Engaging young people as researchers
Carol McNaughton Nicholls (Natcen)
Louca-Mai Brady (NCB)
Dillon Denton-Ashley
Chair: Naomi Jones (NatCen)
Who we are
Louca-Mai Brady, Senior Research Officer, NCB
Research Centre
 NCB is the leading support and development charity for
children, young people and families
 The NCB Research Centre has a varied programme of high
quality research across NCB’s areas of interest
 In both NCB and the Research Centre promoting and
supporting children and young people’s participation is a key
aspect of our work
Who we are
Dr Carol McNaughton Nicholls, Research Director,
Qualitative Research Unit, NatCen
Naomi Jones, Research Director, Qualitative Research
Unit, NatCen
 NatCen -Leading independent social research institute.
 Our work covers all areas of social policy and our aim is a
society better informed through quality research.
 Large scale surveys, quantitative and qualitative research,
often for central government.
Who you are…
 Why you were interested in attending
 Any experience of engaging young people in
research?
 Current or forthcoming projects
Outline of session
 Definitions, benefits and principles of involvement
 Practical example from perspective of YP organisation
 Challenges of involvement – ideal, reality and pragmatism
 Practical example from perspective of research organisation
 Conclusion – checklist for involvement
Drivers behind
engagement of young
people
 Consultation is the process by which children and young
people are asked their opinions – on a specific issue or
broader agenda (eg as research participants)
 Involvement/participation is the process by which
individuals and groups of individuals can influence decisionmaking and bring about change (eg through involvement in
the planning and process of research)
Different roles
 Participant
 Young advisor
 Young researcher
 Young people/peer-led
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
(UNCRC)
 Article 12 . Every child and young person has the right to
express his or her views freely in all matters affecting them
 Article 13. Every child and young person has the right to
freedom of expression, including the right to all kinds of
information and ideas.
Theoretical perspectives
 Involving those on whom research focuses on can have a positive
impact on what is researched, how research is conducted and the
impact of research findings (Staley, 2009)
 Shift from seeing CYP as subjects of research/ objects of enquiry
towards a view of CYP as social actors with right to active
participation (eg Grieg et al, 2007; Prout, 2002)
 Increasing acknowledgement of their competence to do so and the
power of the ‘child voice’ in research (eg Alderson, 2001; Powell
& Smith, 2009).
Why is involvement important?
Impacts on research:
 shaping research agendas to reflect those with greatest relevance;
 honing research designs, including ethical considerations and the
appropriateness of language used;
 encouraging validation in the analytical process; and,
 when involved in dissemination, promotes trust in the research findings among
the wider community.
(Staley, 2009)
Benefits for research
 Research topics and questions that are relevant to CYP’s lives
 Appropriate and accessible research methods and tools
 Involving young researchers can change the nature of data
collected
 Increasing impact of research
 Developing understanding and bridging gaps between adults and
CYP
Benefits for children and young people
 Chance to be actively involved in issues that affect them
 Gaining recognition for their contribution
 Skills and experience
 Personal development
Model of involvement in research
 Consultation (focus groups or one-off meetings at key stages
of the research – eg to seek views on a research proposal)
 Collaboration (active, on-going participation – eg reference
or advisory groups; young researchers working alongside
adults on elements of a study)
 Young people-led (locus of power is with young people for
some, or all, key elements of a study)
Ladder of participation
The NCB Research Centre model
Children/young people's
views are taken into
account by researchers
Children and young people
have ownership of the
research
Children/young people are
involved in decision-making
with researchers
Children and young people are
the main stakeholders in research
Based on
Kirby et al.
Building a
Culture of
Participation
(2003)
Questions and discussion
 What do you see as the benefits?
 For you/ the research
 For young people
 Methodological
 Epistemological
 Ethics and rights?
 Views on the model presented
Practical example of
CYP’s involvement – the
PEAR group
: our voices, our health
 A Wellcome Trust-funded project supporting 20 young
people to contribute to UK public health research and
policy
 Pilot project 11/2005 – 02/2008
 Current project – 10/2008 – 11/2010
 20 young people - meet in school holidays
works to:
 Help young people to learn
about,
public health
inform and influence
research and policy
 Develop links between young people and public health
researchers and policy makers
 Produce and distributing information about public health
issues and research to young people
 Demonstrates the impact of young people’s involvement in
public health research, and how this can be applied to policy
and practice
activity includes:
 Work with public health researchers, policymakers and






research bodies (eg PHRC, NICE, INVOLVE)
Website (www.ncb.org.uk/PEAR)
Research summaries
Conference (London, 27 Oct 2010)
Speaking at events and conferences
Responding to consultations
Commissioning own research project
Benefits – PEAR members’ views:
 Opportunities to learn about public health, gain research
skills and have something to put on our CVs
 Having our voices heard by researchers and policymakers
 Helping to make research and
policy more
relevant to young
people
 Letting other young people
know
about public health issues
that affect
them
“We’ve been able to work with researchers and give our opinions.
There’s a mutual benefit, we’ve helped them and also gained
knowledge ourselves”
“There’s lots of research about young people and public health – we
deserve to have our voices heard”
“It’s important that we’re involved [in projects like PEAR] as then
our opinions are heard not assumed”
“It’s important that we’re involved [in projects like PEAR] so that we
can have an effect on young people’s public health policies”
Other NCB involvement projects
 Developing the participation of disabled children and young people (2010-13)
 Involving Children in the Medicines for Children Research Network (2005 –





on-going)
Evaluation of Youth4U -Young Inspectors (2009 – 2011)
Centre for Excellence and Outcomes (C4EO) young people-led research on
impact of discrimination on educational attainment (2009)
Young Researcher Network – young people-led research on ‘Media Portrayal of
Young People: impact and influences’ (2008)
National Review of CAMHS services (2008)
What Makes the Difference? Peer research with care-experienced young
researchers(2007)
Questions on the PEAR
project?
Challenges of
involvement
Questions and discussion
 What do you see as the challenges?
 For you/ research
 For young people
 Methodological
 Epistemological
 Ethics and rights?
 When and why might you not involve young people in research?
 Availability
 Age and accrual
 Informed consent and the role of gatekeepers
 Safeguarding and child protection vs rights to participate
 Diversity and inclusive practice
 Resource implications
 Lack of experience
 Power issues
 Balancing young people’s & researchers’ expectations
 Quality and ethics
 Scepticism from researchers and research bodies
 Not always meaningful, possible or appropriate?
Reality and the ideal:
a pragmatic middle
ground?
Ideal
Duration of project
Reality
P
Project set up and recruitment
R
required before involvement
Policy/funder objectives to meet
Resource intensive –
recruitment, training, support,
admin
High level of commitment asked
for from peers, level of
recompense?
Lack of evidence regarding
impact (Carr, 2004)
Significant control over
A
decision making
G
M
Training and support
Unique standpoint privileged
A
T
I
S
M
Practical example of YP
involvement:
Formative evaluation of v
V evaluation and peer researchers
•Pragmatic approach to peer research involvement
•V – youth volunteering agency
V evaluation
• Formative
•Two and a half years
• Mixed methods – strands include survey of grant recipients, omnibus survey,
review of marketing, CBA, qualitative case studies, discourse analysis, analysis
of monitoring data
• Consortium
• Involvement of young people central to v – desire to involve in
evaluation
V peer researchers
Who are peer researchers:
• Decision ‘peer’ – 16 – 25 with experience of volunteering
• Recruited to reflect diversity/competency/interest
• 12 peer researchers recruited at the end of 2009
• Residential Training weekend January 2010
What are they working on: Qualitative case studies
• In depth case studies began March 2010
•Design of topic guides & fieldwork strategies for case studies February 2010
• In depth case study visits underway (lead sections of interviews etc)
Preparing for involvement:
Purpose of involvement:
• Accountability
• Quality
• Learning
Parameters of involvement
• clarity of role and responsibilities - job spec
• focus on in depth case studies data collection encounters with
young people
• constraints when designing & conducting social research
Design of recruitment strategy
Designing Training
Training:
Principles underpinning training:
• Not making assumptions about ability levels
• Making involvement as accessible as possible
•Thinking flexibly & creatively about how best to offer support
Training sessions:
• Overview of Evaluation:
• Introduction to Qualitative Research and QRU
• Introduction to Qualitative Data Collection
• Introduction to research ethics
•Training delivery:
Formal taught sessions
•Group exercises – designing case studies.
•Facilitation by external expert
Support:
•Assigning a peer researcher coordinator; payments and invoices; setting up
processes and developing guidelines; maintaining general contact
•Ensuring that the way we work with peer researchers meet existing
organisational procedures
•Data Security
•Ethics/ Disclosure
•Communication
•Monthly newsletter
•Mentor
•Facebook
•Training – regular sessions
Mentor:
•Facilitate peer researchers involvement by acting as the main
point of contact
•Monitor the time spent on tasks and the quality of work meets
expectations
•Establish a professional but supportive relationship with peer
researchers
•To assist and facilitate skills development
Challenges
 Young person – researcher identity is on a continuum and






changes over time
Support and training v normalisation
Availability
Fieldwork skills
Staff resources
Research aims and design already set
Inherently hierarchical manner of working
A view from a young person
Why involved
 Always been interested in society and social work
 Had previous interest in solving problems as a volunteer
(volunteered for Turning Point and Media company working
in the community)
Why is it important
 Relate to young people
 Understand them – read between the lines
 More trusting towards other young people
 Young people trust the research findings more
A view from a young person
Challenges
 Time
 My challenges – finances, cannot be paid due to benefits
 College and priorities
 Lots to understand – will I make a fool of myself?
 Nerves
Tips on how to involve young people
 Look at the background, if they cannot give them money try
to give them something else.
A view from a young person
What do I want to gain from it:
 Experience
Benefits of involvement:
Honing research designs, including ethical considerations and a
the appropriateness of language used.
Shaping research agendas to reflect those with greatest
relevance.
a
Encouraging validation in the analytical process.
?
Involved in dissemination, promotes trust in the research
findings among the wider community.
?
Access to population and trust in the research
a
Capacity builds within organisation;
Engages with wider community
a
Questions on the V
evaluation?
Conclusion:
Checklist for involvement
•Benefits to research as well as those involved
•Planned from the outset
•Recruitment – how, where, who and for how long
•CYP involved in deciding if, when and how they want to be involved – and
given all the information they need to do so
•Informing parents or carers if under 16/18
•On-going training and support
•Involvement in as many stages of research as possible
•Involvement is accessible and relevant to those involved
•Agree clearly defined roles
•Genuine opportunities for meaningful decision-making
•Reward and recognition (and challenges re: benefits)
•Safe working procedures and ethics
•Staff resources
•Evaluation and feedback
•Exit Strategy
Discussion and questions
why engage young people as researchers?
why not engage young people as researchers?
 how could or should this apply to your own
research?
what are the implications for ESRC and other
research funders?
Further information
 www.ncb.org.uk/research
 www.ncb.org.uk/PEAR
 www.natcen.ac.uk
 www.invo.org.uk (INVOLVE – guides on payment, involving CYP and other
information including recent report on impact)
 Participation Works: http://www.participationworks.org.uk/home
 Children’s Rights Alliance for England: http://www.crae.org.uk/rights.html
 National Youth Agency: http://www.nya.org.uk/integrated-youth-supportservices/young-researcher-network
References

Alderson, P. (2001) ‘Research by Children’. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, vol 4,
no 2, pp 139-153.

Greig, A., Taylor, J. and MacKay, T. (2007) Doing Research with Children. London: Sage

Kellett, M. (2005). How to Develop Children as Researchers. London: Paul Chapman

Kirby, P., Lanyon, C., Cronin, K. and Sinclair, R. (2003) Building a Culture of Participation: involving
children and young people in policy, service planning, delivery and evaluation. London: DfES.

Kirby, P. (2003) A Guide to Actively InvolvingYoung People in Research, for researchers, research commissioners
and managers. Eastleigh: INVOLVE.

Powell, M.A. and Smith, A.B. (2009) ‘Children’s Participation Rights in Research’. Childhood, vol
16, pp 124-142.

Prout, A. (2002) ‘Researching children as social actors: an introduction to the Children 5-16
programme’. Children and Society, vol 16, no 2, pp67-76.

Staley, K. (2009) Exploring impact: public involvement in NHS, public health and social care research.
Eastleigh, Hampshire: INVOLVE