It didn’t take long for a group of Bachelor of Child and Youth Care students to realize that everyone has their own hair journey. A single comment in a conversation about self-esteem had them talking for three hours.

“As soon as one person told a story about their hair, everyone in the group had one to share,” says Tanner Dauphinais. “We’re a diverse group of women, and the topic meant something to all of us.”

Some shared hair fails. One person spoke of having their scalp burned by a perm. Another talked about their experience of a parent kicking them out after disobeying their instructions not to cut their hair. Each person had an experience that contributed to shaping their self-perception and overall identity. But when the group looked for previous research in the child and youth care field, they were surprised that hair was nowhere to be found.

“We’re interacting with children and youth doing life-based work all the time,” says Paige Taillon. “We’re there for the casual, everyday moments in their lives – from getting ready for school in the morning to the last moments before they go to bed. Why aren’t we talking about the impact that hair has on their lives?” 

The group set out to change that with a project called “Handle With Hair” for Dr. Gerard Bellefeuille’s CYCW 423: Child and Youth Care Research course.  

They surveyed 21 students from all years of their program, recording online interviews and conducting a thematic analysis of the responses they received. They identified several themes, including the idea that a change in hair is equal to a life change, that hair is an expression of identity and culture, and that the uniqueness of our hair can make us feel different from others.

“There was a lot of emotion in these interviews,” says Jane Bank Imudia. “People shared their childhood experiences, and many of them involved hair trauma. People talked about how this is not just a bad hair day – that the negative experiences they carry about their hair still impact them throughout their lives.” 

The group says there are many things they will take from this experience, including an appreciation of the diversity of experiences people have with their hair, the cultural and historical connections to hair and the different needs people have. 

“Understanding their experiences, the significance, the cultural connections and their history with their hair make it easier for us to connect with children and youth,” says Femi Olusanya. “We can learn from them and connect with them in new ways.”

But the takeaways extend beyond hair itself. “We’re lucky to learn and be guided through doing research as undergraduate students,” says Dauphinais. “We got to see how research can create an open dialogue, connect people and give people space to talk about things that are important to them.”