To learn about YPAR as a methodological approach, or more information about YPAR with our Coalition members and partners, click here.
Little Researchers of Creative Change
The Little Researchers of Creative Change (Little ROCCs) program brings together middle school students in 7th and 8th grade to conduct youth participatory action research (YPAR) in their schools, led by Dr. Jesse Chanin.
The Little ROCCs believe that young people should have voice and agency in our schools.
The Little ROCCs are trained in research design and implementation by professors and undergraduates at Tulane, Loyola, and Xavier universities. The group uses methods such as surveys, focus groups, interviews, and observation to research issues identified at participating schools and advocate for solutions that the youth researchers believe would make a difference. The Little ROCCs then work with school administrators, teachers, and other stakeholders to help make those solutions a reality.
The Little Researchers of Creative Change program was highlighted
in Tulane University’s newsletter. Check out the article here.
Elements of the Little ROCCs program include:
- Monthly Saturday cohort meetings where students meet other youth engaged in YPAR in the city, connect with community leaders, and learn how to effect change and advocate in their school communities.
- Weekly in-school meetings to support students as they design research projects relevant to trauma-informed practices in schools, select research methods (interviews, focus groups, surveys, etc.), and carry out data analysis and interpretation.
- A final showcase where students present their research findings at the end of the academic year.
- A month-long summer camp to continue their learning and develop a training for adult practitioners based on their research findings.
The video below highlights a training for adult practitioners developed by the 2023-2024 Little Researchers of Creative Change. This training was conducted during the opening of the 2024 – 2025 school year as a part of the Edible Schoolyard‘s professional development sequence with the Coalition.
Are you interested in having the Little ROCCs lead a training unlike any other your school team has experienced before? Check out our Targeted Implementation Support & Consultation program! Trainings in this program can incorporate the Little ROCCs training in the early stages of developing your trauma-informed plan.
Check out the work that has been done by each cohort of the Little ROCCs including their research findings, features in the news, photos, videos, and more!
2023 – 2024 School Year (Pilot Project)
Through a research grant from the Spencer Foundation implemented during the 2023-24 academic year, the Coalition for Compassionate Schools ran a YPAR pilot project – Little ROCCs – across three schools. Two of these schools previously participated in the Safe Schools NOLA study and implementation project. This opportunity gave students an opportunity to evaluate the progress their schools have made since initial implementation and look for action that could be taken to further build trauma-informed practices into their schools. The other school – Lafayette Academy – was a current partner in our Training of Trainers Project during the 23-24 school year. This allowed students to learn and study the need for trauma-informed practices alongside the leaders that were working to build these strategies into their school. One outcome of this pilot was to demonstrate the effectiveness of using YPAR as a method to collect and uplift student perspectives on their experiences in schools.
Check out the findings, photos, and more from the 2023 – 2024 YPAR Project.
2024 – 2025 School Year
Following the successes of the initial pilot project in 2023 – 2024, the Coalition for Compassionate Schools incorporated YPAR into its Trauma-Informed Schools Project. Three additional schools have identified youth leadership teams to conduct YPAR activities: KIPP Leadership, Foundation Prep, and Esperanza Academy.
Be sure to bookmark our 2024 – 2025 YPAR Project page and check back soon as research findings, photos and more become available.
For more information about the Little Researchers of Creative Change, contact us at researchersofcreativechange@gmail.com.