Researching with youngsters: challenges and perspectives on the relationship between researchers and youngsters

Abstract

The present paper reports an experience that seeks to discuss the attitude of researchers towards youth when performing investigations. This reflection comes from a PhD project proposal that aims to elucidate the concept of health held by these individuals, in addition to the demands and needs that they present vis-à-vis health promotion. The focus is on the elaboration of studies with youngsters structured on the performance of this pilot study, in which it was possible to approach issues on the field of research with youth and health-related analyzers structured by youngsters. Young people criticized researches that do not allow data to be returned to the community, as well as the utilization of nonyoung interlocutors to explain the demands and needs expirienced by young people. The conception of the young as yet-to-be people is evident in their discourse, which puts them into a passive position regarding the world, which is not real. Young people argue that this fact justifies policies that are imposed upon them without previous negotiations. We conclude that further research is needed to try to know better the day-to-day routines of young people and that working solely on youth health risks and vulnerability is inadequate