On PAR with young people: learnings from the SARUA project

The Student Action Research for University Access (SARUA) is a participatory action research project between groups of senior high school students, their schoolteachers and university staff. During the 8 years of its activities in at least 17 high schools in the greater metropolitan area of Brisbane, Australia significant learnings have developed about working with students on projects that affect their own lives. This article problematises aspects of partnerships and collaboration between two diverse cultures of the university and the school and discusses the benefits of such collaboration, some of the challenges faced and the responsibilities of the university partners in facilitating action research with young people.