"When you follow your heart, you provide that path for others": Indigenous Models of Youth Leadership in HIV Prevention

Cultivating and supporting Indigenous peer youth leaders should be an important part of Canada’s response to HIV. This paper examines how a group of Indigenous youth leaders took up the notion of leadership in the context of HIV prevention. Taking Action II was a community-based participatory action research project. Eighteen Indigenous youth leaders from across Canada were invited to share narratives about their passion for HIV prevention through digital storytelling. One-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants after they developed their digital stories, and then again several months later. A thematic analysis of the interviews was conducted to identify major themes. Youth identified qualities of an Indigenous youth leader as being confident, trustworthy, willing to listen, humble, patient, dedicated, resilient, and healthy. A number of key examples and challenges of youth leadership were also discussed. In contrast to individualized mainstream ideals, Indigenous youth in our study viewed leadership as deeply connected to relationships with family, community, history, legacies, and communal health.

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“Stay Strong, Stay Sexy, Stay Native”: Storying Indigenous youth HIV prevention activism

Action Research ◽

10.1177/1476750317721302 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 17 (3) ◽

pp. 323-343 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Sarah Flicker ◽

Ciann Wilson ◽

Renée Monchalin ◽

Vanessa Oliver ◽

Tracey Prentice ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hiv Prevention ◽

Participatory Action ◽

Action Research Project ◽

Indigenous Youth ◽

Youth Leaders ◽

Reduction Strategies ◽

Digital Stories ◽

Taking Action ◽

Indigenous Cosmology

BackgroundTaking Action II is a community-based participatory action research project that adopted a strengths-based approach to thinking about Indigenous youth HIV prevention activism. Eighteen diverse Indigenous youth leaders produced digital stories about Indigenizing HIV prevention during the summer of 2012 at a week-long retreat. Youth were interviewed twice: right after they created their stories and again after community screenings. In the summer of 2013, youth reunited to collaboratively analyze the themes and meanings of their stories. Seven overlapping themes emerged that demonstrated how youth see HIV in the context of their lives' and community. The stories make connections between HIV and structural violence, culture and relationships. In particular, in the context of HIV prevention, they focus on (1) the role of family and elders, (2) traditional sacred notions of sexuality, (3) the importance of education, (4) reclaiming history, (5) focusing on strength, (6) Indigenous cosmology and (7) overcoming addictions. In contrast to conventional public health messaging, youth produced stories rarely focused on individual harm reduction strategies. Instead, ideas of Indigeneity and decolonization were foregrounded as key strategies for health promotion work.

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'Culture' as HIV prevention: Indigenous youth speak up!

Gateways International Journal of Community Research and Engagement ◽

10.5130/ijcre.v9i1.4802 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Ciann Wilson ◽

Vanessa Oliver ◽

Sarah Flicker ◽

Native Youth Sexual Health Network ◽

Tracey Prentice ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hiv Prevention ◽

Indigenous Communities ◽

Hiv Education ◽

Indigenous Youth ◽

Arts Based Research ◽

Individual Interviews ◽

Hiv Intervention ◽

Action Project ◽

Prevention And Health Promotion ◽

Taking Action

This article explores the ways in which (a) Indigenous youth involved in an HIV intervention took up and reclaimed their cultures as a project of defining ‘self’, and (b) how Indigenous ‘culture’ can be used as a tool for resistance, HIV prevention and health promotion. Data were drawn from the Taking Action Project: Using arts-based approaches to develop Aboriginal youth leadership in HIV prevention. ‘By youth, for youth’ HIV education and awareness workshops were facilitated in six Indigenous communities across Canada, incorporating traditional and contemporary art forms to explore how youth perceived the links between structural inequality and HIV vulnerability. Over 100 youth participated, with 70 partaking in individual interviews to reflect on their experiences at the workshops. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using NVivo software. Indigenous youth understood culture as a complex construct that included reconnecting to land, body, history, community and ceremony. For many youth, being Aboriginal and participating in cultural activities was seen as important for intergenerational healing, empowerment, health and combatting HIV. Youth spoke excitedly of their attempts to reclaim their languages and cultures despite barriers. They also understood art as a medium for self-expression and as an important site of cultural evolution.Our project demonstrates that the incorporation of culture within health strategies is important for effective HIV prevention amongst Indigenous youth. Reclaiming Indigenous cultures, languages and ceremonies may help to nurture future generations, diminish cycles of victimisation and combat hopelessness by reconnecting youth to stories of resistance and survival.Keywords: Indigenous youth, culture, HIV prevention, arts-based research

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We are what we tell: an enquiry into NGOs' organizational identity and accountability

Accounting Auditing & Accountability Journal ◽

10.1108/aaaj-06-2020-4647 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Daniela Pianezzi

Keyword(s):

Identity Formation ◽

Collective Identity ◽

Organizational Identity ◽

Participant Observation ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Participatory Action ◽

Action Research Project ◽

Content Type ◽

Documentary Analysis ◽

Over Time

PurposeThis study offers a critical inquiry into accountability vis-à-vis organizational identity formation. It investigates how accountability evolves in the transformation of an NGO operating in the field of migration management from an informal grassroots group into a fully-fledged organization.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is the outcome of a participatory action research project on Welcome Refugees (WR), a UK-based NGO. The project involved documentary analysis, focus group and semi-structured interviews, field notes, and participant observation. The analysis draws from poststructuralist theorization to explain the interplay between organizational identity and different forms of NGO accountability over time.FindingsThe study shows how different forms of accountability became salient over time and were experienced differently by organizational members, thus leading to competing collective identity narratives. Organizational members felt accountable to beneficiaries in different ways, and this was reflected in their identification with the organization. Some advocated a rights-based approach that partially resonated with the accountability demands of external donors, while others aimed at enacting their feelings of accountability by preserving their closeness with beneficiaries and using a need-based approach. These differences led to an identity struggle that was ultimately solved through the silencing of marginalized narratives and the adoption of an adaptive regime of accountability.Practical implicationsThe findings of the case are of practical relevance to quasi-organizations that struggle to form and maintain organizational identity in their first years of operation. Their survival depends not only on their ability to accommodate and/or resist a multiplicity of accountability demands but also on their ability to develop a shared and common understanding of identity accountability.Originality/valueThe paper problematizes rather than takes for granted the process through which organizations acquire a viable identity and the role of accountability within them.

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“I’ll Save You a Seat”: Negotiating Power in a Participatory Action Research Project with Queer and Trans Young Adults

Urban Education ◽

10.1177/00420859211023106 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 004208592110231

Author(s):

Amy Hillier ◽

Kel Kroehle

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Action Research ◽

Participatory Action Research ◽

Lived Experience ◽

Youth Leadership ◽

Youth Participatory Action Research ◽

Participatory Action ◽

Action Research Project ◽

Operational Issues ◽

School Youth

Youth participatory action research (YPAR) provides a model for youth leadership in research aimed at tangible improvements to their lives. We employed YPAR with queer and trans young adults in a qualitative study about trans high school youth. In this paper, we highlight the importance of relationships, dialog and reflexivity to ensuring ongoing critical reflection on the ethical nature of what often appear as methodological and operational issues. Our research underscores the tensions, contradictions, and limitations of sharing power that emerge in collaborations across age, race, educational attainment, and lived experience.

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Exploring teachers’ experiences of action research

London Review of Education ◽

10.14324/lre.18.3.06 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 (3) ◽

pp. 408-422

Author(s):

Sinéad Vaughan

Keyword(s):

Action Research ◽

Participatory Action Research ◽

Education System ◽

English Education ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Participatory Action ◽

Action Research Project ◽

Teachers Experiences ◽

Critical Participatory Action Research ◽

State Schools

Through exploring the author’s experiences of working with five teachers who undertook an action research project for their master’s dissertations, this article establishes that it is possible for critical participatory action research to address issues around the perceived de-professionalization of teachers, and challenge the exploitative nature of education within English state schools. Semi-structured interviews with five teachers showed that this was an empowering experience, which provided a number of benefits, including an increased sense of professionalism, and that they would recommend action research to other teachers. Their experiences and insights have been used to discuss options for implementing action research more widely, identifying potential challenges and suggesting possible solutions. Based on both sets of experiences, I suggest that it would be valuable for action research to be implemented more widely within the English education system, as a method of addressing teachers’ frustrations around accountability and performativity.

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Sexy Health Carnival on the Powwow Trail: HIV Prevention by and for Indigenous Youth

International Journal of Indigenous Health ◽

10.18357/ijih111201616011 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 159 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Renee Monchalin ◽

Alexa Lesperance ◽

Sarah Flicker ◽

Carmen Logie ◽

Native Youth Sexual Health Network

Keyword(s):

Hiv Prevention ◽

Sexual Health ◽

Sexual Activity ◽

Preliminary Evidence ◽

Descriptive Data ◽

Indigenous Youth ◽

Youth Leaders ◽

Pilot Intervention

Background: This article introduces a peer-led pilot intervention called the “Sexy Health Carnival” (SHC) that takes a strengths-based approach to promoting Indigenous youth sexual health in a culturally safe context. Methods: In 2014, Indigenous youth leaders brought the SHC to 4 Ontario, Canada, powwows, where they administered an offline iPad survey to 154 Indigenous youth (aged 16 to 25) who engaged with the SHC. The survey gathered descriptive data on HIV prevention behaviours and intentions, and the acceptability of the SHC approach in powwow settings. Results: Over one third (40%) of youth thought that “a lot” of sex happens at powwows; 14% reported that they were either “definitely” or “probably” going to “hook up” or be sexual with someone at the powwow, and another 14% were not sure. Among those contemplating sexual activity, 79% said they would use a condom that they received at the SHC. The majority (80%) of youth rated the SHC as “awesome.” Conclusion: This pilot provides preliminary evidence that the SHC is feasible and welcomed by youth in powwow settings. This project illustrates that Indigenous youth are capable of developing successful sexual health outreach and HIV prevention resources for each other.

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Barriers and Facilitators for Wheelchair Users in Bangladesh: A Participatory Action Research Project

Disability CBR & Inclusive Development ◽

10.5463/dcid.v1i2.730 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 24-44

Author(s):

Heather Michelle Aldersey ◽

Mohammad Morshedul Quadir ◽

Soniya Akter ◽

Rabiul Hossain Mozumder ◽

Nayma Nazneen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Action Research ◽

Participatory Action Research ◽

Public Transportation ◽

Barriers And Facilitators ◽

Future Research ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Participatory Action ◽

Action Research Project ◽

Wheelchair Users ◽

Barriers To Access

Purpose: People who use wheelchairs face a range of physical, social, and economic barriers to regular participation in their communities. These barriers may be more acute in countries such as Bangladesh which are affected by poverty and often lack the physical infrastructure or resources necessary to create inclusive or accessible environments. This research aimed to identify: (a) the barriers and facilitators to accessibility faced by wheelchair users in Bangladesh; (b) how these barriers affect the inclusion of wheelchair users in Bangladeshi society; and (c) what could be done to improve accessibility and inclusion for wheelchair users in Bangladesh.Methods: This participatory action research (PAR) project used Photovoice and semi-structured interviews to identify barriers and facilitators to accessibility for people who use wheelchairs in Bangladesh.Results: Participants mentioned a number of barriers in public spaces, such as roads, missing or inadequate ramps, inaccessible restrooms, and negative attitudes. There were also participants who had made their home environments more accessible with accommodations such as ramps, arrangement of space, and low countertops/work spaces. Women wheelchair users seemed to face greater barriers to access, as compared to men, in a range of community spaces and activities. Participants’ recommendations for improvement targeted government stakeholders and included greater focus on road infrastructure, particularly during flooding in the rainy season, and modifications to the public transportation system.Conclusion: A key goal of the study was to identify barriers and facilitators, and use the information gathered to promote social change on the ground. Future research and action should encourage more people to get involved in removing barriers for people with disabilities, in Bangladesh as well as globally.

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Restoring Our Roots: Land-Based Community by and for Indigenous Youth

International Journal of Indigenous Health ◽

10.32799/ijih.v16i2.33932 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Elizabeth Fast ◽

Melanie Lefebvre ◽

Christopher Reid ◽

Wahsontiiostha Brooke Deer ◽

Dakota Swiftwolfe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Well Being ◽

Participatory Action ◽

Action Research Project ◽

Research Project ◽

Indigenous Youth ◽

Social Sciences And Humanities ◽

The Social ◽

The Many ◽

The City ◽

Ways Of Being

Knowledge gathered about the impacts of land-based teachings on Indigenous youth is limited. Many Indigenous people and government commissions have pointed to targeted assimilation and land theft as central to historical and ongoing collective dissociation of Indigenous Peoples from their ways of being in relation with the land. It is thus paramount that Indigenous youth be given the opportunities to (re)connect with their cultures in safe, accessible spaces/places. Demonstrating the many ways learning from the land is beneficial for Indigenous youth, the Restoring Our Roots participatory action research project contributes to the knowledge base in this area to centre Indigeneity and reclaim our cultures by enacting Indigenous methodologies and pedagogies. An Indigenous youth advisory committee developed a four-day land-based retreat, held in July 2018, that focused on (re)connecting Indigenous youth to land-based teachings and ceremony. In interviews following the retreat, youth participants spoke about positive changes related to identity, belonging, well-being, and feeling free from violence in this space that engaged land-based teachings led by Elders, Knowledge Holders, and youth themselves. Some Indigenous youth who identify as Two-Spirit, non-binary, and/or LGBTQIA+ attended the retreat and shared how important it is to have safe spaces that are inclusive of diverse gender roles and identities. Restoring Our Roots created an inclusive community of support, sharing, and learning for Indigenous youth, extending into participants’ everyday lives in the city. This project has since grown into Land As Our Teacher, a five- year research project funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, that explores benefits of land-based pedagogies for Indigenous youth.

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