“If I had power, I would stop injustices in the world”: Photovoice’s experiences with young people from disadvantaged urban communities

Figures & data

Table 1. Steps and procedures for collecting data using the photovoice method.

Work Stage/Procedures	Sessions	Dates	Places of Action
Meeting with the research group to define the aims and plan the sessions in the field.	2	May 2019	School and Community Center
Observation, capturing/making photographs	5	from May to June 2019	Neighborhoods and their surroundings, other nearby city locations
Meeting for the presentation of the photographs, collective debate, interpretation, and analysis of the material	3	July 2019	School and Community Center
Collective reflection on the process among the research group; planning the public exhibition of the photographs	5	from September to October 2019
Dissemination of results/display of photographs to the community and to local policymakers.	1	July 2021	City Council Gallery

Figure 1. Mural at the entrance of one of the neighborhoods and a wall painting on the front of a building (photographed by Kamy and Hyro respectively).

Figure 2. Green spaces and public gardens in the vicinity of their neighborhoods and school appreciated by the group (photographed by Nokas and Joka respectively).

Figure 3. Deteriorated buildings, the school gutter clogged with garbage, and damaged sports space (photographed by Hyro, Bru and Kamy respectively).

Table 2. Emerging topics identified after thematic analysis.

Challenges of Being Young	Relationship with the Community	Experiences of Participation and Nonparticipation in the Community and School
Struggling for freedom and opportunity to be involved in a community change. Fear of loss of freedom and conflicts with family and society.	Feelings of some lack of unity and solidarity among the community, and the sense of insecurity.	Feelings of powerlessness to participate and get involve in the community in the face of obstacles imposed by most of the parents and teachers.
Stereotype and prejudice associated with being young from a socially vulnerable community. Social inclusion: strengthening the feeling of belonging and identity in the relationship with the community.	Willingness on the part of young people to appropriate community public spaces, as places for meeting, socialization among peers, freedom, and expression.	Adultocentrism in school and community: the excessive power and control exercised by adults that limit young people’s autonomy and action in community life and in the different dimensions of their lives.
To be and not to be heard and challenging the rules: the necessity to be understood, considered, and to disobey the rules when this does not happen.	Lack of effective listening to young people by local government and planning, in debates, in developing proposals for community change, and decision-making processes on issues that affect them.	School environment is not very encouraging to the participation and involvement of young people; students are excluded from intervening in the debate and decision-making processes about issues that involve them.

Figure 4. The group in the exhibition of their photographs and in the discussion with local policy-decision-makers (July 2021).