Youth Participatory Action Research and School Improvement - The Missing Voices of Black Youth in Montreal

Oct 15, 2026

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The article examines a youth participatory action research (YPAR) project conducted in Montreal (2009–2010) with Black high school students aged 15–18 across four city schools. The project engaged youth in analyzing factors that enhance or impede school success and in co-identifying solutions to reduce the high dropout rate among Black students. Findings show that YPAR deepens understanding of how family, peers, school, and neighborhood shape students’ experiences. The youth recommend higher expectations, positive teacher–student relationships, multicultural curricula including Black history, innovative pedagogy, expanded extracurriculars, and partnerships with Black community organizations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages25

Reading Time1 h 3 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Youth Participatory Action Research and School Improvement: The Missing Voices of Black Youth in Montreal Anne-Marie Livingstone Johns Hopkins University Jacqueline Celemencki McGill University Melissa Calixte Université du Québec à Montréal Abstract The article discusses the implementation and results of a youth participatory action research (YPAR) project carried out with black high school students in 2009 and 2010 in Montreal, QC. The aim of the project was to involve black youth in studying the factors that either enhance or impede their success in school and thereby have them identify solutions that would be effective in reducing the high dropout rate of black students in Montreal. The participating students were 15 to 18 years of age, attended four high schools located across the city, and thus represented the cultural and linguistic diversity of Montreal’s black community. The results demonstrate that YPAR can lead to a deeper Canadian Journal of Education / Revue canadienne de l’éducation 37:1 (2014)©2014 Canadian Society for the Study of Education/ Société canadienne pour l’étude de l’éducation [www.cje-rce.ca](www.cje-rce.ca) and fuller understanding of the factors that shape students’ experiences and performance in school than research that ignores the voices of young people. The study shows that black youth believe academic achievement is influenced by multiple and inter-related factors, including family, peers, school, and neighbourhood. The youth contend that high schools must do more to support black students by setting high expectations for success, maintaining positive teacher–student relations, integrating multicultural curricula such as courses on black history, promoting more innovative pedagogies in the classroom, expanding the range of extra-curricular activities, and working more closely with black community organizations. Keywords: youth participatory action research, black students, academic achievement, success in school, school policy, school improvement, high school dropout Résumé Cet article présente les résultats d’un projet de recherche participative qui s’est tenu en 2009–2010 avec un groupe de jeunes élèves noirs fréquentant des écoles secondaires de Montréal (Québec). L’objectif du projet était d’impliquer des jeunes noirs dans un processus d’étude des facteurs pouvant encourager ou inhiber leur succès scolaire, et ainsid’identifier avec eux des mesures pouvant réduire les taux de décrochage scolaire des étudiants noirs à Montréal. Les élèves recrutés pour ce projet étaient âgés de 15 à 18 ans et fréquentaient quatre écoles secondaires situées dans différents quartiers de l’îlede Montréal, et ainsi représentaient bien la diversité culturelle et linguistique des communautés noires de Montréal. Les résultats démontrent que les recherches participatives impliquant des élèves peuvent mener à une compréhension plus riche et plus profonde des facteurs qui influencent les expériences et les performances scolaires des élèves que les études qui ne prennent pas en considération leurs considérations. Les résultats de notre étude démontrent que les jeunes noirs y ayant participé expliquent que la réussitescolaire est influencée par des facteurs multiples et interreliés, incluant la famille, les pairs, l’école, et la communauté environnante. Ces jeunes croient que les écoles devraient offrir plus de soutien aux étudiants noirs afin qu’ils et elles réussissent, avec des mesures telles un meilleur climat à l’école, des interrelations positives entre les étudiants et les Canadian Journal of Education / Revue canadienne de l’éducation 37:1 (2014) [www.cje-rce.ca](www.cje-rce.ca) enseignants, l’implantation d’un curriculum interculturel incluant des cours sur l’histoire des noirs, des approches pédagogiques variées et novatrices, un plus grand choix d’activités parascolaires, et des partenariats avec des organismes de la communauté noire. Mots clés : recherche participative

FAQs

What was the purpose of the youth participatory action research (YPAR) project in Montreal?

The project aimed to involve Black youth in studying factors that enhance or hinder school success and to identify solutions that could reduce Black student dropout rates in Montreal.

Who participated in the study, and where was it conducted?

Black high school students aged 15 to 18 participated in 2009–2010 in Montreal, attending four high schools across the city.

What factors do the participating Black youth say influence academic achievement?

Academic achievement is influenced by multiple inter-related factors, including family, peers, school, and the surrounding neighbourhood.

Oct 15, 2026

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