In August, PBJ will launch its new summer program. The Summer Action Research Internship (ARI) is a six-day long participatory inquiry project that will look at sexual health education and policies in Boulder Valley School District. We believe that the knowledge that young people carry about their every day life experiences is invaluable for informing the structures, policies, and curriculum that directly affect them. Often this knowledge is overlooked, or even silenced. Participatory inquiry recognizes the insights that young people have about the injustices and realities that young people face around violence, sexual assault, and cultural determinants of health, and uses them to cultivate a community of critical inquiry, critique, and action. We also know that when diverse groups of young people come together to talk about their experiences of power and disempowerment on the basis of various aspects of their identities, and then engage and challenge these differences in pursuit of shared goals, prejudice, bullying, and violence can decrease, and community investment and the desire to understand and engage in social problems can increase.

During the Action Research Internship, Boulder County high schoolers will examine and develop their ideas on sexual health education in a larger social-historical context in order to create research-based action to improve sexual health education policies and decrease relationship-based violence and sexual assault. The only requirement to participate is curiosity, openness, the ability to work in a team, and a desire to engage with community members about the importance of comprehensive sexual education.

 To apply click here