The mediating role of sense of community between supportive social systems and life outcomes of youth from Bormla

Abstract

This research study aimed to explore the retrospective accounts of participants who grew up in Bormla, seeking to understand their perceptions of the impact their upbringing in Bormla had on their life outcomes. It also set out to investigate the sense of community (SOC) youth developed within their community and examine whether this SOC acted as a mediator between youth themselves and different stakeholders and key-players within their community. Further inquiry followed in the pursuit to uncover and understand the role held by different community stakeholders, while observing their relevance for youth, particularly with regard to life outcomes. The study engaged participants aged between 22 and 28 years of age who grew up in Bormla, using both purposeful and snowball sampling. It adopted a qualitative approach, engaging the biographic narrative interpretive method (BNIM) to elicit the retrospective reflections and narratives of participants. This involved three sub-sessions, the initial instigated through a single question aimed at inducing narrative (SQUIN), guiding the subsequent sub sessions. A thematic analysis of the narratives was carried out. The emergent themes revealed that participants did not experience a strong SOC, despite identifying as Bormliżi. Their experience was affected by several salient issues, including the impact of family and the family context, as well as having to navigate assigned identities and stereotypes throughout their own journey of development. The narratives unveiled that their experience of SOC impacted their relationships with other stakeholders and key-players within their community, consequently affecting their engagement and uptake of available resources. Recommendations emanating from the study give strength to the application of asset-based approaches in community development, across the board. Furthermore, findings shed light on the importance for policymakers to draw on, and invest in resources already available within communities, while addressing issues of mistrust in formal structures and services. Findings also recommend the strengthening of networks of communication across strata within the community, to empower and engage members as pro-active participants. Finally, the study highlights the need for further research on the impact of rapid local and international developments on community life, as well as the need to understand current trends in youth engagement within communities around Malta.