Are youth socially active in parks? : using photo tool to understand youth perceptions

![CDATA[Green spaces and parks are often linked to physical activity for children/youth provided by park equipment and amenities. Yet, urban green spaces and parks can also afford opportunities for young people to develop a sense of community identity. Spending more time in green spaces can significantly impact the satisfaction and wellbeing of park users. To investigate youth needs can be met in order to promote social sustainability, there is a need to better understand how youth perceive and define social engagement within green spaces and parks. This research seeks to answer the following questions: Which characteristics of parks most effectively afford youthyouth and youth/adults interactions?What are the physical and non-physical barriers to youth’s park use? A youth-friendly participatory-approach during after school hours is employed to explore the character of social interactions in green spaces and parks in greater depth.]]