Open AccessA Phenomenological Examination of Context on Adolescent Ownership and Engagement Rationale
Author(s) -
Melissa Cater,
Krisanna Machtmes,
Janet Fox
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the qualitative report
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2160-3715
DOI - 10.46743/2160-3715/2013.1530
Subject(s) - autonomy , psychology , context (archaeology) , meaning (existential) , youth engagement , community engagement , pedagogy , social psychology , developmental psychology , sociology , public relations , psychotherapist , political science , paleontology , law , biology
Youth ownership and engagement are foundational pieces of the service - learning cycle. Youth voice is posited as a promising practice for building engagement and ownership. As community programs search for proven methods of sustaining youth participation, research that examines the links between practice and outcomes is essential. This study is a phenomenological examination of how adolescents in a non - formal youth development program make meaning of having a voice and its contributions to their ownership and engagement of the program. Findings indicate that an autonomy - supportive environment is a prerequisite for engagement and ownership to develop.