Anyone familiar with YPAR? How does one formally conduct such research?

Hello all,

I am currently an educational equity program leader working to close the opportunity gap for middle schoolers, with a background in teen leadership development and workforce training.

I am currently in the “fieldwork” phase of my goal to become an applied sociologist, currently in my fourth year of undergrad. I’m skilled at very beginner mixed-methods research, working with youth directly and visualizing program success for nonprofits. However, long term, I ultimately want to influence lasting reform of institutional policy for underserved and underrepresented communities, primarily youth equity. I’ve never conducted formal board-approved research, though I’ve drafted final research proposals throughout my undergraduate studies.

I randomly discovered, through a long THC-induced wikipedia binge, a form of qualitative research called “Youth Participatory Action Research,” in which an adult researcher empowers young scholars to act as co-researchers, in order to advocate for institutional equity policy directly from the youth perspective. Young co-researchers primary roles would be to identify inequities within their own schools/neighborhoods, while an applied sociologist guides them through the process of designing methods, conduct interviews and surveyes, and then analyzing and visualizing gathered data to present to school board members, local policy-makers, and community leaders.

That sounds like my dream job. However, is this feasible? Ethical? Truly impactful systemically? And in the long-term, can this be made into a stable investment for my lifestyle? Also, how exactly does one formally get a process like this started?

Long time lurker, love hearing from you all and your intersectional perspectives!