Goal:

In light of the escalating rates of conditions like anxiety, depression, suicide, substance abuse, violence, and obesity, my aim was to delve into the intricacies of the issues confronting children and teenagers from various backgrounds. This exploration sought to identify the obstacles they encounter and comprehend the distinct challenges they navigate. By grasping the nuances of their experiences, my intention was to outline essential prerequisites and discover opportunities for potential solutions.

The central inquiry that guided my research was: "How can we effectively nurture resilience traits in children and adolescents, enabling them to efficiently manage the complexities of adverse life circumstances?"

Thinking Process:

I collected, organized, and synthesized research materials to turn what I learned into ideas for future projects aimed at reaching the goal.

In more detail:

1.) Defined my research questions by doing desktop research on the topic.

2.) Explored research questions to gather quantitative data by surveying parents and non-parents of all age groups.

3.) Challenged the data with real life observations.

4.) Illuminated and tested insights from diverse perspectives by conducting interviews with psychologists, a wellness coach, a caretaker, a teacher, a wellness space architect, the Program Officer in Early Childhood at the Robin Hood Foundation, and teens.

5.) Presented reasons for business design to stakeholders.

What are they saying?

Who are they?

What are they experiencing?

What next?

Results:

After combining and analyzing all of the research I collected, I discovered that for children and teenagers to build resilience traits, they need to be in a secure community with clear organization, a role model they can look up to, opportunities for open communication, and the freedom to express themselves.

The results of this project led me to the development of my thesis project which consists of building a community specifically for Gen Z.

Organization/Department:

Parsons School of Design. Independent Research Studio Class.