The Flemish policy on youth support and scientific research on the living environment within residential youth support underlines the importance of context-oriented practices and the participation of parents and young people. Life group counsellors (sometimes) interpret context-oriented practices as from within the life group, but they do not find this evident. The experience of young people with regard to working in a context-oriented way is not discussed in the research concerning living climate. However, it is recognised as an important indicator. The social context of super-diversity creates extra challenges when working in a context-oriented way. (Life group) supervisors experience shyness to act. A culture-sensitive approach is required.
By means of participatory action research (PAR) in two facilities within Youth Welfare, supervisors, as co-researchers, look for concrete practice-oriented answers to how context-oriented work can be carried out from a culturally diverse community. Based on established tensions or needs with regard to context-oriented practices from the community, action is taken with regard to certain cases at the action, community and organisational level. Change processes are set up together with all parties involved in the change. Ownership is shared; an anchor person within the facility is part of the research team. Each facility gradually develops a learning platform (a Community of Practice (COP)) which, based on a number of principles, reflects on established change processes and which certainly includes the anchor person within the facility. Within this learning platform, input is also provided with regard to the specific focus of action research, in particular parental and youth participation and cultural diversity. For this input, the research team is supported by the focus specific supporting partners. The themes that will be addressed within the learning platform are also related to the nature of the change processes set up in the facility and to the phase of the action research.
An action framework with regard to context-oriented practices from a culturally diverse group of people, including facilitating and hindering factors at the level of action, group of people and organisation, will be developed and included in a concept of in-service training.