By Joanna Tzenis I am a community-engaged researcher in the field of youth development. What does that mean? It means that I approach research as a process to collaboratively strengthen the well-being of a community while contributing to the field . Here’s how I did this working alongside youth, families, and community members of Somali heritage in Minnesota. I collaborated with stakeholders to identify issues critical to the community My 10-month longitudinal study came about as I developed youth programs together with leaders of a Somali-youth serving organization, Ka Joog. Together, we created youth programs. We determined desired outcomes of these programs situated in community assets and needs around improving youths’ educational outcomes. Research questions emerged through increased stakeholder interaction that lifted up the need to more deeply understand youths’ lived experiences. In doing so, we could do two things. We could illuminate larger lessons (...
Our youth development educators bridge research and practice. In this blog, they offer their views on what's happening in the field of youth development, with an eye to evidence-based research written by themselves and others in our field. We welcome your comments.