Search results for: hands on

Citizen Social Science brings together social science researchers and citizens focusing on social issues, social phenomena, and the social dimensions of the world while applying and integrating social science methodologies and theories in their collaborative research efforts. These characteristics influence, for example, the focus and management of the project, the role of the researchers and the citizens, the participatory work, and ethical concerns. There are many handbooks and guidelines for conducting citizen science, but mostly within natural sciences. Yet, there are few handbooks detailing hands-on citizen social science with young people, and focusing on co-creative qualitative or mixed-methods approaches. This handbook, and its toolkit, build on the experiences from the H2020 YouCount project (2021-2023) and represent a unique contribution to the field of citizen social science. It is, overall, an exercise on social science communication that can be useful to a wide array of publics: practitioners, academics, policymakers, youth organisations and anyone interested in citizen social science as a way of creating a future shaped by more inclusive, participatory research and social innovation.

You can take a look through the YouCount Handbook here: 

Citizen Social Science brings together social science researchers and citizens focusing on social issues, social phenomena and the social dimensions of the world, while applying and integrating social science methodologies and theories in their collaborative research efforts. These characteristics influence, for example, the focus and management of the project, the role of the researchers and the citizens, the participatory work, and ethical concerns. There are many handbooks and guidelines for conducting citizen science, but mostly within natural sciences. Yet, there are few handbooks detailing hands-on citizen social science with young people, and focusing on co-creative qualitative or mixed-methods approaches. This handbook, and its toolkit, build on the experiences from the H2020 YouCount project (2021-2023) and represent a unique contribution to the field of citizen social science. It is, overall, an exercise on social science communication that can be useful to a wide array of publics: practitioners, academics, policymakers, youth organisations and anyone interested in citizen social science as a way of creating a future shaped by more inclusive, participatory research and social innovation.

This deliverable describes what hands-on Youth Citizen Social Science (Y-CSS) looks like in practice in the YouCount multiple case study. Using data primarily from individual case reports from consortium partners, it compares and contrasts the experience of implementation across the 10 cases of Y-CSS. It builds upon the conceptual and methodological frameworks in D1.2 and D1.3, the ethical framework and work securing ethical approvals established in D2.1, the D1.5 Report from ECSA workshops, and the strategy for evaluating Y-CSS. A summary of ethical challenges and how these were dealt with will be elaborated upon in the upcoming D6.5 Ethics Final Report by January 31, 2024.

This deliverable includes a presentation of the social inclusion cross-case analysis of the 10 YouCount hands-on citizen social science (CSS) case studies. It explores three key empirical research questions: What are young people’s views on the critical issues for social inclusion? What are young people’s experiences with opportunities for social inclusion in their daily lives? What new means and policies to increase social inclusion are needed?This deliverable includes a presentation of the social inclusion cross-case analysis of the 10 YouCount hands-on citizen social science (CSS) case studies. It explores three key empirical research questions: What are young people’s views on the critical issues for social inclusion? What are young people’s experiences with opportunities for social inclusion in their daily lives? What new means and policies to increase social inclusion are needed?The primary source of data for the analysis presented in this deliverable is the final case study reports, based on a common template structuring the analytical dimensions, written by the professional researchers working on the 10 YouCount case studies. In addition, some preliminary findings from the YouCount App data analysis are also integrated.

Updated program, November 30, 2023

December 4: 14. 00 – 17.00  

Nordic House, Brussel, Rue du Luxembourg 3 / 5, 1000 Brussel

Pre-conference Workshop and Exhibition  

Update! First part of the workshop from about 14.00 – 14. 45 CET will be hybrid.
Link to the zoom webinar: https://oslomet.zoom.us/j/67322175440?pwd=TXExZzR6MnlPNmtld0tzWlhNNWxBQT09

The pre-conference workshop and exhibition is targeted for those interested in learning more about how to conduct hands-on citizen social science in practice, in general and with a special focus on young people. The workshop is based on the project’s multiple case study which includes ten local case projects in nine countries across Europe, and the exhibition will provide more concrete descriptions from the cases. 

The workshop will consist of a short introduction to the YouCount project and a conceptual framework for youth citizen social science. This will be followed by a short overview of key aspects of hands-on youth citizen social science as detailed in the agenda below.  

We will then invite participants to “take a journey throughout Europe”, select the places they would like to explore, and then visit our café tables with researchers and young citizen scientists from the ten cases, focusing on special aspects of doing citizen social science in practice. 

Our café tables will feature posters from the cases, including our many Oops and Aha moments to trigger sharing of experiences and discussions. 

During the workshop, we will also present and discuss a first draft of the upcoming Handbook and Toolkits for youth citizen social science for further refinement based on the participant’s feedback. 

Exhibition (onsite and virtual)

The exhibition is part of the workshop. Co-designed with co-researchers, it represents their own story, essential findings, and experiences. At each "station", young citizen scientists will guide participants through the case country's findings and possibly offer a small taste experience. 

Those participating online will have access to a simplified visual representation of the onsite exhibition. They will be able to investigate the different "stations” through the case countries and their findings. The exhibition will also be part of the interactive session about the potential for youth citizen social science and its challenges, a topic that will be discussed in the second day of the conference.

Link to the virtual exhibition: https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVNRkFnbk=/?share_link_id=680278430138

Agenda and time schedule for the workshop

Welcome reception 18.00 – 20.30 

Nordic House, Brussels, Rue du Luxembourg 3 / 5, 1000 Brussel

Please stay with us after the workshop for the Welcome Reception from 18.00 – 20.30 hosted by the Oslo Region European Office (ORE). 

At 18.30, we will have a greeting by Director of ORE, Gunnar Selvik, the Counsellor for research at the Mission of Norway to the EU Geir Arnulf and Reidun Norvoll, YouCount Coordinator, OsloMet.

December 5: 09.00 – 17.00 

(Exhibition lasts to 18.00)  

Final Conference (hybrid)

NH Brussels EU Berlaymont, Boulevard Charlemagne 11 - 19, 1000 Brussels 

The Final Conference will focus on presenting and discussing the main learnings from the YouCount project together with participants and key stakeholders from Europe and globally concerning our three main strands of inquiry: 

• To develop and validate a conceptual and methodological framework for hands-on youth citizen social science.
• To use this framework to empower young people and co-create new knowledge of social inclusion and social innovations with policymakers and other stakeholders.
• To increase knowledge of the actual outcomes and costs- and benefits of youth citizen social science, broadly understood. 

Streaming link (Vimeo) for the conference day

The program is split into four main sessions: 

Session 1: Introduction to the YouCount project

After a short introduction to the YouCount project by Project Coordinator Reidun Norvoll, Project Adviser and Project Officer Katharina Buse from the Research Executive Agency (REA) will connect YouCount to the overall ambition of the H2020 Science with and for Society programme. Our keynote speaker, Professor Alan Irwin will then contextualise the project in his introductory speech about the history and future of citizen social science. 

Session 2: Key findings and experiences related to the development, practices and evaluation of youth citizen social science

After presentations of the conceptual framework for youth citizen social science and research findings, there will be a "walk- and talk"- session in the exhibition area, where small groups discuss and identify some key potentials and challenges related to youth citizen social science.

These issues will inform a roundtable discussion, where young citizen scientists, representatives from the European Commission, academia and related EU citizen science projects will reflect on how citizen social science can be further improved and supported. So far, Policy Officer Gabriella Leo from the European Commission, DG R&I, Open science and Research Infrastructure Unit; Professor of Theory of Science Dick Kasperowski from Gothenburg University; Scientific Coordinator and COESO project coordinator Alessia Smaniotto; and, Science Adviser Asya Salnikova from the Time4Cs project will participate in the discussions.

Session 3: Findings from YouCount on social inclusion and innovation - implications for social sciences and social and youth policymaking

The next session after the lunch break, will focus on the role of citizen social science for social change through social innovation and policymaking. After a presentation of results concerning social innovation, we will look closer into the findings from the social inclusion research and discuss the most important and interesting findings in interactive group discussions. 

Young citizen scientists, social scientists including Josep Perelló, CoAct project coordinator and OpenSystems-UB research; key stakeholders such as Deputy Head of Unit Mina Stareva from the European Commission, Fair Societies & Cultural Heritage; representative from the European Youth Forum Boshko Stankovski; Sandra Paola Alvarez from the International Organisation of Migration Europe; and, Tomas De Groote from Sociale InnovatieFabriek will share their own perspectives.

Session 4: You Count's overall impact and way forward in the European and international context.

This session will look closer into the possible impact of youth citizen social science based in the findings from the YouCount project, and then discuss implications for the European and international context featuring Claudia Fabó Cartas, Project officer at ECSA and Project Manager of the EU-funded project ECS, and Laone Bukamu Hulela, Director of Youth Alliance for Leadership and Development in Africa (YALDA) who will share closing remarks.

Agenda

This deliverable includes a presentation of the social innovation analysis of the ten YouCount hands-on citizen social science (CSS) case studies implemented under YouCount WP3 Task 3.3 'Cross-case analysis of local innovation, social change and the innovative potential of CSS'. The cross-case social innovation analysis explored the ten YouCount hands-on CSS case studies as social innovation processes that created new framings for youth social inclusion, provided space for new social encounters for social actors otherwise rarely meet (including most prominently intergenerational encounters), developed new social practices for collaborative research and innovation, and enacted a new temporality compared to conventional social science research. The cross-case social innovation analysis also explored the CSS cases as creating social impacts at multiple levels that included the increased self-confidence of R-YCS, the enhanced sense of accomplishment and pride by R-YCS, the strengthened feeling of social belonging by R-YCS, the establishment of new network constellations, the importance of 'research relationships,' the enactment of a relational approach to doing research, the stakeholders' perspective change on youth, and the future collaborations that were inspired. The technological perspective on the YouCount cases highlighted the role and impacts of technology and digital tools in CSS. The adaptation of these tools had both positive and negative effects on social inclusion, engagement, learning processes and interpersonal interactions. The analysis showed that the normalisation of technology can lead to digital fatigue  – with young people opting for analogue, offline methods  –  and a digital divide  –  when certain members of the CSS research groups need further support in interacting with technology in the research process. Finally, analysing the role of CSS in social innovation revealed that 'CSS as social innovation' can be detected in the YouCount cases as 'enacting CSS as a micro-level social inclusion process' and as 'a relational research approach', while some limitations are also shared. CSS as a tool for social innovation can be demonstrated through the creativity it enables, the 'school of democracy' and empowerment it enacts, the innovative potential it may bring to some sectors (e.g. education, employment), while some cautionary notes are also provided on the paradox of technology mediation. 

You are invited to be a young citizen scientist! Can you identify where young people feel included by sharing your own experience?

With the YouCount App, you can help improve what we know about opportunities available to young people to take part in society. With youths from nine European countries – Austria, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom – you’re asked to share your daily life experiences of participating, belonging, and citizenship in society. Where and when do you feel that you belong? How do you take part in society and the local community? What makes you feel supported and that your voice is heard? Through the app, share the places where you spend time, activities you do, who you spend time with, and what these all mean to you.

Share your experiences

As a young citizen scientist, you’d be sharing your experiences with other young people and researchers in the YouCount App.
YouCount is a research and innovation project using hands-on citizen science funded by the European Union, and we aim to address one of Europe’s most pressing challenges: How to increase social inclusion for young people?

Find more information on your country's landing page:

This deliverable presents an early methodological framework for the hands-on youth citizen social science (Y-CSS) study, describing our plans for data collection and analysis which remain under development, including the YouCount App toolkit that will be piloted in Spring 2022.

The overarching objective of YouCount is to generate new knowledge and innovations to increase the social inclusion of youth at risk of exclusion across Europe through co-creative youth citizen social science. Overall, YouCount targets two strands of inquiry: 1) knowledge about social inclusion and how to create social change through the involvement of young citizen scientists and 2) contributing to the scientific knowledge base for Y-CSS for increased scaling. This is reflected in the specific objectives below.