Using contemporary research methodologies with young people can, and does, pose many ethical challenges for researchers keen to fully incorporate principles of participation and voice into their research endeavours. Adding to the challenge, when the project is grounded outside of an academic context in a not-for-profit community setting, ethical risks can heighten due to a diversity of understandings about what constitutes ethical research and who is held accountable when things go wrong. This article looks at how a research project conducted in Aotearoa New Zealand attempted to address ethical dilemmas arising from a participatory project conducted within a community setting.