Young People's Political Identities| PYL

Young People's Political Identities

This youth-led initiative was developed through the regional network of youth work units, Youth Focus NW and Youth Focus NE, and funded via National Lottery Community Fund.

We explored how young people from different social groups and different regions of the UK defined their identities and how we collectively as services reflect, and adapt to meet their needs. Young people conducted research in each region and using multi-media approaches explore the ways in which they express who they are and how they want to be represented.

How do young people's identities become 'political'?

What are the most important factors in the development of young people’s political identities?

To what extent are political identities imposed onto young people?

How do youth workers and youth organisations perceive young people’s political identities?

Identity from young Londoners perspective

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Transcripts

To download the video transcripts click on the links below:

Programme of work

Youth Voices

Young people have been engaged in a variety of ways across the work, in targeted research and focus groups as young researchers, as training and facilitation leads among others. The young people who have taken part represent diverse group across our networks, they include care experienced young people, young people who are not in education or employment, young people who are known to key services i.e. YOT among others. Placing youth voice at the core of our work, will help to both to define the youth work response to these issues at a time when Covid is increasing the inequalities faced by many groups.

Youth Led research

Young people in each of the regions have been working as youth researchers to gather the views of their peers in a variety of ways. Young people have interviewed their peers, capturing their views and opinions, they have run and taken part in focus groups using storytelling and spoken word poetry. The key is the young people developing their skills and confidence as leads in gathering stories and then using this to help shape the future of the work

Narrative for Youth Work

We have worked with the University of Huddersfield to develop a narrative for youth workers and practitioners on young people’s identity. This has explored the various theories and developing evidence base around young people’s political identities and we have shared this in a series of roundtables with policy makers and practitioners from across the regions. Helping to shape the project and also explore that this means for youth work practice.

Regional youth work partnerships

We have established a cross-regional partnership on this project, with leads from all of the partners meeting regularly to review the research, explore what this means in practice and share the resources and support on offer to help young people take the lead as youth researchers. This work has been supported by the University of Huddersfield to develop a narrative for youth workers and practitioners on young people’s identity.