The YoPA project team will discuss youth-led participatory research aimed at tackling physical inactivity, non-communicable diseases and health inequalities.
The growing crisis of physical inactivity among young people is a global public health concern, disproportionately impacting the most vulnerable. As society grapples with the prevalence of sedentary behavior and related health inequalities, it is clear that traditional intervention models do not adequately address the complexity and diversity of young people’s life realities. To make meaningful progress, we must adopt innovative, inclusive and empowering approaches that recognize young people not only as intended beneficiaries but also as active co-creators of change.
Rethinking physical activity interventions: Beyond strange contexts
Much of the existing research and intervention development targeting physical activity has emerged from a WEIRD (Western, Educational, Industrialized, Wealthy, Democratic) context. While this narrow focus is valuable, it risks overlooking the vast social, cultural, and environmental diversity that shapes the experiences of young people around the world. It also limits the potential for scalable, fair and sustainable solutions.
The YoPA (Youth-Centered Participatory Action) project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, brings together 10 partners to change this situation. YoPA is a pioneering example of how youth-led participatory action research can drive both methodological innovation and real-world impact. By centering the voices and leadership of young people, especially vulnerable 12- to 18-year-olds, YoPA breaks away from dominant research paradigms and promotes true inclusivity and diversity in health promotion.
YoPA Model: Youth Lead the Way
YoPA’s core philosophy is to empower young people to become collaborators and agents in their communities. This will be achieved by incorporating youth-led participatory action research at the heart of project design and implementation. Young participants will be engaged from the start, co-defining research questions, mapping challenges, and generating locally relevant solutions to increase physical activity.
This approach has multiple benefits:
Authentic engagement and ownership: By empowering young people to determine the direction of research and intervention activities, YoPA fosters deeper engagement and investment in creating positive change. Leadership and Capacity Building: Through structured instruction, capacity-building workshops, and hands-on engagement, youth develop critical leadership, problem-solving, and advocacy skills. Contextual relevance: Interventions developed within this framework are better attuned to the unique sociocultural dynamics and barriers that youth face in diverse settings, from sprawling cities to underserved communities.
Global reach: four cities, diverse backgrounds
To circumvent the limitations of WEIRD-centric studies, YoPA is being conducted in four distinctive cities on two continents: Aalborg (Denmark), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Osogbo (Nigeria), and Soweto (South Africa). Each location has its own unique tapestry of cultural background, urban structure, and challenges. Some of the inspired methodologies are also starting to influence new initiatives in Lisbon (Portugal) and other European cities.
This diversity is important for several reasons:
This allows testing and refinement of participatory methods across very different settings. This allows the resulting toolkit and processes to be flexibly adapted for maximum impact, regardless of geography or resources. This reflects our unwavering commitment to equity by directly addressing the needs of communities that are often left out of mainstream intervention research.
With support from local NGOs, municipalities and academic partners, YoPA leverages powerful coalitions for change by placing young people as champions of health improvement.
Collaboration in action: Stakeholder engagement and co-creation
At the heart of YoPA’s early success is a strong network of stakeholders working in partnership with young people. From local governments to grassroots NGOs and academic experts, these collaborations have generated new ideas that are now being implemented in the second phase of YoPA.
This model emphasizes the value of shared ownership and mutual learning.
Youth work with key local stakeholders to identify opportunities to increase physical activity and address community-specific barriers. Solutions are not implemented in isolation, but through continuous interaction and iterative feedback with all actors in the system. This process fosters a culture of partnership and creates stronger, more resilient pathways to improved health.
Methodological Innovation: Realist Evaluation and SUPER-AIM
A key lesson from the YoPA journey is the importance of rigorous and adaptive evaluation. The complexity of participatory, system-informed interventions requires methodological creativity and agility.
To achieve this objective, YoPA employs realist evaluation. It is a theory-driven methodology that examines not only whether interventions work, but also how they work, for whom, and under what circumstances. This approach provides a nuanced understanding of the mechanisms underlying successful change to inform future design and scaling.
At the same time, YoPA is pioneering the SUPER-AIM framework. This is a new evaluation tool tailored to capture the unique processes, outcomes and ramifications produced by youth-led participatory action research in diverse contexts. Together, these methodologies provide a steady stream of actionable insights to refine YoPA interventions and scale their impact.
Aiming for a global YoPA toolbox
The knowledge, materials, and processes gained from the YoPA collaboration are integrated into the YoPA Toolbox. This is a comprehensive resource designed to guide other cities and communities in working with youth in the YoPA way. This toolbox includes:
A practical guide to launching a youth-led participatory action research initiative. Stakeholder engagement strategy template. Tools for participatory evaluation. Examples and stories from each site.
By making these resources openly available, YoPA aims to sow the seeds of a global movement and enable more communities to harness the dynamism and creativity of youth in addressing the epidemic of inactivity.
The path to sustainable change
What sets YoPA apart is the project’s unwavering belief in the transformative potential of young people. By treating youth as catalysts rather than bystanders, YoPA not only fosters healthier communities in the short term, but also develops a new generation of leaders committed to promoting well-being and equity for years to come.
As YoPA moves forward, we are learning that meaningful and sustainable change is rooted in trust, mutual respect, and a willingness to share power with those most directly affected by the challenges we seek to solve.
Conclusion: YoPA’s future vision
The world is at a crossroads regarding youth physical activity and health. Traditional approaches have not been sufficient to mobilize the needs of those most in need. By putting young people at the forefront, backed by rigorous research and real partnerships, YoPA provides a powerful model for tackling not just physical inactivity, but the fundamental inequalities that perpetuate it.
We call on stakeholders including policymakers, educators, practitioners, community organizations, and above all, young people themselves, to join us in growing this movement, sharing our learning, and building a healthier future.
This text was written by António L Palmeira, YoPA’s Dissemination, Communication and Exploitation work package lead, and commented on and reviewed by the YoPA leadership team.
Funded by the European Union under agreement #101095423. However, the views and opinions expressed are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the European Union or the Health Digital Administration. Neither the European Union nor the licensing authorities can be held responsible for them.
This article will also be published in the quarterly magazine issue 25.
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