title: Finding a voice: participatory research with street-involved youth in the youth injection prevention project.
abstract: This article uses a Positive Youth Development framework to explore the experiences of six experiential youth coresearchers (YCs) in the Youth Injection Prevention (YIP) participatory research project, and the parallel track process of empowerment and capacity building that developed. The YIP project was conducted in Metro Vancouver at the BC Centre for Disease Control and community organizations serving street-involved youth. A process evaluation was conducted to explore themes in the YCs experience in the project, as well as process strengths and challenges. Semistructured interviews with the YCs, researcher field notes, and team meeting and debrief session minutes were analyzed. The YIP project appears to have exerted a positive influence on the YCs. Positive self-identities, sense of purpose, reconceptualization of intellectual ability, new knowledge and skills, supportive relationships, finding a voice, and social and self-awareness were among the positive impacts. Process strengths included team-building activities, team check-in and checkout sessions, and professional networking opportunities. Process challenges included the time required to help YCs overcome personal barriers to participation. The YIP project demonstrates that participatory research with street-involved youth is a viable research option that contributes to positive youth development and empowerment.
authors.affiliation: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Larissa Rodrigues
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Coser
authors.affiliation: British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Kira
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tozer
authors.affiliation: British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Van Borek
authors.affiliation: British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Despina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tzemis
authors.affiliation: British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Darlene
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saewyc
authors.affiliation: British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada jane.buxton@ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Jane A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Buxton
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D001955:British Columbia; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D005260:Female; D018453:Homeless Youth; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: empowerment; participatory research; positive youth development; resiliency; street-involved youth; youth participation