Amplifying youth voice in research for social change: The Youth Wellness Lab

Community-Based Research Canada presents “Responding to Crises: What is the Value of Community-Based Research?”: our fall 2024- spring 2025 e-learning series. In this E-Learning Series, Community-Based Research Canada showcases Community-Based Research as a tool for responding to current crises facing our society. Community-Based Research engages academic and community partners, including those more directly affected by the crises we face, to conduct action-oriented research leading to innovative solutions co-designed with community. We investigate how Community-Based Research can answer to crises and what value it adds in efforts to innovatively solve issues and advance social development goals. We highlight research projects that exemplify a Community-Based Research approach and have concretely responded to crises in areas such as societal inequities, climate emergency, housing, hunger, poverty, and more.

Sub-Theme: Responding to Health, Wellness, and Social Inequity: From September-December 2024, we will explore the sub-theme of community-based research projects that have responded to current societal issues in health, wellness, and social inequity. This sub-theme will culminate in an open discussion on this topic; anyone who attends any event in this series is welcome to join this discussion which will take place in December-January 2024.

Webinar: Amplifying youth voice in research for social change: The Youth Wellness Lab

The Youth Wellness Lab (YWL) is a hub for academic researchers, communitybased partners, and young people, aged 29 and under, to collaborate on  research and change-making efforts aimed at improving youths’ health and wellbeing. The YWL embodies its mission statement of “for youth, by youth” through  a model of shared governance between our youth researchers (who are now paid  UofT research staff) and adult academic mentors. By centering young people’s  voices and autonomy into its very structure, the YWL has spearheaded several  youth-led initiatives where young people have planned and executed all aspects  of projects. This presentation will describe the development of the lab and the  role of youth and community in setting research priorities and responding to  critical issues. We will also provide examples of youth- and community-led  projects that are representative of this work. 

The experience of being a young person is not a monolithic identity. To reflect  this, the YWL engages youth whose identities and lived experiences are too often  excluded from but are most impacted by issues of access and equity across  public systems. By engaging young people from disparate backgrounds, the lab  reinforces the truth that young people are the best and only people to speak  about their experiences and lives. Most importantly, by fostering the growth and  scholarship of our youth researchers, the YWL is contributing to the development  of cross-system inquiry, collaboration, and transformation.

Presenters:

Cam Bautista, Research Assistant, Youth Wellness Lab

Dr. Stephanie Begun, Associate Professor and RBC Chair in Applied Social Work Research, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto; Co-founder & co-director,  Youth Wellness Lab

Hajar Seiyad, Research Assistant, Youth Wellness Lab

Ayla Arhinson, Youth Research Assistant, Youth Wellness Lab

Bryn King, Assistant Professor, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto; Co-Founder & Co-director, Youth Wellness Lab

Cam Bautista is currently studying Child and Youth Care at Humber College. In their  capacity as a research assistant at the Youth Wellness Lab, they have developed a  strong passion for research and advocacy. Inspired by lived experience across various  systems, they hope to use their scholarship to increase trans and non-binary youth’s  access to affirming, safe, and appropriate care. As they enter the final year of their  undergraduate degree, they look forward to continuing their educational journey in  graduate school.

Dr. Stephanie Begun is an Associate Professor and RBC Chair in Applied Social Work  Research at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto. Her  research focuses on improving the health and well-being of equity-deserving youth, with  particular attention to youths' reproductive and sexual health access, education, and  outcomes. She is the co-founder and the co-director of the Youth Wellness Lab at the  University of Toronto, a hub for youth, academic researchers, and community-based  partners to collaborate on research and change-making efforts to improve youths’  health and well-being. Stephanie is also Cross-Appointed Affiliated Faculty with the  Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto, and a Faculty Affiliate with the  University of Toronto School of Cities. She was named Director, Social Work Research,  to the Contraception and Abortion Research Team (CART-GRAC), based out of the  University of British Columbia.

Hajar Seiyad is currently a Research Associate with YouthREX and a Research Assistant  with the Youth Wellness Lab. She studied a double major in Mental Health Studies and  Political Science at the University of Toronto, and she will be pursuing a Master's in  Public Health with Brock University this fall. She is an avid qualitative researcher  involved in initiatives focused on subjective well-being, patient-centered practice and  policy, health equity, and climate resilience. She is dedicated to co-creating  opportunities by youth and for youth, as well as building an equitable future for all. Being  part of YWL brings her joy and a sense of purpose as she works towards these goals  through research and advocacy.

Ayla Arhinson is an undergraduate student in York University’s Bachelor of Social Work  program and holds a diploma from the Assaulted Women and Children’s  Counselling/Advocacy program at George Brown College. She is passionate about  ending gender-based violence and supporting change-making initiatives that disrupt  systems of harm. They currently hold a Youth Research Assistant position with the  Youth Wellness Lab and are excited to continue developing their research and  advocacy skills.

Bryn King is an Assistant Professor at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and  the Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Youth Wellness Lab, a youth-driven collaborative  research hub housed at the University of Toronto. She is also an affiliated researcher at  the Children’s Data Network, University of Southern California and the California Child  Welfare Indicators Project, at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. King has over 16  years of clinical experience in a variety of settings, but much of her practice focused on  addressing the behavioral health impact of maltreatment and violence among children,  adolescents, and adults. Her research examines the epidemiology, service involvement,  and outcomes of children and youth who are maltreated and come to the attention of  the child protective system in North America, with a focus on disparities in involvement  and the experiences and trajectories of youth

*This event is intended for CBRCanada members only. If you are employed, studying, or affiliated with any CBRCanada member institution/organization, you are already considered a member. If you are unsure if your institution is covered, learn more here. Individuals whose institution is not on this list are welcome to register as an an individual member. We value community participation and have a free membership option for registered community mobilizers.