Researchers

Jo Frankham, Kathy Boxall, Ian Kaplan
University of Manchester

Background

Recent Government policy has placed considerable emphasis on service users’ involvement in the development of research, policy and practice and in the review of ‘best practice’. Research funders (including the ESRC) and public and voluntary sector organisations increasingly require the involvement of service users in ‘quality monitoring’ and in research design and process. This reflects an increasing concern with accessing and acting on ‘insider’ knowledge and experience.

We view ‘Partnership Research’ as one of a range of approaches which can help provide a more complete picture of service users’ experiences and ways of knowing. This project will explore the challenges associated with this way of working and develop educational initiatives which will facilitate ‘Partnership Research’.

Aims and objectives

To develop a series of training activities which will contribute to the knowledge and understanding of social science researchers who wish to work in the area of ‘Partnership Research’, thereby contributing to the wider inclusion of marginalised groups in the research process.

To develop two on-line case studies of research projects using a partnership approach. These case studies will illustrate the processes involved in the negotiation and renegotiation that takes place in the course of such research and in the development of shared knowledge.

To develop a short course in ‘Designing Partnership Research’. This course will be an introduction to the theory and practice of conducting research in partnership. It will be aimed at academics,
researchers from independent public bodies, government departments and public and voluntary sector workers.

To develop and evaluate – in partnership with adults with learning difficulties – a course in ‘Partnership Research – Learning Difficulties’.
This course will take the form of four two-day residential workshops. Researchers (as above) will attend with a service user partner or partners, with a specific project in mind. This will be a pilot exercise in the field of teaching research design for ‘Partnership Research’ which will inform future courses in this area.

Further information on these courses will be available via the web site.