Manchester Centre for Youth Studies (MCYS) recently received Blue Sky Thinking funding from RCASS to carry out research exploring ways in which the use of the ‘street’ and other public spaces affect the identities of groups of young street BMX’ers and skateboarders.‌

‌The research intends to work collaboratively with BMX’ers and skateboarders who use the streets and other public spaces as part of their riding and or skating. This collaborative research will explore ways in which riders and skateboarders align their identity with these spaces and the activity. The project will utilise a broad range of methods, most of which will be participatory.

There is a distinct lack of research and literature focusing on BMX and skateboarding. With this in mind, this project will take the twofold position of initiating a new strand of knowledge in research orientated toward the extreme or lifestyle sports of BMX and skateboarding, as well as more specifically contributing new knowledge in MMU’s beacon area of Youth. This also aligns with MCYS’s position as a leading centre for YPAR methods.