Participatory Research

Participatory Research Dr Maureen Winn Oakley Member of BCC Research Governance Board Newman University M.Winn-Oakley@staff.newman.ac.uk

Research • Research is about finding out something we want to know more about • You are already skilled researchers – we are all involved in research in our daily lives • That there are lots of organisations and people doing different types of research • They do it for a variety of reasons- e.g. to influence policy or debate about issues • As a result they will present it in different ways depending on their agenda and their audience

Research Methods • Some of the research will be quantitative – ‘counting stuff’… (reliable=repeatable) • …and some of it will be qualitative – ‘understanding how we behave’(good validity) • There a number of ways it can be presented .

Research:different packages

Participatory Research • This is a general term for research that involves the ‘subject’ of the research in some way or another. • Birmingham’s service user/consumer • Fellow colleagues in BCC • So approaches that emphasise the involvement of real people as researchers, researching their own lives and helping others to do the same thing – that is research with or research by - are often known as participatory research.

Traditional Research Doing research on/about other people • The researcher is seen as the ‘expert’ • The power lies with the researcher • Looking into ‘other’ people’s lives/experiences • The researcher’s interpretations are put on to those experiences to translate them into ‘data’ • The researcher decides what’s in and what’s out and how the research is presented • Issues such as who researcher works for/is funded by

PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH: ‘WITH’ • Researchers working alongside the people who are the subjects of the research. • The researcher involves those people in steering the direction that the research will go • …involves them in interpreting their own experiences… • …and will check stuff out along the way • Aims to be more democratic and equitable • So, the people who are the focus of the research, are involved in what the research says about them and how it is presented

PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH: ‘BY’ • Research undertaken by people looking into their own lives • Operating on the same level as all researchers • Usually a collective approach • …trying to get closer to the reality of people’s experiences – telling it as it really is… • …and trying to find a way of collaborating to share their stories • Often seen as a way of challenging ‘traditional’ approaches to doing research and challenging the way that services are delivered • Explicit attempt to change the power dynamics

Participatory research: the approach to the research is as important as the research.. • the research process needs to be carefully considered. • the methods that are used (for example interviews or focus groups).. • emphasising how research should involve the people it is researching • the way the research questions are answered is as important as the answers themselves • … about a particular philosophy and value base

Inclusion and Empowerment • Research as empowerment: a two way exchange of information • Social pedagogy: learning from re-interpreting experience and creating change. • Critical pedagogy : learning as a tool of revolution, supporting oppressed people to find solutions to their own oppression ‘Researchers who adopt a participatory approach are attempting to change these power relations and to ensure that research is owned and controlled by research participants as well as researchers.’ (French & Swain, 2004)

Participatory Research: Benefits OIt acknowledges an ‘equality of worth’ • Bringing people’s stories and experiences to life • Not subject to interpretation by a third party…Telling it as it is…lived experiences • Such qualitative research = good validity • Aims to be more inclusive and accessible • Researchers support each other • Can help to influence change • Can provide a space to ‘talk back’ to the power holders • Can be less formal than ‘traditional’ research

Participatory Research:Challenges • Usually fraught with the same challenges as any other research • Issues of power and inequalities. Institutionalised practices – understandings of how research should be done are so entrenched it can be difficult to see a different way of doing it • People in positions of power can feel threatened...and maybe like the idea of participatory research (it sounds good) but don’t want to change the way they work to make it happen • And it can be expensive and take longer • So, it leaves a space for potentially tokenistic, or exploitative, practices • May not be taken seriously – ‘history is full of stories of people who are systematically silenced because they disagreed with the dominant voices.’

Involving children in research BUT “Children are amongst the groups that have been most excluded from research.” (Alderson and Morrow, 2004, p.60)

Research: Children In Care • NSPCC and Warwick University • Legal and court processes • Adult processes… no children please! • Professionally created and controlled • Research ‘About’-asking children about the ‘care order’ at court process • Consent to engage with children on the research = a major issue • Advisory group to include children in care and professionals.

The research process: adult ‘expert’ researcher • Looking at court files • Speaking with professionals specialising in child abuse and neglect – judges, solicitors, social workers • Speaking to children in care aged 8-16 years about the court process.

Outcome: Out of Hearing • Professional Research Report presented nationwide to other professionals • Book published on the research • Both explaining - • Lack of children’s voices in individual cases, in the service itself • Professionals belief that the child needed to be ‘protected’ from the process. • Child excluded….abusive to exclude • Lack of information for children to understand • Continuing lack of knowledge about their care status throughout their time in care • Unable to challenge the process/change the system as a result

Young People’s participation post research • In addition to Professional report, development of researcher writing articles with some of the young people from the advisory group • Young people giving presentations to Judges conference at Dartington • Young people feeding back to other young people

Post research ‘participatory’ approach: Power Pack • ‘Involved’ young people challenging research for its own sake! • What about the findings? • Putting the findings into practice • Power Pack…what’s in a name • Launch and production of the packs

Participatory Research:The ROC Group Birmingham Anti-bullying Project: Sort It • Children’s views and experiences of bullying undertaken by the ROC group in Birmingham • The children in care population in BCC aged 5 to 13 years. • ROC young people with advocates undertook the background to research, made contact with organisations, adults and children • Devised questions • Analysed responses • Presented feedback • Wrote and created handbooks for both adults and young people.

Participatory Research with adults: Birmingham University Care transitions project: Resource pack These documents may be used by those involved in co-research activities, providing full credit is given to the University of Birmingham. http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/social-policy/departments/applied-social-studies/research/care-transitions-project-resource-pack.aspx

Participatory Research