Fishing from opposite banks - same river, different fish?

Can participatory action research bring service users and practitioners

together?

Fishing from opposite banks - same river, different fish?

Andy Cheng a.cheng@sussex.ac.ukProfessor Imogen Taylor i.j.taylor@sussex.ac.uk

In this presentation

• About the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project

• About the participants• What they wanted• How we brought them together• What we have been getting• Concluding words

About the KTP project

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) supports UK businesses wanting to improve their competitiveness, productivity and performance by accessing the knowledge and expertise available within UK Universities and Colleges.

www.ktponline.org.uk

NCDAServices include:• Nursery• Youth service• Healthy Lifestyles• Family Learning• Open Spaces• Community Centre• Community Action & support• NewCEP• Information Hub• Sompriti• Well-being centres• WRAP & recovery service• Counselling• Education & Well-being

www.ncda.org.uk

Newhaven

Different fish?Service UsersWho want to:• do something worthwhile• build social contacts (addressing

feelings of isolation)• make a contribution (often in

gratitude for past services)• find ways of doing more activities

with NCDA• learn new skills• have a fun and rewarding timeand in some cases• build confidence (for example -

speaking with strangers)

Practitioners (NCDA Staff)Who want to:• maintain good relationships with

service users (to not ‘rock the boat’)• set up realistic expectations• avoid issues that they had no

chance of addressing through their repertoire of services

• ensure results that are relevant to them

• find methods that are not onerous to implement, easy to understand and that deliver tangible results in the short term

Different tackle?Service UsersImportant messages:• Crucial role in project• Recognising and celebrating

personal expertise that comes from lived experience

• Develop a clear and simple message about the purpose of this project (together)

Practitioners (NCDA Staff)Have to be involved (job role)

Important messages:• NCDA “aren't broke”

Help to recognise and celebrate• Ensure products of evaluation are

useful to staff• Ensure Staff stay in control of

services

In the net?• 8 experimental actions (participant led

inquiries)• Some more successful than others

Particularly successful:• themed semi-structured informal

participant inquiries, co-hosted by service users

Already getting new and rich details about impact which staff recognise add value to the standard metrics they carry out.

Helps evidence the feedback they had been receiving informally.

Some services users reporting feeling more confident and that they are learning new skills.

In conclusion?

Can participatory action research bring service users and practitioners together… for the function of service evaluation and impact measurement?

Yes.

Fishing from opposite banks - same river, different fish?

Thank you for ListeningAny Questions?

Andy Cheng a.cheng@sussex.ac.ukProfessor Imogen Taylor i.j.taylor@sussex.ac.uk