YPAR Materials and Resources

YPAR Phases and Steps

  • Phase 1. Identify an Issue

    Phase 1 introduces YPAR within schools and the importance of power-sharing roles between teachers and students. Central to phase 1 is identifying a school and community issue, asking: What are the most critical problems in our school? What about this issue needs to change? What are the goals for addressing the issue?

  • Phase 2: Collect Data

    Phase 2 guides the data collection by breaking down quantitative and qualitative research methods. This phase asks: What information might one need to address the issue? Whose perspectives will help understand the problem better? How will the information be obtained? What research methods work best to address the problem?

  • Phase 3: Analyze Data

    Phase 3 will provide guidelines and techniques for analyzing data needed to take action in YPAR. Questions guiding phase 3 include: What has been learned? What are the significant trends or themes that the data show? What reflections and evaluations are needed to take action?

  • Phase 4: Take Action

    It’s time to take action! Phase 4 supports collaborators to take what was learned from the research to create change within schools and communities. In Phase 4, collaborators will brainstorm recommendations based on the research findings, reflect on advocates to support the project and figure out how the research can be shared with others.

SchYPAR Guiding Principles

Youth empowerment: YPAR emphasizes empowering young people by giving them agency and decision-making power throughout the research process. It recognizes the expertise and experience of young people as valuable contributions to generating knowledge.

Collaborative Inquiry: YPAR promotes collaborative inquiry, where young people work alongside adult researchers or mentors to collectively identify research questions, design methodologies, collect data, and analyze findings. It involves an equitable partnership between youth and adults, with young people having an equal voice and influence in the research process.

Critical Reflection: YPAR encourages critical reflection among participants, which involves questioning and analyzing existing social structures, power dynamics, and inequities. It fosters a deeper understanding of the root causes of social issues and challenges dominant narratives.

Knowledge Sharing and Dissemination: YPAR emphasizes the sharing and dissemination of research findings beyond academic circles. It seeks to amplify the voices and perspectives of young people by sharing their findings with policymakers, community members, and other stakeholders who can contribute to social change.

Action-Oriented: YPAR is not solely focused on research but also emphasizes action and social change. It aims to address and transform social inequalities by using research findings to inform and advocate for policy changes, community interventions, and other forms of action.

Contextual Relevance: YPAR recognizes the importance of addressing issues that are relevant and meaningful to the lives of young people and their communities. Research topics are often chosen based on their direct impact on the participants' daily lives.

YPAR GUIDE

Phase/Step/Session#Session Title
PHASE 1: IDENTIFY AN ISSUE
Step 1: Understand YPAR and Get Ready for Your Project
1Introduction to Youth Participatory Action Research
2Youth-Adult Power Sharing
3Action Research and an Early Discussion of Issue Identification
Step 2: Identify the Issue
4What is Research in YPAR?: Pick a Topic and Begin to Develop a Research Question
5Identify Sources of Information
6Review Literature
PHASE 2: DATA COLLECTION
Step 3: Decide on Research Method
7Choose your Method
Step 4 Planning for Data Collections
8Planning for Data Collection and Decide on Your Research Question
Step 5A. Using Qualitative Methods
9aPlanning and Creating Interview and Focus Group Protocols
9b.Planning for Observations: Basic Skills of Observations
9c.Planning for Existing (Secondary) Data Research
10Planning for Data Collection
Step 5B. Using Quantitative Methods
11Develop a Hypothesis
12Survey Basics and Protocol Development
13Create an Introduction
14Data Collection - Administering the Survey
Step 6: Organize and Analyze Data
15Qualitative Research - Planning for Data Analysis
16Qualitative Research- Identifying Themes (Interviews, Focus Groups, Observations, and Existing Sources)
17Quanitative Research - Record and Analyze Survey Results
Step 7: Reflect and Evaluate
18Reflexivity: Evaluate the Progress of the Research Project
PHASE 4: TAKE ACTION
Step 8: Using Research For Change
19Planning for Action: Goals and Audiences
20Planning for Action: Using your Findings to Make Recommendations
Step 9: Presentation Preparation
21Answering the “So What?” Question and Writing Your Findings
22Presentation Skills: Do's and Don'ts, and Tips for a Successful Presentation
Step 10: Celebrate and Share
23Celebration and Presentations!

Information about the Materials: Materials include the lesson plans and PowerPoint associated with each YPAR session. These materials can be modified to fit your time and schedule. Most of the activities and handouts on this website are adapted or linked from outstanding and longstanding YPAR resources: YPARinschools.com, the Berkeley YPAR Hub from the University of California, Berkeley, and the Youth Engaged in Leadership and Learning curriculum from the John W. Gardner Center at Stanford University. Cleveland SchYPAR gives credit to these groups for their creative contributions and hopes to elevate them here.

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