Youth Participation in U.S. Contexts: Student Voice Without a National Mandate

Abstract

Unlike the United Kingdom and other nations that mandate youth participation to some degree, U.S. policies instead tend to inhibit child participation rather than encourage it. Given these policy contexts, it can be challenging to locate spaces where robust opportunities for democratic participation and student voice exist. We use this article as an opportunity to examine the disciplinary, philosophical and methodological approaches that have framed youth participation in youth contexts. We conclude by identifying critical issues of citizenship and belonging that must be considered in participatory research.

La participación del alumnado en la vida del centro: una aproximación desde la comunidad educativa

“…A pesar del amplio acuerdo que suscita la CDN, distintas revisiones e investigaciones (Casas et al, 2008;Cots, 2005;Fuentes-Peláez, 2011;Trilla & Novella, 2011) han puesto en evidencia la baja aplicación real de los derechos que agrupamos bajo la denominada tercera P, de participación. De hecho, encontramos una realidad débil y anecdótica en experiencias de implicación de la infancia en la toma de decisiones, en las propuestas escolares que se desarrollan y en la vida del centro (Fielding, 2004;Lodge, 2005;Mitra, Serriere, & Kirshner, 2013).…”

Mandatory voice: Implementation of a district‐led student‐voice program in urban high schools

“…Best practices on student-voice initiatives require actively involving the students' ideas and encouraging their collaboration in decision-making processes within the context of their school (Mitra et al, 2014). In particular, research on student-voice initiatives suggests that there needs to be more space for student-initiated efforts in which youth assume responsibility for shaping the goals and procedures of their efforts while simultaneously enjoying the support of adults who enable youth to conduct the work (Mitra, 2009).…”

“…In particular, research on student‐voice initiatives suggests that there needs to be more space for student‐initiated efforts in which youth assume responsibility for shaping the goals and procedures of their efforts while simultaneously enjoying the support of adults who enable youth to conduct the work (Mitra, 2009). In youth participatory action research (YPAR), a popular student‐voice strategy, the role of adults often includes providing students with appropriate training to conduct basic research (e.g., data collection, analysis, and reporting) so that the students can identify and understand the nature of major issues in their schools or communities (Mitra, 2007; Ozer et al, 2008). In summary, best practices would then include some form of student support system, in addition to issue‐identification processes through student‐led data collection (e.g., peer surveys) to inform actions and make relevant recommendations (Mitra, 2009; Ozer et al, 2008).…”

Derechos de la Infancia y Ciudadanía Global: una aproximación desde la comunidad educativa

“…Son distintos los escenarios de acción dentro de la escuela donde puede darse la participación infantil. Susinos y Ceballos (2012) y Coiduras et al (2016) clasifican tres ámbitos escolares: (1) el ámbito del aula, donde se pueden dar procesos proactivos de toma de decisiones para desarrollar capacidades de reflexión (Fielding y Bragg, 2003;Nussbaum, 2006); (2) el ámbito de ciclos, etapas y centro educativo para desarrollar un clima educativo propicio al aprendizaje, la convivencia y el diálogo, así como la mediación en la resolución de conflictos (Bragg, 2007b); y (3) el ámbito del entorno, donde deben considerarse a los alumnos como miembros activos de la comunidad y cumplir con sus obligaciones y sus responsabilidades a partir de exponer sus proyectos (Coiduras et al, 2016), formar redes de centros (Mitra et al, 2014) o alcanzar implicaciones para toda la comunidad educativa (Trilla y Novella, 2001).…”