Youth as Researchers

The Youth as Researchers Training Programme created by the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, NUIG seeks to deliver research skills and workshops to groups of young people nationally and internationally to enable and empower them to conduct their own research. The programme was developed by a team of researchers and youth researchers at UNESCO CFRC and operates under the guidance and academic directorship of Prof Pat Dolan.

In partnership with Foróige, Ireland’s largest National Youth Organisation, young people in Ireland have led on small-scale social research projects within their communities since 2014. The aim of the YAR Programme is to build the capacity of youth to carry out action research on issues of concern to their lives and their wider community and to enhance the dissemination of their research findings with a view to influencing change. This goal is achieved by delivering research skills training to youth and supporting them to disseminate the key messages from their research, primarily by producing short videos depicting their findings available here.

The “Youth As Researchers on COVID-19” Initiative

UNESCO’s “Youth As Researchers on COVID-19” initiative was launched in 2020 to enable youth-led research on how the pandemic has impacted their lives. Beyond youth-generated knowledge, the initiative has been bringing youth voice to the fore and investigating and documenting successful youth-led solutions to the challenges created by the crisis. In only a few months, the initiative became the largest initiative worldwide, with more than 6000 applications. The program supports youth globally in conducting their research and to develop actionable solutions. This approach is critical to leveraging the contribution of youth for COVID-19 recovery and to ensuring that their voice is heard.

Full details are available here.

Cillian Murphy & Youth as Researchers

The acclaimed Irish actor and Centre patron Cillian Murphy has supported the delivery of youth research skills workshops and has participated in the UNESCO Youth Forum in Paris alongside members of the research team.

Read more about Cillian Murphy's work with the Centre here.

Supporting Young People Taking Action

The mission of the UNCFRC is to help create the conditions for excellent policies, services and practices that improve the lives of children, youth and families

In Conversation with Cillian Murphy UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre

Cillian Murphy appeared as a special guest of the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre on 31st January 2014 for a screening and discussion of the of the film 'Broken'