Opening Plenary Session: Nothing About Us, Without Us: Youth Speak Out About What Researchers Should Know About Youth

Irrespective of complex, but necessary, IRB issues, engaging youth in research inquiry requires unique skills that some researchers may not have fully considered.   The engagement of youth as partners in research and evaluation efforts is relatively new.  The underlying philosophy of the positive youth development movement has influenced scholars and practitioners to include youth as partners in the design and implementation of research involving issues that affect their lives. Engaging youth in research and evaluation not only generates useful knowledge for communities and individuals but also provides opportunities for the development and empowerment of youth participants, leading to benefits for young people, organizations, the broader community, and the research process.Utilizing the voices of young people from child welfare, juvenile justice, and school systems, this plenary will facilitate a dialogue between young people and researchers to encourage and provoke thoughtful examination of the core issues that researchers should consider when engaging youth in scholarly inquiry.