Seminar 1: Scoping the Boundaries of participatory research

 

 

This first seminar was held on January 10th 2013 at Plymouth University

You can access a summary by clicking here

 

Our speakers were asked to introduce seminar participants to the kind(s) of participatory research that they have been involved in and reflect on their experiences in order to draw out what they think the key issues are in advancing the use of participatory research in the future. The presentations reflected on some or all of the following questions:

 

·         What has been achieved so far with participatory research methods?

·         Where are the tensions and challenges and can they be addressed?

·         Are people with learning disabilities “boxed in” with regards to the kinds of participatory research they are expected or supported to undertake?

·         Are there limits to the participation of people with learning disabilities in research? Who or what influences these limits?

·         Can and should the boundaries of these limitations be pushed?

 

The audience was a mixture of academics, practitioners, people with learning disabilities and support workers.

 

Programme

 

Speakers	Title	Timings
Jane Seale, School of Education, Plymouth University	Introduction and Overview of whole seminar series (click to load slides)	10.30-11.00
Jan Walmsley, Visiting Chair, Open University	Inclusive research – past and present	11.00-11.45
Carlisle People First research team with Rohhss Chapman, Manchester University	Researching Together: pooling ideas, strengths and experiences	11.45-12.30
Lunch		12.30-1.30
Dorothy Atkinson, Emeritus Professor, The Open University	Practical and emotional issues in co-researching.	1.30-2.15
Gordon Grant, Sheffield Hallam University	Participatory research - some thoughts on paradigms and partnerships	2.15-3.00
Group reflection and discussion of key issues followed by tea/coffee	Group reflection and discussion of key issues followed by tea/coffee	3.00-3.30

Towards equal and active citizenship: pushing the boundaries of participatory research with people with learning disabilities:

This ESRC funded seminar series focuses on participatory research with people with learning disabilities and in particular the challenges related to two complex but relatively under-explored issues in participatory research, that is:

 - involving people with learning disabilities in data analysis;

- involving people with learning disabilities who have high support needs in participatory research

The seminar series has two broad aims. Firstly, to critically examine the unacknowledged or underexplored tensions and challenges to what might be considered full or genuine participation by people with learning disabilities in research. The second aim of the proposed seminar series is to seek to stimulate innovative developments in methods by synthesising the achievements in relation to participatory research methods with people with learning disabilities and acting as a catalyst for thinking and action in the two identified areas needing development.

 Our planned programme is as follows:

 
Seminar 1: Scoping the Boundaries of participatory research
Venue: Plymouth University,
Convenor: Jane Seale
Date: January 10^th 2013

Seminar 2: Participatory data analysis

Venue: University of Manchester
Convenor: Rohhss Chapman
Date: April 23^rd 2013

Seminar 3: Participatory Research with people with high support needs
Venue: University of Southampton
Convenor: Melanie Nind
Date: November 28^th 2013

Seminar 4: Exploring issues of transfer

Venue: Open University
Convenor: Liz Tilley
Date: April 10^th 2014
 

If you would like to participate in the seminar within the series, please contact j.seale@exeter.ac.uk who will add your name to the project mailing list and send you details of each seminar. Ten travel bursaries per seminar are available (max £135) for PhD students and people with learning disabilities (and support worker where needed).