Student research fellows share what matters to them and their peers

If you work for an organization that serves young people — whether that’s a school, a nonprofit, or a foundation — you’ll likely want to know if you’re serving them well and how you can improve. Enter the "Youth Action Research Fellowship," which taps students as researchers and provides organizations with critical insights and actionable recommendations.

The challenge

Many of the Gardner Center’s community partners want to hear directly from the youth they serve, but they don’t have the research capabilities to solicit that input in ways that are meaningful, representative, and actionable. At the same time, these organizations want to help young people develop their own leadership skills and become community leaders.

The solution

The Gardner Center has developed and deployed a Youth Action Research Fellowship with six partners and guided more than 50 high school and college student researchers through a 12–16 week process. Each cohort is tasked with tackling specific questions that their organizations want to answer, plus questions the students want to address.

At the conclusion of each session, the student researchers deliver a presentation and memo outlining their findings and recommendations to key stakeholders. Topics and issues have ranged from dual enrollment to mental health to navigating college for first-generation students.

Key takeaways

Community organizations can gather high quality, authentic information when they tap students to research their peers. Common themes that emerged across recent cohorts include the importance of:

Teachers in encouraging academic success and a sense of belonging for students

Individualized attention and supports, e.g., tutoring, counseling, or flexibility in course selection

Easier access to mental health supports

Raising awareness about college early in high school

Connecting students with older peers as a source of information and support