Growing up on the Streets has given a voice to 198 street-connected youth over three years, in three African cities: Accra in Ghana, Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Harare, in Zimbabwe.

The research aimed to challenge the binary view that children are at risk ‘on’ the streets but safe ‘off’ them. It reveals the complexity of life and choices available to young people in these three cities and seeks to better inform both practical interventions and policy.

Growing up on the Streets is an international collaboration between street youth, street workers and academic and charity partners and is funded by Backstage Trust, with Knowledge Exchange funding from the UK’s Economic & Social Research Council. The research is lead by the University of Dundee.

Awards

MRS President’s Medal: 2015. The President’s Medal is awarded annually to an organisation or individual that has made an extraordinary contribution to research. StreetInvest was chosen as the winner by President of MRS, Dame Dianne Thompson, Chair of MRS Richard Silman and CEO of MRS Jane Frost.

Stephen Fry Award for Public Engagement, Project of the Year: 2017. The annual Stephen Fry Award recognises the work of outstanding staff and students in communicating University of Dundee’s research and practice to a wider audience.

The Story Maps

Growing up on the Streets has co-produced three story maps with street children and youth – online resources with films, photographs and narrative accounts produced with young people themselves.