“There is just more love in it”: a qualitative study of youth voice and relatedness in U.S. youth circus programs

ABSTRACT

Recreational youth circus programs are a unique context for positive youth development. Anecdotal evidence suggests that young people feel heard in these programs, and research in other recreation settings shows that participation in decision making helps youth connect with others. The present study therefore examined how youth voice is supported at five youth circus programs across the United States through program observations and qualitative interviews with participants (N = 17, ages 12–18) and staff (N = 13). Thematic analysis revealed that both youth and staff felt their circus programs listen to youth members, although actual options for engagement varied. Furthermore, the love and acceptance of the circus community was omnipresent in the interviews; a feeling of belonging/relatedness even for individuals who felt excluded elsewhere. This study shows that youth circus can foster belonging and inclusion, and raises questions about the differences between perceived and actual opportunities for youth voice in recreation contexts.

Résumé

Les programmes de cirque récréatif pour les jeunes constituent un contexte unique pour le développement positif des jeunes. Des données anecdotiques suggèrent que les jeunes se sentent écoutés dans ces programmes, et des recherches menées dans d’autres contextes récréatifs montrent que la participation à la prise de décision aide les jeunes à se rapprocher des autres. La présente étude a donc examiné la manière dont la voix des jeunes est soutenue dans cinq programmes de cirque pour jeunes à travers les États-Unis, par le biais d’observations de programmes et d’entretiens qualitatifs avec les participants (N = 17, âgés de 12 à 18 ans) et le personnel (N = 13). L’analyse thématique a révélé que les jeunes et le personnel estiment que leurs programmes de cirque sont à l’écoute des jeunes membres, même si les options d’engagement réelles varient. De plus, l’amour et l’acceptation de la communauté du cirque étaient omniprésents dans les entretiens ; un sentiment d’appartenance même pour les personnes qui se sentaient exclues ailleurs. Cette étude montre que le cirque pour jeunes peut favoriser l’appartenance et l’inclusion, et soulève des questions sur les différences entre les possibilités perçues et réelles d’expression des jeunes dans les contextes récréatifs.

KEYWORDS:

• Youth circus
• youth voice
• relatedness
• adolescence
• recreation

MOTS-CLÉS:

• cirque de jeunes
• voix des jeunes
• appartenance
• adolescence
• loisirs

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the circus organizations and study participants for welcoming us and supporting this research and to the reviewers for their insightful comments and questions.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they do not have any financial interest related to the research described in this paper.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Fulbright Commission. The study originated at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague as part of the project “Youth Circus - Youth Voice in the Czech Republic and USA” supported by special-purpose funds intended for the specific tertiary education research provided by the Ministry of Education in the year 2022.

Notes on contributors

Barbora Adolfová

Barbora Adolfová (MA) is a doctoral candidate in Alternative and Puppet Theatre at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague and this research was conducted while she was a Fulbright-Masaryk visiting scholar in the Department of Park, Recreation, and Tourism Management at Pennsylvania State University. Her research focuses on youth circus and youth voice.

Jennifer P. Agans

Jennifer P. Agans (PhD) is an Assistant Professor of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management at the Pennsylvania State University. Her research focuses on positive youth development in recreation and physical activity contexts.