Using Arts-Based and Embodied Methods to Explore Supportive Settings for Young People

• In Event: At-Risk, Justice-Involved, and Traumatized Youths: Outcomes of Engagement in the Arts

Abstract

Unhoused and recently housed young people have often experienced chronic housing instability; many endure co-occurring experiences of marginalization, including mental health diagnoses, substance use, and experiences of long-term abuse and neglect from systems which have failed to support them (e.g., Morton et al., 2018, 2019). Meanwhile, many young people find contexts and relationships which help them survive and thrive, including spending time in supportive places and seeking out communities of care (Ungar, 2008; Case & Hunter, 2012). This research seeks to understand how physical space within a permanent supportive housing (PSH) context shapes young people’s experiences of community, safety, and comfort, with a particular focus on third places (communal settings). Recognizing the need for research which centers young people as co-designers of their futures, this study engages young people in reimaging future third place settings to meet their needs. This study uses arts-based and game-based methodologies to consider: (1a) How does the physical space within and outside of the PSH setting shape residents’ experiences of community?; (1b) How do third places function uniquely within the PSH ecosystem?; and (2) What do young people imagine for a future of supportive third place settings, broadly?

This study partners with young adult (age 18-25) residents (N=15) in a permanent supportive housing (PSH) program in Grand Junction, Colorado. Residents have been unhoused for an average of 3-6 years; many (40%) of residents have less than a high school diploma, and many (40%) identify as LBGTQ.

To address Research Question 1, this study pilots the Geographic Interview methodology, which included walking tours in response to prompts like, “take me to the place you feel most/least comfortable; most/least connected; most/least safe,” and placing sticky dots on blueprints of the space. Analysis included: (1) analyzing spatial data to note trends, then (2) integrating qualitative interview data to deepen spatial data via purposive thematic analysis.

For Research Question 2: The Future of Third Places Game was developed as an elicitation and collaborative design tool to understand how young people imagine supportive third place settings in the future. The game ‘casts’ players as members of a community design team ten years in the future, who are tasked with creating a third place to meet the needs of youth community members. Players create physical place elements from simple materials (e.g., pipe cleaners, Play Doh) and vote on favorite designs to include in the future space. Analysis included qualitative content analysis of game play transcripts.

Preliminary results suggest that PSH residents experience third places within the residential setting as contested spaces, where they experience a combination of connection and compromised safety and calm. These findings, which will be supplemented with participant reflections during the presentation, suggest the need for choice-centered spaces, with both passive and active opportunities to participate in activities, multiple pathways, and seating areas which allow for a both connection and privacy. These findings have implications for any contexts which seek to support young people through safety and support, such as community programs and educational settings.

Author

• Danielle Littman
  Presenting Author