‘Invisible’ young people: The paradox of participation in research

Abstract

Researchers argue that many young people are marginalized or excluded from today's consumer society and invisible to many official agencies and community services. Researchers have also more recently begun to extol the principles of involving young people in their work. Through liaison with one key support agency in the North East of England, six young people aged between 17 and 21 years who were not in employment, education or training were identified as willing to become involved and trained as co-researchers in an action research project to explore their ‘invisibility’. The young co-researchers resisted the original research plan and proposed methods, and instead established their own agenda. This alternative agenda demonstrated their considerable knowledge of and connections with ‘People, Places and Money’. The authors conclude, first, that far from being excluded, on the ‘outside’ of social life, these young co-researchers were involved, informed and thoroughly engaged with it. Secondly, the researchers questioned the ethical implications of ‘involving’ the young people as co-researchers. The significance of these issues for future research is discussed.

Keywords:

• Empowerment
• action research
• ethical issues
• excluded young people

Notes

*Part of this research was presented originally at the 2nd Child and Teen Consumption Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark, April 2006.