Actualizing child and adolescent empowerment in participatory action research for health promotion: a six-element framework
Child and adolescent participation for health promotion can be realized through participatory action research (PAR). However, there is a lack of understanding regarding the concrete steps needed to actualize empow erment within PAR.
The authors propose a framework that outlines six elements that need to be considered when designing a PAR study that strives to actualize child and adolescent empowerment. These are
- Safeguarding the necessary resources;
- Having high quality adult facilitation;
- Enabling sense-making activities and
- Investing in capacity building. These four elements make up an environment that may nourish children and adolescents’ social, emotional and cognitive development that may potentially lead to
- Positive child and adolescent development and
- Participatory competence.
The proposed framework adopts a holistic approach by considering the lived reality of children and adolescents and their capabilities and characteristics. Future research is needed to assess the practical utility of the framework.