Building Networks for Youth Engagement: Social Networks and Change in Youth-Led Participatory Action Research

• In Event: Roundtable Session 25
  In Roundtable Session: 21st-Century Youth: Unlocking the Potential of Peer Networks and Identity in Youth Activism

Abstract

This study examines the ways in which different social networks shaped youth engagement in civic leadership in a Youth-led Participatory Action Research (YPAR) program. Building on previous research that has shown how networking with adults can provide youth with greater access to institutional resources and information, this study poses the question: how do other networks (particularly youth networks) mediate the beliefs and actions of YPAR participants? Using a social network theory framework and qualitative analytical methods, the authors show how youth-youth and peer-peer networking encouraged “here and now” thinking, critical analysis of societal issues, and solidarity in action. This study has theoretical and practical implications for fostering civic engagement through networking in YPAR and youth empowerment programs.

Authors

• Kira J. Baker-Doyle, Arcadia University

• Guadalupe Kasper, The Pennsylvania State University - Berks