Youth Participatory Action Research with Indigenous Youth: A Scoping Review

• In Event: Critical Issues in Action Research: Immigrant & Refugee Education, Ethnic Studies, Teacher Quality, Community, and Indigenous Youth

Abstract

This scoping review examines the use of Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) with Indigenous youth, focusing on the promise and challenges of engaging Indigenous young people in YPAR. Drawing from 13 studies identified from an initial pool of 1,662 articles, we analyze how YPAR projects engage Indigenous youth in project development, training, and implementation, and whether Indigenous research methods (IRMs) are incorporated. Findings show limited representation of Indigenous youth in YPAR literature and a need for more robust discussion of training youth in using IRMs. This review identifies gaps in current research and practice and calls for the development of YPAR resources grounded in Indigenous epistemologies. It offers implications for ethical research that engages Indigenous youth as co-researchers and knowledge producers.

Authors

• Kate Somerville, University of Virginia

• Natalie Behnke, University of Virginia

• Kate Joshua, University of Virginia

• Lora Henderson Smith, University of Virginia