Designing, Executing, and Assessing Participatory Research Projects in Social Work

Participatory research differs from traditional social science research in that community members are involved in the research process, action and research are integrated, and the knowledge gained is practice-based. Given the emphasis on inclusion and action, participatory research is in line with social work’s commitment to social justice. Despite the relevance of participatory research to social work, the participatory research literature is somewhat elusive in terms of how to carry out the participatory research concepts in real-world projects. This workshop will clarify participatory research concepts, describe example participatory projects, and address key considerations for social work researchers.

Content covered in this 90-minute workshop will include: 1) the conceptual roots of participatory research, 2) frameworks for participatory research, 3) designing, implementing and disseminating findings from participatory research projects, 4) assessment of participatory research processes, and 5) other key considerations including ethics, engagement and sustainability. Various models of participatory research will be compared and contrasted, including Participatory Action Research, Community-Based Participatory Research, Community-Engaged Research, Participatory Learning and Action, Feminist Participatory Action Research, and Empowerment Evaluation. Key challenges and common pitfalls in participatory research will be discussed, including ethical and cultural considerations, barriers to and limitations of engagement, navigating insider-outsider tensions, community conflict, capacity building for partner participants, collaboration and boundaries, IRB considerations, and issues of ownership of data and findings. A preliminary tool for assessing the effectiveness of the participatory research which utilizes both qualitative and quantitative measures will be introduced to workshop participants. This tool, the Participatory Research Impact Assessment (PRIA), is a longitudinal assessment of perceptions of collaboration, social capital, human capital, organizational capital, community capital, and community capacity for change. Additionally, participatory research practices with communities of geography versus communities of identity will be presented and discussed.

The pedagogical techniques to be utilized in this workshop are based on the applied learning theory, whereas participants will gain both knowledge and skills through the direct application of the information and materials shared in the workshop. Workshop presenters will incorporate lessons learned based on their experiences with participatory research projects. Participants will be guided through a hands-on process, including individual, small and large-group activities, which will culminate in planning and designing their own participatory research projects. These activities will include training in designing a participatory research study, sampling, data collection, and assessment. The approach to this workshop has been designed to ensure that this workshop leads to significant learning by the participants.

This workshop will add to the current knowledge base of participatory research for social workers as it breaks down a complex approach to research in user-friendly steps, presents emerging best practices in the design of participatory research, and introduces the PRIA, an innovative measure for evaluating the effectiveness of the participatory research process. This is important to social work research and practice as participatory research is in line with our professional values, employs a strengths-based empowerment approach to research, and aims to promote social justice within community practice.