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

Promoting Health Through Collaborative Engagement with Youth: Overcoming, Resisting, and Preventing Structural Violence CIHR Team Grant

Our Team 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 Nursing, psychology, sociology, social work, criminology, indigenous studies, community health and epidemiology

Academic Researchers 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

Knowledge Users Lead Knowledge Users 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

Community Partners 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

Youth Leaders 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

Collaborators Linda Dale, Children /Youth as Peace Builders Collaborators Linda Dale, Children /Youth as Peace Builders Robin Mason, Women’s College Hospital Blake Poland, University of Toronto, Dalla Lana School of Public Health Graduate Student Trainees Kate Elliott, University of Victoria Catherine Flynn, Université de Montréal Nada Nessan, Western University Post Doctoral Fellows Rita Isabel Henderson Kristy Buccieri

Overall Purpose 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.

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

Objectives 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

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

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

Rethinking… 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… 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

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

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

Youth Opportunities Unlimited Site Voices Against Violence

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

About YOU-YAC Youth Opportunities Unlimited: Youth Action Centre: 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.

Our Methodology Relationship based recruitment 12 Arts Based Workshops

The Youth 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 24

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

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

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

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Challenges Acute mental illness Triggering 29

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

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