Y!Participate Initiative

Resources

BMJ-GLOBAL-HEALTH
Resources

How climate change is shaping young people’s health: a participatory, youth co-led study from Bangladesh, Guatemala and Nigeria

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Climate change is shaping adolescent and young people’s (AYP) transitions to adulthood with significant and often compounding effects on their physical and mental health. The climate crisis is an intergenerational inequity, with the current generation of young people exposed to more climate events over their lifetime than any previous one. Despite this injustice, research and policy to date lacks AYP’s perspectives and active engagement. This report documents participatory, youth co-led qualitative focus group discussions were held in Bangladesh, Guatemala and Nigeria in mid-2023. A total of 196 AYP ages 12–25 years participated. Open-ended questions elicited responses regarding AYP knowledge, experiences and perceptions of climate change. Using NVivo software, translated transcripts were coded to explore and synthesise key thematic areas.   Downloadable resource: e016788.full Title: e016788.full Link to the resource: https://gh.bmj.com/content/bmjgh/10/1/e016788.full.pdf Resource author/publisher: BMJ Journals, Jessie Pinchoff, Eno-Obong Etetim, Damilola Babatunde, Eleanor Blomstrom, Sigma Ainul, Toyin Olamide Akomolafe, Brian Medina Carranza, Angel Del Valle, Karen Austrian Year of publication: 2025

Youth Voices
Resources

Youth Voices: A Guide to Meaningful Engagement in Mental Health Funding

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This report has been co-written by members of the Youth Advisory Group and Grand Challenges Canada (host of the Being Initiative). It explores the practical realities of meaningful engagement and shares lessons after two years of partnership with the youth advisors. The report features reflections on learnings, challenges, and progress from the journey to elevate youth leadership in the Being Initiative.  Youth Voices offers strategies co-developed with youth advisors and based on their experiences, for funders to meaningfully include young people at every stage of the funding cycle. As Being is a multi-faceted initiative with partners focusing on mental health advocacy, learning, and research, the report also explores meaningful youth engagement in these areas.  Accompanying the report is also Youth Voices: Anthology of Personal Stories from Being’s Youth and Lived Experience Advisors, reflecting on the power of youth leadership in mental health.  While grounded in Being’s experience, the lessons in this report can be a valuable resource for funders seeking to create more inclusive and effective mental health programs.  Downloadable resource: Youth-Voices Title: Youth-VoicesYouthVoicesReport_PersonalStories Title: YouthVoicesReport_PersonalStories Link to the resource: https://www.grandchallenges.ca/2025/youth-engagement-gap/ Resource author/publisher: Being Initiative Year of publication: 2025

Safeguards online programming
Resources

Protocols for Safeguarding Children and Teens in Online Communications

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This resource outlines measures to safeguard children and teens in online communications, particularly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It emphasizes the importance of observable and interruptible interactions, clear communication, and documentation in virtual settings.  Downloadable resource: Safeguards online programming Title: Safeguards online programming Resource author/publisher: Not specified Year of publication: Not specified

Resources

Measuring Youth Engagement – Guidance for monitoring and evaluating youth programs

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 This resource provides guidance on how to measure youth engagement in programs, community groups, and governing bodies. It includes measurement statements and advice for assessing the effectiveness of youth participation, focusing on outputs, outcomes, and the enabling environment.  Downloadable resource: Measuring Youth Engagement- Guidance for monitoring and evaluating youth program Title: Measuring Youth Engagement- Guidance for monitoring and evaluating youth program Resource author/publisher: YouthPower Learning Year of publication:  Not specified

NHS involve and recognition
Resources

Reward and recognition for children and young people involved in research – things to consider

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This guidance discusses the importance of providing appropriate rewards and recognition for children and young people involved in research. It outlines considerations for planning involvement, including expenses, payment, and other forms of recognition to demonstrate value for their contributions.  Downloadable resource: Reward and recognition for children and young people involved in research- things to consider (NHS) Title: Reward and recognition for children and young people involved in research- things to consider (NHS) Resource author/publisher:  INVOLVE Year of publication: Not specified

Explore ideas for youth
Resources

Explore: Ideas for youth involvement in research

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This toolkit provides guidance on how to organize effective research projects involving young people as researchers. It emphasizes the need for youth participation in research to ensure that programs and services are relevant to their needs. The toolkit includes step-by-step instructions for involving young people in various aspects of research, including planning, design, and implementation.  Downloadable resource: Explore ideas for youth Title: Explore ideas for youth Resource author/publisher: International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) Year of publication: 2008

Resources

Participatory Action Research – Lessons learned and how to guide

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This publication outlines a participatory action research (PAR) project aimed at giving adolescents affected by the Syria crisis in Egypt and Lebanon the opportunity to voice their concerns. It assesses the appropriateness of PAR in humanitarian contexts, summarizes lessons learned, and includes a practical ‘how to’ guide for implementing PAR with adolescents and youth.  Downloadable resource: Participatory Action Research- Lessons learned and how to guide (Save the Children) Title: Participatory Action Research- Lessons learned and how to guide (Save the Children) Resource author/publisher: Save the Children Year of publication: 2018

Keep children safe
Resources

Understanding Child Safeguarding

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This guide serves as a facilitator’s tool for delivering workshops on child safeguarding. It aims to provide understanding of child safeguarding policies, the context for children, and mechanisms for recognizing and responding to child abuse. It includes exercises designed to help participants reflect on their own attitudes and how those impact child safeguarding.  Downloadable resource: understanding child safeguarding Title: understanding child safeguarding Resource author/publisher: Not explicitly mentioned, but associated with Keeping Children Safe. Year of publication: Not explicitly stated.

What is co research
Resources

What is Co-Research? Toolkit Resources

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This toolkit is designed to support and guide young people in their research journey, particularly in social research. It includes information, practical guides, and templates to help young people engage meaningfully as co-researchers in projects that affect their lives.  Downloadable resource: What is co research Title: What is co research Resource author/publisher: Centre for Multicultural Youth Year of publication: Not specified

SCI Guidance
Resources

SCI Guidance: Children’s Consultations in Humanitarian Contexts

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This guidance document outlines how to conduct consultations with children in humanitarian settings, detailing the steps for planning, executing, analyzing, and presenting findings from these consultations. It emphasizes the importance of ethical and meaningful child participation and provides practical methodologies and tools for engagement.  Downloadable resource: SCI-Guidance-Childrens-Consultations-in-Humanitarian-Contexts-2023 2 Title: SCI-Guidance-Childrens-Consultations-in-Humanitarian-Contexts-2023 2 Resource author/publisher: Save the Children Year of publication: 2023

So you want to involve children as researchers
Resources

 So You Want to Involve Children in Research?

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This resource provides guidance on involving children in research, emphasizing their meaningful participation across various stages of research processes. It covers ethical considerations, strategies for engagement, and methods for effective collaboration with children.  Downloadable resource: So you want to involve children as researchers Title: So you want to involve children as researchers Resource author/publisher: Save the Children Year of publication: Not specified

Resources

Young people and ethics: Key findings

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 This report summarizes key findings from interviews with young people regarding ethical considerations in research and participation work. It highlights common themes and provides recommendations for organizations engaging young people in research projects. The report emphasizes the importance of diversity, support for young people, and the need for genuine involvement in decision-making processes.  Downloadable resource: Association for Young People’s Health- How to manage research and participation project Title: Association for Young People's Health- How to manage research and participation project Resource author/publisher: Common Room North Year of publication: 2021

Resources

Youth as Researchers Training Manual

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The training manual provides a step-by-step guide to carrying out a research project specifically designed for youth researchers. It is aimed at empowering young people to actively engage in research concerning issues that affect them. The manual includes practical tasks to support the research process, drawing on examples of previous research conducted by students of the Foróige Leadership for Life Programme.  Downloadable resource: Youth as Researchers- Training Manual Title: Youth as Researchers- Training Manual Resource author/publisher: National University of Ireland, Galway (UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre) Year of publication: 2015

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