PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

There are various reasons why a person does not have a school-leaving certificate. Nevertheless, it can be seen worldwide that a large number of articles and studies locate causes within the concerned persons themselves. This can lead to a negatively biased perception and stigmatisation. Participative research with youth without school-leaving certificates offers opportunities to examine their own social reality and gain deeper insights into (school) biographies and multifactorial correlations. This contribution presents such research and reflects upon the opportunities and challenges of participatory biographical research. Requirements for youth and academic researchers are investigated based on experiences from a joint project. Additionally, this chapter presents new considerations of the bioecological model in a participatory research design context. The model was further developed and used as a theoretical basis and as a methodological tool for participative data collection and analysis. The bioecological tool and the meta-reflections on the participative research process can interest other practitioners and researchers working biographically with young people. Instead of focusing on what went wrong, the lives of youths as a whole and the society they live in can be examined, providing opportunities for reflection and social change.