Positive Youth Development Through Participatory Action Research with Ukrainian Refugees
Open Access
- Author:
- Malcolm, Jamison
- Graduate Program:
- Education, Development, and Community Engagement
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- October 17, 2024
- Committee Members:
- Dana Mitra, Outside Unit & Field Member
John Ewing, Dissertation Co-Advisor
Benjamin Bayly, Dissertation Co-Advisor
Mark Brennan, Chair of Committee
Dave Abler, Program Head/Chair - Keywords:
- Positive Youth Development
Empathy
Compassion
Youth Participatory Action Research - Abstract:
- The evils of war are most acutely felt by those too young to defend themselves. During the ongoing war in Ukraine, young people are being traumatized through the disintegration of their home life, educational opportunities, and their communities. However, participation can create opportunities for transformation. When youth, ages 14-24, are given opportunities to lead research and decision-making efforts - critical consciousness, knowledge creation, and positive developmental outcomes result. Ukrainian refugee youth need opportunities to accelerate their development through Positive Youth Development (PYD) initiatives. Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) is well established in the literature as an effective methodology for engaging youth to co-create rigorous, valid knowledge based on the lived experiences of young people within their communities and enabling PYD outcomes despite traumatic experiences. The purpose of this mixed methods case study is to examine the relationship between participation in YPAR and the key concepts of Lerner’s 5 C’s of PYD, (Competence, Confidence, Character, Caring, Connection, and Contribution), Empathy, Compassion, and Demographics with Ukrainian Refugee Youth. Through the implementation of Youth As Researchers (YAR), an innovated YPAR curriculum, the relationship between participation in YAR and the key concepts mentioned above is examined.