It allows young people to examine the systems that marginalise them - and take action to dismantle them.
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By embedding relational gathering, working, and thinking into emancipatory research and design, we create a model that is not just participatory but transformative.
Instead of treating young people as subjects of research, we position them as the architects of new knowledge, ensuring their insights and leadership directly influence policies, funding decisions, and programme design.
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By integrating relational approaches with emancipatory research and design, we move beyond traditional models of youth engagement.
At Citizens for Change, our Solutions and Services are nuanced, varied, and multi-dimensional. Yet, they all strive towards a common goal: to nurture the inner and collective power of young people and mobilise them as drivers of systemic change.
Unleashing power is a transformative journey. It fosters self-awareness, deepens understanding, and empowers young people to:
- Recognise and challenge oppressive systems
- Question harmful unwritten rules
- Embrace the innate power they possess
In a world facing interconnected crises - which disproportionately impact young people, especially those most marginalised - it has never been more crucial to support young people in shaping their own destinies for the collective good.
We believe that when young people have the skills, resources, and opportunities to lead, they can transform themselves and their communities.
However, despite making up half of the world’s population, young people continue to face systemic barriers that limit their ability to drive meaningful change.
Despite their creativity, resilience, and lived expertise, young changemakers often face:
Young social innovators frequently work unpaid and struggle to access the funding, mentorship, and networks that would enable them to thrive.
Youth-focused organisations and researchers often lack the frameworks and reflexive practices needed to engage young people as true co-creators rather than passive recipients.
Even funders and agencies committed to shifting power face structural and capacity challenges that prevent them from embedding youth leadership at the heart of their work.
Mobilising young people as leaders of systemic change is, therefore, central to our work. Guided by our values of equity, collaboration, and boldness, we challenge power dynamics, amplify youth voices, and drive meaningful transformation.
At Citizens for Change, we believe that true transformation happens when young people actively shape the research, policies, and solutions that impact them.
This foundation enables us to challenge traditional hierarchies and support young people in owning the knowledge and change they create. Our approach to change is underpinned by:
We engage in dialogue with young people to listen to and learn from their lived experiences.
We create spaces for young people to articulate their perspectives, ensuring their knowledge is acknowledged and valued.
We challenge traditional power dynamics by positioning young people as co-creators rather than passive subjects.
We foster deep listening and collective reflection to co-create meaningful solutions.
We translate insights from Relational Gathering into actionable strategies that inform practice and programming.
We collaborate on problem-solving and co-create interventions that address the needs and aspirations of young people.
We implement an iterative process of action and reflection to develop adaptive and impactful solutions.
We centre youth agency to challenge traditional hierarchies and cultivate collective ownership of change initiatives.
We collectively analyse data and experiences to build a nuanced understanding of systemic change.
Our practice is underpinned by three theoretical frameworks; Relational Wellbeing, The Powercube, and Protective Behaviours.
We use Social Network Analysis to deeply understand how the circle of care around young people evolves and supports their relational wellbeing.
We cultivate a culture of continuous learning and adaptation, ensuring our methodologies evolve dynamically to stay responsive and impactful.
Why emancipatory research and design?
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Emancipatory research and design is the natural extension of our relational approach. It is not just a method, but a catalyst for systemic change.
Unlike traditional research and design, which extracts knowledge from young people, emancipatory research and design returns power to them. It is a process through which young people:
Collectively agree upon the new knowledge they want to produce.
Become aware of their rights and the structural causes of their marginalisation.
Co-create a safe space for themselves and their peers, in which they support one another to exercise their agency.
Co-design and implement practical solutions to the issues they care about.
Amplify their wisdom to challenge traditional notions of knowledge production, ownership, and dissemination.
This means young people don’t just contribute to change.
At Citizens for Change, we believe in the power of collaboration to create meaningful change.
Whether you’re a young changemaker, researcher, organisation, or funder, we want to partner with you.
Are you a young
Join our Youth Advisory Committee.
We provide you with the systems, spaces and support structures to meaningfully engage in shaping the direction of our organisation.
Joining our Youth Advisory Committee will enable you to:
- Help shape our programmes and strategies
- Connect with a network of like-minded changemakers
- Gain mentorship and leadership development opportunities
Tell us about your work, and we’ll amplify your impact!
We showcase your innovation, energy and wisdom via our communications.
Share your initiative with us, and we will:
- Feature your work in our platforms and networks
- Connect you with potential partners
- Support you in expanding your reach and impact
Are you a youth-focused
Join our Community of Practice.
Collaborate with other researchers who are committed to youth-led, participatory approaches.
As a Research Associate, you will:
- Engage in knowledge-sharing, peer learning, and solidarity building via quarterly learning exchanges
- Gain opportunities to design, implement and bid for cutting-edge work
- Contribute to co-creating new ways of thinking about youth engagement
Are you a young researcher from the
currently studying at a university?
Learn how to design and implement emancipatory research with and for young people.
Our training programmes equip young researchers with the skills to create change through emancipatory research.
We will teach you how to:
- Develop research that is community-driven and action-oriented
- Engage your peers as co-researchers, rather than just subject
- Turn insights into real-world solutions and advocacy strategies
Are you a youth-focused
Commission our bespoke, organisational development consultancy services to go from youth-focused to youth-led.
We provide hands-on support to help you become a healthier, more reflexive learning organisation that puts its values into action.
Our partnership will help you:
- Continuously learn from, adapt, and scale your impact
- Integrate youth-led, emancipatory approaches into your initiatives
- Evaluate and refine your programmes based on youth-led insights
Are you a youth-focused
Engage with emancipatory research that enhances youth wellbeing.
We help funders and agencies go beyond traditional approaches to truly understand and support young people.
By working with us, you will:
- Access youth-led, power-shifting research and design methodologies
- Learn how to fund and support youth initiatives equitably and sustainably
- Ensure your investments strengthen young people’s agency and leadership
