Creating ownership: Strengths and tensions in co-production with children, young people, and adults across contexts

This peer-reviewed paper examines how including young people as co-researchers in research projects, particularly in peace-building contexts, creates shared knowledge and improves research quality. The authors reflect on their experience of horizontal collaboration with children and young people across multiple countries. The work argues that involving young people in research increases its legitimacy and makes it a stronger foundation for policy decisions. The paper explores both the strengths and challenges of this co-production approach.

Key points

• Including young people in research leads to shared knowledge creation
• Young people's involvement increases honest communication in research
• Co-production enhances the legitimacy of research findings
• Research co-produced with young people provides a more effective base for policy creation
• The paper reflects on horizontal collaboration processes across different contexts

Limitations

The document is an abstract and does not provide detailed empirical findings, quantified outcomes, or specific examples of the tensions and strengths identified. It does not specify which countries or contexts the research covered or how effectiveness was measured.