Youth say helping others, being heard, sharing experiences, pursuing social action and social justice, and studying the issues that matter most are their top motivators to engage in research.

Youth say planning to do something with the research evidence is an important part of their decision to engage in the research process.

Youth describe their identities in relation to their social groupings, including youth culture, race and ethnicity, gender identity and sexual orientation, life experiences, living circumstances, and socioeconomic status. They say respecting their identity helps to create a safe, culturally-inclusive space to share their opinions, ideas, and experiences.

Youth say starting an early conversation about facilitators and barriers helps make engaging in research more accessible. They say to allocate resources that make their engagement easier and more comfortable, such as covering lost wages, meals, and transportation costs.

Youth say demonstrating value for their time, opinions, ideas, and shared experiences with cash and valued incentives is necessary. They expect to receive mentorship and empowerment opportunities that develop their knowledge, skills, and confidence.

Use shared leadership as a way of distributing power; establishing roles, boundaries, and confidences; and role-modelling behaviours and personal qualities in the research setting. Youth say to take time explaining the research process, practice authentic listening, and provide options for acknowledging their contributions to research. They say to avoid tokensim or other practices that restrict their ideas and abilities.

Allow for multiple forms of data-gathering, and provide flexible, dynamic, and evolving options for youth engagement in research. Youth say to embrace their imagination, creativity, and communication style in the co-creation, acquisition, and dissemination of knowledge.