https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/100729 2026-04-04T11:19:32Z 2026-04-04T11:19:32Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/137301 2025-07-16T10:48:17Z 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Perceptions and lived experiences at the Salesian Oratory in Senglea : a study of 14- to 16-year-olds Abstract: Youth Centres play an important role in the community as they provide young people with a space where they meet their friends, pass the time in a safe environment, and learn. The Positive Youth Development (PYD) perspective believes that youngsters need this ecological resource where they meet nurturing adults and peers; pursue and nourish sparks; develop healthily; and thrive. The Salesians of Don Bosco are known for their work with the young, and their Youth Ministry is built on the holistic development of youngsters. Hence, this study looks at these frameworks and aims to understand how the perceptions and lived experiences of young people influence their participation in the Salesian Oratory in Senglea. A qualitative approach was employed, whereby participants were invited to share their experience of the phenomenon. The sample consisted of six 14- to 16-year-olds who had been attending the Oratory regularly for at least one year in the current or previous years. Data was collected through one-to-one, semi-structured interviews and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The main findings continue to indicate that young people need a place where they belong, where they can exert their control, and where their voice is heard. Youngsters also appreciate leaders that use and respond to humour, are friendly, get to know them, are able to connect with them, and have an open or youthful mindset. Young people might not necessarily understand the full reasons behind educational activities, but they still absorb values, skills and knowledge imparted. If young people are guided and assigned tasks according to their strengths, they learn to start taking an active role, become aware of their potential, begin to take initiative, and contribute. These emergent factors have implications for youth work, and through this study, youth workers or leaders might gain further insight on what is considered important by young people and ways on how to make them participative. A main limitation of this study is that it was held during a pandemic which affected and changed the dynamics at the Oratory. Recommendations that were made following this study are that Salesian leaders are given training in Positive Youth Development (PYD) since it goes hand in hand with the perspective undertaken by the Salesian Youth Ministry; youth work based in a religious organisation is given more prominence during the course; and that the Maltese educational system focuses more on the features of PYD to optimise young people’s development. Description: M. YCS.(Melit.)

2022-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/137297 2025-07-16T10:36:48Z 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Exploring the perceptions, experiences and healthcare needs of young migrant women living in Malta who have experienced female genital mutilation Abstract: In the last two decades, there has been an increase in the flow of African migrants coming to Malta. Most of the women among these migrants are young women from East African countries, mostly Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia (IOM, 2015, UNHCR, 2020). These countries have the highest prevalence rates of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) worldwide. Therefore, FGM has become part of the care experience of Maltese healthcare providers. This research captures the experiences of four young migrant women from different East African countries who are living in Malta and have undergone FGM in their countries. These young women talked about their life and healthcare experiences in the context of FGM. A narrative approach was adopted, by listening to their stories, understanding and gaining more insight on how these young women felt with their reproductive, gynaecological and childbirth experiences in the local hospital. Four healthcare providers with different professional backgrounds were also interviewed to share their experiences of caring for young migrant women affected by FGM. The research results suggested that the continuation of the FGM practice from the young women’s point of view is experienced as torturous and terrible. From the healthcare providers’ point of view, FGM is seen as an unacceptable practice that should be abolished and an extreme form of gender-based violence. The result is quite straight forward: FGM should be eradicated in all its forms. The best ways to abolish this tradition, according to the young migrant women, is to create massive awareness in their countries by educating young girls, community elders, parents, FGM practitioners, and men. This should happen in host countries such as Malta, too. The healthcare providers also stated that awareness and community-based education, special programmes for victims, transcultural health promotion, more cultural mediators and access to proper healthcare are all very important for the eradication of this practice. The recommendations generated by this research are that young migrant women with FGM should receive more support and education to further manage their lives, their relationships with their own health and their host country’s healthcare system. As for the healthcare providers, more continuous professional development on this subject should be offered in order to support these young women. The psychosocial, psychological and physical needs of young migrant women should be prioritised, along with community services that specially cater for FGM affected young women. Clinics that address FGM related healthcare needs should be set up. Description: M. YCS.(Melit.)

2022-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/137291 2025-07-16T09:39:21Z 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Life skills gained by young people through the performing arts : implications for youth workers Abstract: The main aim of this dissertation is to focus on the life skills young people gain from the performing arts and how youth workers can utilise these artistic mediums in their day-to-day work. This research addresses the lacuna evident in academic literature as revealed by the limited amount of studies available on youth workers using the performing arts in their work. After an extensive research through several journals, online search engines, and websites, only 6 journal articles were deemed relevant to the area under study. The data yielded from this secondary data analysis was explored further by using Braun & Clarke’s (2006) reflexive thematic analysis approach. The analysis highlights 6 main life skills that are learnt through the performing arts, which were then compared to the skills implemented by youth workers. The study concludes that youth workers should consider using the performing arts in their work to transfer these life skills to young people in line with Malta’s National Youth Policy. Description: B.A. (Hons) YCS (Melit.)

2022-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/137290 2025-07-16T09:36:18Z 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The pandemic's effect and youth work's impact in the time of COVID-19 Abstract: The Covid-19 pandemic and the effects it brought on the youth work field, whilst also the youth work’s impact itself during the pandemic are thoroughly examined in this dissertation. The primary subject of this study's local context investigation was the Maltese National Youth Agency (“Aġenzija Żgħażagħ”). A better knowledge of the youth work methods that emerged from the pandemic was gained, through the youth workers’ perspectives and experiences. The research showed the effects the Covid-19 pandemic had on youth work, as well as how youth work had operated within The National Youth Agency during the pandemic. The advantages and challenges of shifting towards a virtual world was also shown through this study. The study was observed from six (6) youth workers coming from different units within the National Youth Agency through individual face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The research enlisted the new tools and newly emerged youth work methods that needed to be adopted. Consequently, the effects were discussed thoroughly, and recommendations were made by both the youth workers and the researcher for further studies. Additionally, the impact of youth work on young people was discussed, whilst the relevance of youth work during the Covid-19 pandemic was also explored and considered. Finally, after analysing all the results, it was determined that youth work did in fact remain relevant during the pandemic, the effects that the pandemic had were mitigated accordingly, youth work’s impact was still measured and conclusively, the youth workers agreed that the physical faceto-face youth work method is still the most effective. Description: B.A. (Hons) YCS (Melit.)

2022-01-01T00:00:00Z