Practitioner Inquiry Matters: Questions by and for Youth Workers

Abstract

The Journal of Youth Development’s subtitle is “Bridging Research and Practice,” yet too often our publications reflect a one-way bridge— studies that, at best, have implications for practice. Less represented are practitioner inquiries that rely on practitioner experience and expertise. This special issue aims to bridge the research-practice divide with scholarship produced by youth work practitioners. This article provides a rationale for practitioner inquiry, describes a fellowship effort to support it, and then offers an overview of the ten practitioner inquiries featured in this special issue.