title: Engaging homeless youth in community-based participatory research: a case study from Skid Row, Los Angeles.
abstract: Growing evidence highlights the benefits to youth of involvement in community-based participatory research. Less attention has been paid, however, to the contributions youth can make to helping change health-promoting policy through such work. We describe a multi-method case study of a policy-focused community-based participatory research project in the Skid Row area of downtown Los Angeles, California, where a small group of homeless youth worked with adult mentors to develop and conduct a survey of 96 homeless youth and used the findings to help secure health-promoting policy change. We review the partnership's work at each stage of the policy-making process; its successes in changing policy regarding recreation, juvenile justice, and education; and the challenges encountered, especially with policy enforcement. We share lessons learned, including the importance of strong adult mentors and of policy environments conducive to sustainable, health-promoting change for marginalized youth.
authors: 1University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
authors: Analilia P
authors: AP
authors: Garcia
authors: Meredith
authors: M
authors: Minkler
authors: Zelenne
authors: Z
authors: Cardenas
authors: Cheryl
authors: C
authors: Grills
authors: Charles
authors: C
authors: Porter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001364:Awareness; D002648:Child; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research / Q000379:methods*; D004493:Education; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018453:Homeless Youth; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors; D011050:Policy Making; D011998:Recreation; D012107:Research Design; D012947:Social Work / Q000458:organization & administration*
keywords: child/adolescent health; community-based participatory research; health research; partnerships/coalitions; public health laws/policies