WREXHAM YOUTH SERVICE
‘RIGHT 2 RESPECT’ YOUNG WOMEN’S PROJECT
PHASE 1 FINAL REPORT
SUSTAINABLE HEALTH ACTION RESEARCH PROGRAMME (SHARP)
2001-2002
‘RIGHT 2 RESPECT’ – WINNER OF A 2001 YOUTH WORK IN WALES EXCELLENCE AWARD
CONTENTS
1.0EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.1PURPOSE
1.2FINDINGS
2.0INTRODUCTION
2.1PROJECT DESCRIPTION
2.2PARTICIPANTS INVOLVED
3.0AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
4.0PROJECT TIMETABLE
5.0ACTION RESEARCH METHODS EMPLOYED
6.0PHASE ONE OUTCOMES
6.1DEVELOPING / SUSTAINING PARTNERSHIP WORKING
6.2SUPPORTING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
6.3EFFECTIVE / INEFFECTIVE PRACTICE
6.4TRAINING ISSUES
6.5BROAD ASSESSMENT OF PROGRESS AGAINST AIMS / OBJECTIVES
7. SUMMARY OF PHASE TWO PROPOSAL INCLUDING A BRIEF
DESCRIPTION OF HOW PHASE ONE INFORMED THE DEVELOPMENT
OF PHASE TWO.
8. AKNOWLEDGEMENTS
1.0EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.1PURPOSE
This report presents the key findings from a participative action research project focusing on the needs of young women within Wrexham, north Wales.
An action research group took part in a range of activities and learnt about action research skills culminating in a series of interviews with young women across Wrexham on a range of issues relevant to them.
Over the course of the project we were investigating the impact that working via an action research approach could have on young women’s services within Wrexham and also looking at future implications from the use of action research.
In addition the project initiated and continued to develop a range of projects targeted at addressing specific issues highlighted by the action research group. The majority of these projects have been developed in partnership with other agencies. Some of these projects have received funding to finance their development.
1.2FINDINGS
Action research Process
- The action research process is effective in developing high quality work with young people – in the case of R2R – young women.
- The action research process has enable young women to develop some innovative and exciting projects that will impact on the lives of young women across Wrexham.
- Action research is a positive tool in ensuring that research prompts action – in order to maintain community interest their views need to be seen to be changing the services that impact on their lives. The action also ensures that the project has a high profile and has an indirect impact on a range of other services.
- Action research has been shown to be a positive way of bringing together and empowering a section of the community whose views and needs are under-represented.
- It is necessary for more local authorities and relevant agencies to be aware of the methodology behind action research and how it can be applied to a range of different groups.
- It is clear that it is necessary to review and update the training opportunities for all professionals and volunteers working positively with young women. This will ensure that workers have a more informed, confidant approach to their work and offer a wider variety of opportunities to young women.
- Development work on the needs of young men needs to be initiated as young women’s lives are continuously influenced by young men. To maximise the work of R2R it is necessary to ensure that the needs of young men are being addressed including their perceptions, treatment and relationships with young women.
- Relevant funding bodies need to be made aware of the role of action research and how appropriate funding can enhance the process.
- Working in partnership with other agencies is an essential part of the action research process. The impact of the project will not be felt if the project works in isolation. R2R has ensured that a large number of young women have been made aware of the work of the project and had opportunities to participate in project led activities.
Interviews on needs of young women across Wrexham
Implications
- Young women are capable of leading effective interviewing on a range of different issues when given appropriate support and guidance.
- There is an identified need for a coherent partnership approach to support young women’s needs.
- Provision for young women should provide opportunities for young women to comment effectively on the services that are being provided.
- Young women should be provided with opportunities to talk about their ideas and feelings in a supportive environment.
- Young women should be given the opportunity to develop projects and strategies to address self identified issues.
- Services for young women need to be advertised in partnership with one another to ensure that all young women are informed of all services available to them.
- Issues need to be evaluated from the view of young women, as these are often different from those views of young men. For example transport worries for young women are often linked to perceptions of personal safety.
2.0INTRODUCTION
2.1PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The ‘Right 2 Respect’ project (R2R) was created in response to the needs of young women in Wrexham County Borough. These needs were communicated via a range of health professionals and youth workers who came together to form the Wrexham Young Women’s Working Group. They started exploring ways to assess current services available to young women and strategies to improve these in the future. The R2R project was developed as a partnership between representatives of the Working Group, the North Wales Research and Development Support Service (NWRDSS) and the Centre for Social Policy Research and Development (CSPRD). An action research approach underpins the project, which aims to raise awareness of the needs of young women and to impact positively on the way in which these needs are met. The action research cycles consider both evaluation and service developments.
2.2PARTICIPANTS INVOLVED
The participants involved in the R2R project are young women between the ages of 11 – 25. We have found during Phase One that most of the young women that have been involved in the project are between the ages of 13 – 17 years. This is mainly because this age range is most likely to be in school or attending youth centres or youth projects which have been are main focus.
The action research group, which has led Phase One, are young women who were attending the Groves High school, Wrexham.
They were within the age range 15 – 16 years.
They came from a variety of communities within Wrexham.
None of the participants had known learning or physical disabilities, however a number of the participants had a range of behavioural issues during the course of Phase One related in the main to problems within their home–life.
All the participants volunteered to be part of the project and set their own agendas within the project.
During the course of Phase One we initiated and developed a range of partnerships and projects which were available to young women. This has meant that a much wider group of young women have participated at some level within the R2R project.
In addition the R2R project workers have initiated a range of young women’s groups across the County Borough. The participants within each of these groups have contributed to the work of R2R by providing feedback on different activities and suggesting new strategies and ideas.
3.0AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
Aims:
- To develop an approach to working with girls and young women that is founded on an equal partnership, actively seeking, welcoming and responding to their views.
- Highlight the issues affecting the lives and life choices, health and well-being of girls and young women so that inequalities of opportunity, access and participation can be addressed.
- To encourage and support a sense of positive self- regard and personal value in all participants.
- To promote dialogue between those who provide services and those who might access them, and within and between those provider agencies.
Additional aims:
- To evaluate the impact of the project and its development on the capacity of young women’s work and services taking place within Wrexham County Borough.
- To raise the awareness of young women’s needs and issues within Wrexham communities, the local authority and a range of other relevant agencies.
- To seek and secure funding for successful projects developed within R2R in order to enable a wider range of young women to take part in them – i.e newsletter project, motor activities for young women etc.
Objectives:
- To train a group of approximately 12 young women in action research skills to enable them to explore the current situation, plan and initiate new ideas, and evaluate their success during the course of Phase One of the project.
- To initiate a range of projects led by the action research group that will impact on the lives of a wide range of young women within Wrexham County Borough.
- To work with the action research group to design and carry out a range of peer interviews with young women living in communities across Wrexham County Borough.
- To feed back data from the peer interviews to relevant agencies.
4.0Project timetable
The R2R Project Phase One took place within Wrexham County Borough from April 2001 to August 2002.
March - June 2001
Youth work practitioner / researcher appointed and starts work on project
Area visits to relevant groups working with young women
Discussions around potential focus for action research group
Meeting with NWRDSS to discuss options
Action Research group to be focused within the Groves High school
Group meeting arranged.
Action research group active.
Group guidelines created by group.
July -October 2001
Group explore a range of issues relevant to young women.
Create draft questions for peer interviews.
Three young women from AR group travel to Cardiff with youth workers to accept a ‘Youth Work in Wales Excellence Award’ from Jane Davidson AM.
Action research group plan and organise visit to Festival of Youth activity weekend in Weymouth, Dorset. AR group invite two other groups of young women to attend
AR group investigate possibility of using journalism skills to develop a newsletter project for young women.
Bid submitted to Social Risk Fund for Journalism project
Partnership with Motor activities Project initiated
November -February 2002
Festival of youth weekend takes place
Two part time project workers appointed and begin work with R2R
Peer interviews begun across the County.
18 young women take part in the initial young women’s forum development day, in order to discuss the appropriate format and to gather ideas
Peer interviews completed.
Sirens… project initiated after discussions with young women in AR group
March -August 2002
20 young women take part in residential focusing on community safety and personal safety issues.
Partnership between R2R and WCBC Leisure enables two groups of young women to participate in dance and aerobics sessions at no cost. This is to form a pilot study on how to attract more young women to be involved in sport and leisure activities.
Third part time project worker starts work
6 groups are trained in action research skills.
Begin work on community young women’s view community profiles.
5.0ACTION RESEARCH METHODS EMPLOYED
Introduction
This is an overview of the methods of data collection and analysis used in the research.
Methodological approach
Understanding the issues that affect young women is a difficult and complex activity.
An action research approach focusing on one group of young women was seen as a positive way to find out the views of some young women and how action research can be used to tackle those issues raised. The aim was to assess how using action research could initiate new projects and initiatives, and the impact the process would have on the participants.
The approach recognised the need for action in order to sustain the interest of the young women involved in the project. Therefore R2R has initiated one main action research cycle – namely the data collection via the peer interviews – however it has also initiated a range of other young women led action cycles such as the newsletter project and the Stay Safe project. These cycles were informed and guided by feedback from the young women involved in the project as well s data gathered from meetings, discussion and documents relevant to the specific area of work.
Location and study sample
The action research was carried out in Wrexham County Borough. Wrexham located in north Wales is a diverse County Borough encompassing a large town centre, a range of urban, rural and semi-rural communities. The County Borough has three strategy areas designated as having high levels of deprivation.
The Welsh language is growing within the County Borough however the main spoken language is English. There are pockets of communities where the Welsh language is used frequently. These tend to be in rural and semi-rural areas.
Young women attending the Groves High school formed the focused action research group.
The action research group was chosen to reflect an average group of young women. However it needs to be noted that we believe that the group could not speak on behalf of all young women in Wrexham.
The work of the R2R project has enabled participation from young women from a range of communities right across the County Borough.
The interviewees who enabled information to be gathered on a range of issues werefrom communitiesacross Wrexham and included urban areas, town centres communities, semi-rural and rural communities. In addition the young women who participated in the interviews represented a range of socio-economic communities including the three strategy areas within Wrexham County Borough which are acknowledged as having high levels of deprivation
There were 60 young women interviewed.
Young women’s peer interviews
The R2R youth work practitioner/ researcher worked in partnership with the action research team to identify a range of issues relevant to young women living within Wrexham County Borough. The action research group then used these issues to formulate a range of simple open-ended questions that would form the basis of the interview structure.
These questions were then shown to the interviewees who selected the areas that they were interested in talking about or the issue that they felt most relevant to their community.
The action research group decided to plan the interviews to take place in community youth centres. They thought this would be a relaxed environment for local young women to participate in the activity. They decided that the interviews should be as informal as possible and those two action researchers should interview two young women at a time. This was decided on the basis that the interviewers would feel less stressed and nervous about the prospect of leading the process if they were with a peer. They also thought that the young women being interviewed would be more likely to talk freely and expand on their answers if they were with a friend.
The action research group also decided that refreshments should be provided and that a quiet room or space should be used in order to maximise the value of the interviews.
Recording and analysis of interview data
The interview data was recorded in a number of ways. Dictaphones were used for the majority of the interviews. These were only not used when the interviewed group felt uncomfortable with them. During all interviews the interviewers took detailed notes.
The data was analysed initially by the youth work practitioner/ research worker and then fed back to the action research group for comments.
Other project work
In addition to the research interviews information was gathered by the R2R team throughout Phase One detailing events that were of interest, progress made, the wider impact of the project, changes to services that were influenced by R2R etc.
This data shows how much impact one project can have in raising awareness and increasing interest in an area of work.
During phase one of the project a number of initiatives were developed. Notes were kept on the progress of each initiative and each initiative was evaluated by young women involved and the R2R work team.
6.0PHASE ONE OUTCOMES
6.1DEVELOPING / SUSTAINING PARTNERSHIP WORKING
‘Right 2 Respect’ Project
There are a number of key partnerships within the R2R project.
These are the :-
North Wales Research Development Support Service – University of Bangor
Wrexham CBC Surestart
Wrexham CBC Youth and Community Service
North Wales Health Authority
Having a collaborative approach within the management team of the project has ensured that the work and progress of R2R has been disseminated to a wide range of projects and organisations working with young women. For more details see appendix 1.
New Partnerships
One of the biggest achievements of R2R has been the success of influencing the development of services that were currently being provided for young people or targeted at young women. The project has been able to influence a range of services - both directly and indirectly- to consider how they are meeting the needs of young women.