Central Queensland University
Central Queensland University was awarded $200,000 in grant funding as part of the Queensland Government Youth Research Grants to help stimulate interest in research that reflects the needs and views of young Queenslanders.
Thirty-eight young people participated in a research project focused on improving health and justice messaging for young people in Central Queensland.
Summary of Central Queensland University's research project.
Summary of Central Queensland University's research project.
Wellbeing and health
No Dramas: participatory action research using applied theatre in regional Queensland to enable youth-led communication on health and justice priorities
No Dramas is a participatory action research project aimed at improving health and justice messaging for young people in Central Queensland. The project focused on developing communication processes and information sources that align with young people's needs and priorities. It explored the complex experiences, needs, and priorities of Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people in the region.
The project identified social media as an under-utilised resource for the delivery of health and justice information to young people, particularly short-form videos on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. No Dramas adopted a participatory action research methodology that supported stakeholders—young people and the organisations and individuals that support them—to engage on equal footing with the research. The project's primary outputs are informational videos on substance abuse, police interactions, and bullying, designed to communicate empowering health and justice information to young people.
For more information, contact Dr Linda Lorenza by emailing l.lorenza@cqu.edu.au.