Young People Making a Life

This book explores the challenge of making a life: finding meaning, livelihood and social connectedness. Drawing on research with young people, the analysis goes beyond traditional treatment of youth issues or 'problems', providing discussion of topics like young people's learning and work, their creativity, wellbeing and active citizenship.

'...this book reflects Wierenga's deep commitment to the young people with whom she forged contact as a practitioner in the early 1990s. In the middle of the decade, as she puts it, she withdrew from youth work to do some thinking and some listening. That is what she has been doing ever since and this powerful book is a result.' - Howard Williamson, Youth Work Now 'This book is both fascinating and satisfying to read.' - Youth Studies Australia '...unique in providing a longitudinal, qualitative study that combines rich ethnography with interesting analyses and theory development of the subjectivity of her respondents.' - Canadian Journal of Sociology

ANI WIERENGA is a Research Fellow at the Australian Youth Research Centre, the University of Melbourne, Australia. As a youth-worker and sociologist, she is interested in understanding the social conditions which support young lives in a time of rapid social change, in strengthening connections between young people and their communities, and exploring the power of story.