Abstract

This chapter is based on a doctoral study that looked at youth participation practice in Scotland. It was driven by the belief that young people have the right to have a voice and should actively be involved in effecting change within their communities. The overall aim of the research was to gain insight into the lived experiences of young people who have taken part in youth participation projects, and to examine themes of social justice, empowerment and critical consciousness, empowerment and conscientisation. Paulo Freire’s theories and principles for transformative educational practice formed the theoretical framework for analysis of data.