rannsÓknir & greining _______centre for social research and analysis linking youth reserch,...

RANNSÓKNIR & GREINING_______Centre for Social Research and Analysis

Linking youth reserch, policy and practice

Álfgeir Logi KristjánssonJón Sigfússon

Centre for Social Research and AnalysisReykjavik University, Iceland


Research Policy Practice


The Youth in Iceland study series

• Began in 1992 (Institute for Educational Research)• Funded and supported by the Ministry of

Education, Science and Culture• Objectives: To contribute to the promotion of well-

being of youth through organized, and methodologically sound, research

• To enhance the utility of solid information in the local community setting regarding youth matters


The ICSRA and local community collaborations

• The Youth in Iceland studies conducted by the ICSRA since 1998 (Institute for Educational Research ’92-’97)

• The collaboration between researchers, policy makers and practitioners focuses on substance use and delinquency prevention and is based on social science theory and the health promotion literature


1. Initiate and support research as a basis

2. Preventive Work and Education

3. Active Non-Governmental Organizations

4. Co-opeartion with Parental Organizations

5. Young people at risk

6. Co-operative work groups against drugs Nationwide and in local Communities

7. Anti smoking/alcohol use campaigns directed towards children

Action plan: Researchers, policy makers, practitioners – Year 1997


Target: Primary prevention - because substance use follows cohorts

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

1997 16 years ´98 17 years ´99 18 years ´00 19 years ´01 20 years ´02 2003

Smoking Alcohol Cannabis

6


Indicators referring to key fields in the adolescent environment

Local community


Examples: Family indicators

• Support from parents

• Time spent with parents

• Outside hours

• Parental monitoring (e.g. knowing where their kids are during evenings and whom they are with)


Examples: Peers

• How many friends, smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, smoke cannabis, etc.

• If friends engage in delinquency (e.g. pick fights)

• Engagement in group bullying


Examples: Leisure time activities

• Formal sports participation

• Structures extracurricular activities, supervised by responsible adults

• Party lifestyle

• Late night hours

• Idle hours


Examples: School indicators

• Well-being in school

• Attitudes to school as an institution

• Values about the importance of education

• Future beliefs regarding schooling and education


Examples: Local community indicators

• Perceptions of community safety

• How many people they know by name in the near area

• If neighbors are likely to assist in case of emergency

• Social capital indicators (e.g. parents know the friends/the parents of friends)


Knowledge reports for relevant levels

• Average/proportion – country report

• Average/proportion – district reports

• Average/proportion – municipality report

• Average/propotion – municipality district/neighborhood reports

• Average/proportion – school reports


Practical usage for local agents

• Disentangling “scientific” measuring constructs for practical purposes

• Using clear and meaningful indicators for practical and local use

• Long term contracts with stakeholders (no time limit)

• Findings presented showing trends as well as relational status in Iceland


The Model in a Nutshell

• Emphazis on primary prevention

• Close cooperation

• Annual monitoring

• Complete visibility of status

• Tools to work with on the local level

• Dialouge

• Actions on the local level


Users of information

• Municipalities• Schools• Ministries • Sports and youth institutions• Prevention groups• Parent organizations• The Red Cross• Public Health Institute • The Child Protection Agency• Childrens Umbodsmann


Research Policy Practice


Trends in substance use in 10th grade 1997 - 2009

42

35

3233

2628

26

22

25

18 19

23

19

1615 14 14

1211 12 10

10

1715

12 11 12 13

99 9

76

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2008 2009

%

Drunk last 30 days Daily smoking Hashish once or more


Amsterdam

December 2009

Thank you

rannsÓknir & greining _______centre for social research and analysis linking youth reserch,...

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