Poster Presentation (Core time: 11:45-12:45)

[1R19] Creating A Pattern Language for Filipino Youth to Overcome Difficult Situations

*Takako KANAI¹, Mizuki Ota¹, Takashi Iba¹ (1. Keio University)

Keywords:Filipino Youth, Pattern Language, Empowerment

This research focuses on the issue faced by many young people in the Philippines who are unable to attend school. It is said that there are 3.3 million young Filipinos (aged 16-24) who cannot attend school due to having to work to support their families or due to early pregnancy, childbirth, or marriage. Additionally, it is known that once these young people drop out of school, they are more likely to engage in criminal activity and fall deeper into poverty when they start their own families. Therefore, this study focused on Filipinos who have overcome difficult circumstances and are living self-reliantly in order to clarify what kind of good practices they had practiced. The research method used is pattern language, a method of systematizing and verbalizing rules of thumb of practice. The research subjects are individuals who, despite grappling with severe family environments and economic difficulties, have managed to lead self-reliantly lives through various ingenious means and have become role models for the local youth. Between November 22 and 30, 2022, I traveled to the Philippines and conducted dialogic interviews with 10 Filipinos (3 females and 7 males) who overcame difficult circumstances and are living self-reliantly, and 3 Filipinos (2 females and 1 male) involved in youth support, for a total of 13 participants. Based on what was discussed in the interviews, we extracted patterns of practice from three perspectives: ① What is important to overcome difficult situations and live self-reliantly, ② What practices are being performed to realize ①, and ③ Why these practices are important. As a result, three crucial factors were identified: "grasping the current situation based on facts and steadily achieving what can be done now", "utilizing appropriate help from others to improve the situation", and "overcoming difficulties again and again". For each of these points, nine patterns (types of practice) were identified.