"Kicking Down Doors" and "Turning Over Stones": Front-line Youth Workers Engaging in Policy Analysis as an Active Advocacy Process

Date
2017
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Abstract
In this research, front-line youth workers analyzed policy pertaining to youth homelessness. This analysis catalyzed further reflections and actions informed by what we learned in the research, such as the establishment of the School of Social Play. The research process was composed of the following phases: the Preparing the Ground phase, the Immersion phase, as well as the Reflection and Action phases. Focus groups and participant observation were some of the methods used to answer research questions during these phases. One participant in this research identified as a co-researcher at a one-year follow up after the research concluded. This person engaged in a reflective dialogue with me about the research, which is included in the discussion chapter. Workers identified four key principles that would contribute to ending youth homelessness. The first principle concerns the relationship between stigma and homelessness. The second principle emphasizes the importance of relationships, and the third focuses on harms caused by the charity model. The final principle states that services and policies should be directed by youth, as they are the people best able to define what the problem is. In the discussion, I justify my conclusion that youth have much to teach us about challenging authority, critical thinking, and the pursuit of social justice.
Description
Keywords
Education--Social Sciences, Social Work, Public and Social Welfare
Citation
Huntingford, S. (2017). "Kicking Down Doors" and "Turning Over Stones": Front-line Youth Workers Engaging in Policy Analysis as an Active Advocacy Process (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/26700