I was honoured to sit in on a design session with some of the young people who will be using the reading corner and Joana Debaj from Catalytic Action. Catalytic Action is a charity that uses design and architecture to empower youth and their communities. They achieve this by using a participatory approach that engages local communities.
The teens were eager to participate and share their ideas. I was particularly impressed with how encouraging they were of each other during the process. Crouched around the laptops, they took the lead in making sure that everyone was able to give their input.
Their continued enthusiasm and engagement throughout the planning session was a testament to Joana’s inclusive approach and the benefit of giving teens a voice and a degree of ownership in their environment and circumstances. This is true of all teens but even more so of refugees who have been stripped of so many basic means of control over their own lives that the rest of us take for granted.
This one planning session granted the teens an opportunity to act autonomously and receive support from peers which are two of the strategies that the following study found effective in fostering resilience in young refugees.
Lives on hold: A qualitative study of young refugees’ resilience strategies
Great work teens and Catalytic Action!