title: Dream Teens: Adolescents-Led Participatory Project in Portugal in the Context of the Economic Recession.
abstract: This article describes the implementation process of a nationwide project to enhance young people's participation and active citizenship in the context of Portugal's economic recession. This project used an innovative Positive Youth Development approach that engaged Portuguese youth (aged 11-18 years) through social media tools to facilitate their civic engagement and development. Participants from all over the country were empowered (1) to design and conduct research activities on topics of their choice and about their life contexts and (2) to create ways to improve youth civic participation in their communities, while developing supportive interactions with adults and peers. Overall, youth were engaged in their activities, felt their voices were heard, and felt that they were viewed as experts of their own well-being and living contexts. Youth research actions and preliminary findings were then compiled in a set of recommendations that was formally received by a high commissioner of the Ministry of Health. The article concludes with a discussion of the next steps for the project and its limitations so far.
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.|2 Nova University, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Frasquilho
authors.affiliation: 3 University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Emily J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Ozer
authors.affiliation: 4 University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Ozer
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cátia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Branquinho
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Inês
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Camacho
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tomé
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.|5 William James Research Center, ISPA, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.|5 William James Research Center, ISPA, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Jaqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Lúcia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ramiro
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.|6 Lisbon Lusíada University, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Tânia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gaspar
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Celeste
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Simões
authors.affiliation: 3 University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Amber Akemi
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Piatt
authors.affiliation: 7 University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Holsen
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.|5 William James Research Center, ISPA, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Margarida
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gaspar de Matos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003256:Community Participation; D057172:Economic Recession; D006801:Humans; D010379:Peer Group; D011174:Portugal; D011209:Power, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Positive Youth Development; adolescents; economic recession; social participation; youth engagement