated Principal Investigator Helene Berman- Western University Co-Principal Investigators Dominique Damant – University of Montreal Holly Johnson – University of Ottawa Cathy Richardson – University of Victoria Billie Thurston – University of Calgary Marnina Gonick – Mount Saint Vincent University Co-Investigators Kendra Nixon- University of Manitoba Cheryl Forchuk – Western University Mandy Grzyb – Western University Peter Jaffe – Western University Abe Oudshoorn – Western University Lori Donelle – Western University Yasmin Jiwani – Concordia University Simon Lapierre – University of Ottawa Lynda Ashbourne – U of Guelph Myrna Dawson – U of Guelph Joan Samuels – Dennis – York U Marc Molgat – U of Ottawa Academic Researchers

6. Lead Knowledge Users Public Health Agency of Canada – Lindsay Olmstead mindyourmind – Maria Luisa Contursi Knowledge Users Girls’ Action Foundation Boys & Girls Club York University, Housing and Homelessness Hub CAMH-CPS Canadian Counsel of Muslim Women Relais- Femmes Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services YWCA Halifax City of London City of Calgary Ottawa Youth Services Bureau Alberta Health Services Sexual Assault Centre London Native Sexual Health Network Alliance of Canadian Research Centres on Violence Knowledge Users

7. Muslim Centre for Social Support and Integration Ottawa Youth Services Bureau Urban Aboriginal Youth Services Calgary Homeless Foundation Alliance of Research Centres on Violence Lowertown Community Resource Centre One World Arts Raincity Shelter Transition House Watson Lake High school YWCA Halifax Community Partners

8. National Youth Coordinators: Alia El Tayeb Eugenia Canas National Youth Advisory Board: Amanda Aziz Curtis Walking Bear Kechego Michelle Brake Emanuela Bringi Julia Tadman Jayson Tower Keara Yim Youth Leaders

9. CollaboratorsLinda Dale, Children /Youth as Peace Builders Robin Mason, Women’s College HospitalBlake Poland, University of Toronto, Dalla Lana School of Public HealthGraduate Student Trainees Kate Elliott, University of VictoriaCatherine Flynn, Université de MontréalNada Nessan, Western UniversityPost Doctoral FellowsRita Isabel Henderson Kristy Buccieri

10. To examine how structural violence is experienced by youth in Canada, how it influences their health, and strategies that can be used to address and prevent violence. Evaluate how collaborative engagement with youth can promote health by empowering them to address structural violence in their lives. Overall Purpose

11. Examine how structural forms of violence are defined, understood, and experienced by youth Examine, from the perspectives of youth, how structural violence shapes their health and well-being Objectives

12. Examine policies to identify how institutions contribute to the victimization or vulnerability of diverse groups of youthand how these policies influence them. Objectives

13. Analyse the role of media in the lives of youth paying attention to issues of identity, belonging/exclusion, health and sense of self Evaluate the use of youth-centered participatory action research as a health promotion strategy Objectives

14. Youth-Centered Participatory Action Research Intersectionality Critical Narrative Analysis Arts-Based Methodologies Qualitative and Quantitative Methods Theoretical/Methodological Perspectives

15. Research What counts as knowledge Whose knowledge counts How knowledge is generated Who owns it Rethinking…

16. Violence Structural Violence The invisible patterns of inequality that reproduce social relations of exclusion and marginalization through ideologies, stigmas and discourses attendant to gender, race, class and other markers of social identity Rethinking…

17. Health Health is a right for all people, not a privilege. We can’t achieve this as long as we live in a world with social and structural inequalities Racism, sexism, homophobia, classism, ableism, colonialism Civic engagement, social and political action are key components of health Rethinking…

18. “This made me realize how sharing experience is important for us to live a happier life.”

19. “Everyone had a voice, were creating information together, following each other’s leads and ideas.”

20. Youth Opportunities Unlimited Site Voices Against Violence

21. Examine how structural violence is embedded and enacted within different institutional systems. Purpose

22. Youth Opportunities Unlimited: Supports youth to build skills, confidence and independence to reach their potential. Youth Action Centre: A multi-service hub, where youth can feel welcomed and gain support with a variety of personal challenges that impede their development. About YOU-YAC

23. Relationship based recruitment 12 Arts Based Workshops Our Methodology

24. 9 male, 6 female Majority had some experience as children/youth with CAS 3 were visible minorities 6 identified as having learning disabilities 4 identified as having mental health challenges The Youth 24

25. Structural Violence Timelines Body Mapping Statement of Change Poetry Canvas Art Process Pieces

26. Leading to Exploration of… • Justice System • Child Protection • Shelter Services (and Social Assistance) • Education System

27. 26

28. Data through discussions Experiences with Structural Violence How to change social structures How to move on from negative experiences Art Personal Canvas Statements of Change Outcome

29. 28

30. Acute mental illness Triggering Challenges 29

31. Why policies exist What is Structural Violence Self Reflection Move on from negative experiences - Agency/structure dialectic What They Learned

32. Participating, not participants Stability of the family structure Listening makes an impact What We Learned