Understanding co-creation processes with adolescents in YoPA Denmark

This study explored adolescents’ experiences of participating in a co-creation process within the Danish part of the EU-funded YoPA project. Conducted in two leisure clubs in Aalborg, an eight-month co-creation process involved 24 adolescents, of whom 18 adolescents participated in six group interviews being the data for this study. Reflexive thematic analysis identified four key themes that shaped the adolescents ´ experience: prosocial framing that encouraged collective motivation, feeling valued as a foundation for empowerment, group dynamics that either supported or obstructed participation, and non-school-like formats that sustained engagement. Empowerment emerged when adolescents’ voices were acknowledged, group processes were effectively facilitated, and activities were interactive and creative. In the absence of these conditions, participation became tokenistic or disengaging. The findings indicate that meaningful participation in co-creation arises not simply from inclusion, but from the ways the process is facilitated, group dynamics, and how adolescents experience their opportunities for influence.