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Youth and Social Action
(completed)
Background to the project
This project, which is now completed, was one of 17 projects in the ESRC's ‘Youth, Citizenship and Social Change’ programme. (Further details of the broader programme can be found in a separate TSA Project Sheet). The ‘Youth and Social Action’ project focused on the positive contribution that young people make to society, through their involvement in social action groups. It emerged from previous work that TSA has undertaken on this topic (see separate Project Sheet on the ‘Altruism’ projects for further details).
Summary of the project
The Youth and Social Action took place from 1999-2002. It involved a longitudinal study of youth social action groups, which were defined as:
”Groups of young people who meet on a regular basis, with the aim of bringing about change by influencing policies and/or practices, either at a local, national or international level.”
A key aim of the research was to identify the structures, processes and mechanisms which most effectively enable young people to participate in social action, and to influence societal policies and practices.
A broad range of groups were involved in the project, including:
- youth councils
- peer education groups
- human rights groups
- young carers’ support and campaigning groups
- youth branches of national trades unions
- environmental groups
- groups for lesbian and gay young people, and young disabled people
- groups campaigning against racial discrimination and violence.
The fieldwork for this project explored the motivations, experiences and developing identities of young people, aged 15-25, who were involved in 22 of these groups. The research methods used included individual and group interviews, observations, and diary completion. A summary of the results is available from Amanda Costello at TSA.
Citizenship education materials
In an exciting development, the ESRC funded the development of materials from this project. These materials were designed for use by schools as part of the new citizenship curriculum, as well as by youth workers and other practitioners. The materials have been written by Don Rowe and Will Ord of the Citizenship Foundation, and have now been published by the National Youth Agency. The materials are called ‘Action for A Change’, and are available from TSA’s Publications department.
Dissemination activities
In addition to the production of materials based on the research (above), a large amount of dissemination of the results of this project has been undertaken. Presentations have been made at a number of practitioner and academic conferences in the UK, as well as in Germany, Japan, and the United States. A major conference was organised in November 2001, at which most of the 22 groups did presentations and workshops. An article on the project has been published in Youth Action, and a book summarising the project has been published by the Youth Work Press. This book is called ‘ ...doing something: Youth and Social Action’. It is available from TSA’s Publications department. An article on the project has also appeared in the journal Representing Children.
Project staff
Karen Eden was the Research Officer on the project, and undertook the majority of the work described here. Karen has now left TSA, and is working in Further Education. Dr Debi Roker was the Grant Holder and Project Manager, and Helen Richardson provided research assistance.