Work

Enhancing benefits for peer researchers: towards a flexible and needs-based approach to participatory research

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: The involvement of peer researchers has recently gained popularity in social research, and the incentives for using participatory methodologies are well recognised. However, as we argue, the sole presence of peer researchers does not equate to their immediate empowerment, and more attention should be given to the roles they play in the research and the ways in which they can tangibly benefit from such collaborations. We explore the seemingly mundane aspects of work such as recruitment, training, conducting research, dissemination and the afterlife of the project, to suggest that meaningful engagement of peer researchers demands a tailored approach that is receptive to their particular needs and motivations, and is supportive of their individual growth. Our critical reflection stems from a two-year-long collaboration with peer researchers in Poland undertaken as part of a Horizon 2020 project, which explored the lives of young migrants and refugees in Europe.

Source: International Journal of Social Research Methodology

DOI: 10.1080/13645579.2024.2417380

Authors: Dominika Blachnicka-Ciacek, Dominika Winogrodzka, Agnieszka Trąbka

Institutions: University of Warsaw, Uniwersytet SWPS, Jagiellonian University

Language: English

Topic: Qualitative Research Methods and Ethics

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Partnerships for the goals, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, Arts and Humanities Research Council