The objective of the project is to create new knowledge on the factors and expressions of young people’s (13-25 years old) participation, its authenticity in formal and non-formal education settings, as well as in extracurricular activities; develop strategies and practical solutions for the promotion of authentic and meaningful participation both on individual level and in the interaction of involved stakeholders; make an epistemological and practical contribution to the development of a youth-centred participatory approach.

A methodology in which the boundary between researchers, educators and young people is made permeable has been chosen: design-based implementation research, participatory action research, and participatory evaluation research. Visual methods, including digital storytelling and photovoice, will be used to explore young people's experiences. The research project will be implemented by the Latvian Academy of Culture and its interdisciplinary researchers’ team experienced in research on democratic and participatory processes, as well as on the youth sector. Testing and validating new forms of civic participation will contribute to an open and democratic learning environment. Apart from scientific publications, a range of applied results are planned aimed at recommendations for youth and education policy makers. The impact of the project is planned on the field of education sciences, as well as youth sociology, and their research community in Latvia un abroad.

Anda Laķe (Project Leader)

Baiba Tjarve (Lead Researcher)

Līga Vinogradova (Lead Researcher)

Gints Klāsons (Participant)

Liene Valdmane (Participant)

Sabīne Ozola (Participant-Student)

Laura Brutāne (student participant)

Execution of the project has been divided into five work packages (WP):

Work package 1: Continuity: the development of a theoretical framework and analytical model based on existing research. (Leader, contact person of WP: Anda Laķe, Līga Vinogradova)

Objectives: Analyse the conceptualisation of civic participation, youth participation, authentic participation in different research approaches, focusing on 1) the main determinants of civic participation, 2) research approaches to youth participation in formal and non-formal education settings. Critically assess the potential of applying international research approaches, analytical models and good practices from abroad in the study of youth civic participation in Latvia, in the development of authentic and meaningful forms of youth participation. Identify operational definitions and indicators of 'preconditions for youth civic participation', 'authentic and meaningful youth civic participation' in formal and non-formal education settings.

Work package 2: Exploring the current situation: dominant forms of youth participation in educational settings. (Leader, contact person of WP: Baiba Tjarve, Gints Klāsons)

Objectives: To examine the current situation: to identify the main factors influencing the active civic participation of young people in Latvia and the formation of links with the local community and the state; to assess the formal (general and vocational secondary education and higher education) and non-formal education environment as an institutional framework for civic participation (learning culture, governance and administration: the leadership structure, policies and decision-making processes that shape the institution; parental and/or community involvement, etc.); to identify the dominant forms of youth civic participation in formal and non-formal education environments.

Work package 3: Authentic and meaningful forms of youth civic participation in and outside educational settings: case studies of good practice. (Leader, contact person of WP: Līga Vinogradova, Gints Klāsons)

Objectives: To identify existing examples of good practice in Latvia and abroad, where authentic and meaningful civic participation activities, developed and practised independently by young people, can be identified in or outside formal and non-formal education settings. To identify existing barriers and prerequisites for their development, in order to develop solutions for the implementation of a youth-centred approach in youth policy and education settings.

Work package 4: Practical validation of the prerequisites for authentic and meaningful participation in a real educational environment. (Leader, contact person of WP: Līga Vinogradova, Liene Valdmane)

Objectives: Conduct design-based implementation research to test and validate authentic and meaningful youth civic participation practices and mechanisms that encourage participation in both formal and non-formal education institutions at the national and local level. Using a co-research approach, develop forms of youth participation that can be seamlessly integrated into formal education environments.

Work package 5: Project management, communication, synergies with stakeholders. (Leader, contact person of WP: Baiba Tjarve, Gints Klāsons)

Description of work: The WP concerns the correct and effective overall management and coordination of the UNFRAMED project. It aims to ensure efficiency and coherence of the project activities and to monitor the progress obtained, as well as to ensure optimal interaction between the applicant and social partners. The management includes administrative and financial tasks of the project. The coordination concerns organisation of the project activities, including organisation of project meetings, stimulating and facilitating dissemination of results and international collaboration.

Data management plan of the research project “UNFRAMED”

here

International webinar on youth civic participation with British researcher Dan Moxon | 07.02.2025.

On 7 February, in an international webinar, British youth participation researcher Dan Moxon presented to the project team his work on promoting meaningful and inclusive youth participation, with a particular focus on creating dialogue to ensure that young people's voices are heard and influence the decision-making process. Dan pointed to the increasing emergence of new forms of participation (including digital) and described the preconditions for meaningful and authentic participation that he has defined in his research and practice over the last twenty years.

The webinar outlined the different forms of participation that are being researched and analysed in the scientific community, and pointed to the different reasons for the low rates of formal participation among young people. Dan stressed that meaningful and authentic participation is based on building long-term collaborations, where youth workers and organisations also play an important role, as they can be key intermediaries in the dialogue between researchers and young people.

Dan's experience in addressing the lack of participation, for example in the education sector, provided a multidimensional insight into youth research and highlighted the potential challenges and risks in exploring the participatory component. Issues around the role, behaviour and approach of the researcher in working with young people were also raised in discussion, where Dan outlined a number of practical solutions that could be used in future project development and fieldwork.

Dan Moxon is a researcher and practitioner specialising in inclusive youth participation with over 20 years' experience working with children and young people. His work focuses on how children and young people's participation can influence policy and the development of participatory structures and processes. Originally a youth worker at local and regional level in England, he now works across Europe and beyond, supporting a range of organisations to develop their approaches to youth participation.

Presentation of the results of the first phase of the study at the Conference of the European Sociological Association in Portugal | 27.08. - 30.08.2024.

At the European Sociological Association (ESA) conference "Tension, Trust and Transformation", which took place in Porto, Portugal, the researchers of the "UNFRAMED" shared the first results and findings of the project, in the paper "Cultural Practices in Formal Education as an Arena for Youth Authentic and Meaningful Civic Participation" (authors: Anda Laķe, Līga Vinogradova, Sabīne Ozola).

Fieldwork at the Democracy Festival in Kuldīga and the Youth Festival "Kopums" in Livani | 3.08. and 12.08.

On 3 August the Democracy Festival in Kuldīga and on 12 August the Youth Opportunities Festival "Kopums" in Livani hosted the fieldwork of the research project "UNFRAMED" implemented by the Institute of Arts and Cultural Studies of the Latvian Academy of Culture, which was attended by project participants Liene Valdmane and Sabīne Ozola, as well as Latvian Academy of Culture graduate Anne Katrīna Norenberga.
Representatives of NGOs and other stakeholders in Kuldīga and young people from all over Latvia in Livani shared their experiences of how they have managed to get involved and participate themselves or motivate others to get involved in order to change and improve the environment around them. The stories will be collected and used in the future research process.