Youth Participatory Action Research as a Catalyst for for Health Promotion in a Rural South African School

Youth Participatory Action Research
Arts-based methods

This research project is concerned with the poor holistic wellbeing of the learners in a rural high school in Limpopo, South Africa. Fourteen grade 10 volunteer learners collaboratively work with the co-authors to address and present the school shortcomings. Using arts-based methods, the learners were successful in raising awareness of the negative effects they were suffering as a result of the poor social-emotional climate in the school, the unsanitary facilities and the lack of opportunities to engage in physical exercise. Then various actions were taken to promote a healthy school. The agency of the learners during the entire process of the research is vital to this project.

The first author (Maite Mathikithela) was also a teacher at the high school. The second author (Lesley Wood) had worked with Mathikithela before this project. The grade 10 learners who participated in the project had a clear understanding of the project and were given agency to conduct their part of research. Both authors made sure that the learners did not get consequences from their teachers when they exposed the mental and physical abuse they experienced.

The theory of Change that I see the co-authors and learners working within and towards, is one sustainable change through policy informed from the bottom up. A theory of change that challenges authority (ex: principals and the ministry of education). A theory of change that places students' ways of learning and researching in the middle of the project and informs the outcome. There is a clear learner agency orientation throughout the research project.

Here are a couple outputs produced through the research:
‘Keep a girl child at school’ a project for the ongoing collection of sanitary towels.
‘Youth Civilians of Patrol’ is an initiative for the prevention of substance abuse, gambling on the school premises and the vandalism of school property.

All schools in South Africa are to have a School Based Support Team (SBST). The team is composed of community development leaders, teachers, learners, parents and more. However, none had existed at this school prior to this research project. After the participants presented the research findings to, the administration team requested that the lead author organize training to set up one.

“The aim is to improve school access, retention and achievement.” (Mathikithela and Wood, 2021, p. 148)

“Emotional and relational wellness foster the ability to recover from stress, trauma and adversity (Durlak et al., 2011) and enable individuals to set priorities, build relationship with others and have a positive view of life despite their daily challenges” (Mathikithela and Wood, 2021, p. 148)

Education
Public Health Studies
Pedagogy Studies