Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR)

YPAR Nexus: Connecting Youth and Research 

What is YPAR?

YPAR is an innovative approach to positive youth and community/organization development that recognizes the important role youth can and should play in the research process. By moving away from longstanding adult-centered research traditions, YPAR creates the space and facilitates the ability of youth to examine and address social issues within their own community or organization.

Watch an introductory YPAR video created by Youth-Nex's Youth Action Lab.

Why use YPAR? 

YPAR’s focus on youth voice, activism, community transformation, and intergenerational learning contributes to the personal development of youth and the betterment of society. Past YPAR initiatives have suggested several potential benefits to introducing YPAR into a community or organization, including:

• Empowerment of youth voices: Youth are seen as knowledge experts fully capable of idea formulation, decision-making, and actively participating in community transformation. Youth participating in YPAR can express their perspectives and enhance their problem-solving skills in a validating space.  
• Collaborative youth-adult partnerships: YPAR challenges traditional power imbalances between youth and adults. Instead of defaulting to the often implicit notion that the knowledge or expertise of adults is more valuable than youth (i.e., ‘adults know best’),  youth-adult YPAR partnerships intentionally cross generational divides to address issues and find solutions that benefit all stakeholders. 
• Community transformation: The underlying purpose of YPAR is to use research findings to address social injustices and positively transform communities. Holistic community development requires the commitment, collaboration, and empowerment of all stakeholders to create inclusive communities where everyone can thrive. 

How to use the YPAR Nexus?

The YPAR Nexus includes several resources, tools, and activities to support communities/organizations in starting (and continuing) YPAR initiatives. Recognizing that each context is unique and specific needs will vary, the resources are designed to be downloaded and modified to align with your team's needs, goals, and priorities.