Description

Research With Us, Not On Us

Free | National Care Experienced People Month | Online interactive workshop | 2.5 hours | Tue 10th Nov, rolling sessions 10.00 am – 12.30 pm and 6 pm-8.30pm (Please note, this is the same session ran twice, you do not need to attend both)

Research shouldn’t just be about care-experienced people. We should be part of shaping it.

Research influences how care experience is understood, how services are designed, where funding goes and how policy and practice develop. Yet care-experienced people are still too often involved only as the people being researched.

There are many more ways to be involved.

This free, interactive workshop introduces the different ways care-experienced people can take part in and shape research — from contributing ideas and advising projects to becoming peer researchers, co-researchers and researchers themselves.

You don’t need to know anything about research before you come. We’ll explore what research actually involves, where care-experienced people can have influence, and how the knowledge and skills you already have can contribute to creating better research.

What we’ll explore

During the workshop, we’ll think about:

• What research and evaluation actually are and why they matter
• The difference between being researched and being involved in research
• Different roles, including research participants, advisory group members, peer researchers, co-researchers and researchers
• The different stages of research and where care-experienced people can shape what happens
• What co-production and participatory research can look like in practice
• Recognising skills you may already have that are useful in research
• What good involvement should look and feel like
• Being valued, recognised and paid appropriately for your contribution
• Where getting involved in research could take you next

There will be opportunities for discussion, reflection and activities throughout the workshop, but you can choose how you take part.

Who is it for?

This workshop is for care-experienced people of any age who are curious about research or would like to understand more about the different ways they can get involved.

You might already have taken part in research, a Children in Care Council, participation group or advisory project — or research might be completely new to you.

No research experience or academic knowledge is needed.

Your experience is one form of knowledge, not the only thing you can bring

Being care-experienced can give you perspectives that researchers and organisations need to hear. But being involved in research doesn’t have to mean simply telling researchers what has happened to you.

Research also needs people who can ask questions, notice things, challenge assumptions, listen, think creatively, make connections and help make sense of what we find.

This workshop will help you explore how your ideas, skills, curiosity and lived experience can all contribute to research.

You will never be expected to share personal experiences that you don’t want to discuss.

The workshop will not be recorded.

Organisations and group bookings

Free places for this Care Experienced People Month workshop are for care-experienced people attending the open session.

If you’re a local authority, charity, university, participation service or other organisation and would like Research With Us, Not On Us delivered specifically for your group, the workshop is also available as a commissioned session.

The content can be adapted to suit the age, experience and needs of your group. Please get in touch to discuss delivery and costs.

Free as part of Care Experienced People Month.