Exploring our leisure time: youth participation and participatory action research

Abstract

This chapter presents the results of the research project "CON_LecerSanJuan", led by the GIAS research group of the Universidad Pablo de Olavide, which aimed to study leisure, free time and work-life balance from the point of view of young people, using a Participatory-Action-Research and Service-Learning approach. As part of this research, the "CON_LecerSanJuan" initiative, carried out in collaboration with the Town Council of San Juan de Aznalfarache (Seville, Spain), focused on the young people of the municipality, involving them in the study of their daily routines, including school, family, leisure and free time, and exploring the impact of leisure on their personal, social and family development. The project involved students from two local high schools who designed research instruments, collected and analysed data and shared the results. Overall, the initiative aimed to understand the reality of young people from their own perspective, to make suggestions for local policies and to improve the quality of young people's leisure experiences by actively involving them in the process.