Participation and theory generation

1. Participation and theory generation How children, young people, and families create theory Peter.hart@durham.ac.uk @youthworkerpete www.dur.ac.uk/peter.hart

2. Aims • After considering how theory/policy affects practice in previous lectures, understand how practice can inform theory. • See Kolb’s learning cycle in action • Compare practitioner and community based research with evidence based practice (previously covered in Andrew’s lecture)

3. Part 1 – Theories in use Theories in Use • Argyris & Schön(1974) – The theory that governs action – may be implicit: When someone is asked how he would behave under certain circumstances, the answer he usually gives is his espoused theory of action for that situation. This is the theory of action to which he gives allegiance, and which, upon request, he communicates to others. However the theory that actually governs his actions is his theory-in-use, which may or may not be compatible with his espoused theory; furthermore, the individual may or may not be aware of incompatibility of the two theories. (p6-7)

4. Part 1 – Theories in use Espoused Theory • The theory a practitioner claims to use, whether they really do or not.

5. Part 2 – Theory from Practice Using Kolb’s Learning Cycle:Theory from Practice

6. Part 2 – Theory from Practice Concrete Experience: Relationships • Practitioner research into different ethical practices in youth work. • Youth work is, at it’s heart, a relational practice: “even if we do not consciously ‘educate’ or ‘counsel’ but spend out time ‘being with’ someone then we may be doing something of incalculable value” (Jeffs and Smith 2010:30), • Relationships based around authenticity, help, respect, warmth, and confidentiality.

7. Part 2 – Theory from Practice Concrete Experience: Professional Boundaries “a set of guidelines, expectations and rules which set the ethical and technical standards in the social care environment. They set limits for safe, acceptable and effective behaviour by workers” (Cooper 2012) • Are these boundary violations? • Having a romantic relationship with a young person. • Playing pool with a young person. • Calling a young person a friend. • Giving a stranded young person a ride home.

8. Part 2 – Theory from Practice Concrete Experience: Professional Boundaries • “Friendly, not a friend” • “Buddy, not a peer” • “Close, but not too close” • “Intimate, without overstepping a boundary”

9. Part 2 – Theory from Practice Reflective Observation: Offering a Ride Home Well, do you know, like, things people have asked before and I’ve explained that I can’t do things, so I think the older group that have been here a long time they know, like… for instance they always ask for a lift home, and they still ask but they’ll go ‘I know, you can’t’, [it’s against our lone worker policy]. There’s those things they know that they’re in place, and they know that, like you say, their mate might just give them a lift home because it’s raining and they don’t want to walk, but we wouldn’t. I've given a young person a lift twice, and I've stopped my car on another time… I've known that I was opening myself up to any kind of thing. But the situation that was going on I couldn’t walk away from. I have put myself on the line, and maybe been slightly over it. But at the time my gut was telling me to do that, and I would have probably done it as a human being, not just as a youth worker. [then she recounts her stories of young people in trouble, requiring a lift] Maybe I shouldn’t have, but I wouldn’t want somebody leaving my son on the street in that sort of state.

10. Part 2 – Theory from Practice Reflective Observation: Facebook If they requested that I be their friend then generally I’d just accept that. That would be fine. I’m very aware that I have young people as friends on Facebook. And, so I’m sort of quite careful about what I put on there… both Facebook and twitter, the things that I share on there are things that I’m happy to share with [young people]… You know, I think it’s part of being transparent and the integrity thing, there’s nothing I need to hide on Facebook… But I wouldn’t search for the young people in the group and ask to be their friend, but I think if they want to be my friend or if they want to follow me on twitter that’s fine. I wouldn’t initiate it, but I wouldn’t reject them. I would expect them to either decline it, take the first opportunity when they next see the young person to say; "It's not about I'm rejecting you personally. But because I'm -." In words that young people - it depends on who the young person was. It would need to be in a context that young people could understand. But either; "My professional boundaries don't allow me to have contact with young people outside of work." Or, if they're looking for somebody to blame, blame me and say: "I'm not allowed to have contact through social media with young people I know through work."

11. Part 2 – Theory from Practice Reflective Observation: Complicated relationships • Healthy relationships were not easily understood through considering boundaries. • These themes interact with each other to create a whole relationship: • Self-disclosures • Engaging in the wider lives of young people • Setting an example • Use of authority and power • Respecting young people • Practising young people’s needs • Formality and distance

12. Part 2 – Theory from Practice Abstract Conceptualisation: Micro-theory • Professional boundaries set limits of acceptable behaviour. • But relationships remain messy, because there are lots of parts of the relationship interacting.

13. Part 2 – Theory from Practice Abstract Conceptualisation: Ethical Framework Deontological Ethics Virtue Ethics Aristotle & MacIntyre Right actions are character dispositions. Sound judgement is essential. Community and tradition are important in deciding which ‘virtues’ are necessary. • Immanuel Kant • 18th Century • ‘Right’ or ‘ethical’ actions come from rules. • Following rules is key. • Universal rules compel a worker to do their duty towards young people.

14. Part 2 – Theory from Practice Abstract Conceptualisation: Offering a Ride Home Well, do you know, like, things people have asked before and I’ve explained that I can’t do things, so I think the older group that have been here a long time they know, like… for instance they always ask for a lift home, and they still ask but they’ll go ‘You know I can’t’, [it’s against our lone worker policy]. There’s those things they know that they’re in place, and they know that, like you say, their mate might just give them a lift home because it’s raining and they don’t want to walk, but we wouldn’t. I've given a young person a lift twice, and I've stopped my car on another time… I've known that I was opening myself up to any kind of thing. But the situation that was going on I couldn’t walk away from. I have put myself on the line, and maybe been slightly over it. But at the time my gut was telling me to do that, and I would have probably done it as a human being, not just as a youth worker. [then she recounts her stories of young people in trouble, requiring a lift] Maybe I shouldn’t have, but I wouldn’t want somebody leaving my son on the street in that sort of state.

15. Part 2 – Theory from Practice Abstract Conceptualisation: Facebook If they requested that I be their friend then generally I’d just accept that. That would be fine. I’m very aware that I have young people as friends on Facebook. And, so I’m sort of quite careful about what I put on there… both Facebook and twitter, the things that I share on there are things that I’m happy to share with [young people]… You know, I think it’s part of being transparent and the integrity thing, there’s nothing I need to hide on Facebook… But I wouldn’t search for the young people in the group and ask to be their friend, but I think if they want to be my friend or if they want to follow me on twitter that’s fine. I wouldn’t initiate it, but I wouldn’t reject them. I would expect them to either decline it, take the first opportunity when they next see the young person to say; "It's not about I'm rejecting you personally. But because I'm -." In words that young people - it depends on who the young person was. It would need to be in a context that young people could understand. But either; "My professional boundaries don't allow me to have contact with young people outside of work." Or, if they're looking for somebody to blame, blame me and say: "I'm not allowed to have contact through social media with young people I know through work."

16. Part 2 – Theory from Practice Abstract Conceptualisation: • Which approach to ethics it the best match for relationships in which the boundaries move and flow? • On what ethical framework are ‘professional boundaries’ based? • How can we improve (or be more intentional about) a ‘virtue ethics of professional boundaries’?

17. Part 2 – Theory from Practice Active Experimentation • What comes next?

18. Part 3 – Benefits of practice/user based research Benefits of an Inductive Approach • Theories based on complexity of practice • Increased expectation from law (e.g. Children Act 1989), social pressures (e.g. feminism), and political policy (Nolan et al 2007) that marginalised groups will participate in improving services. • Alternative perspectives on dominant theory/policy. • Alternative to ‘Evidence Based Practice’

19. Part 3 – Benefits of practice/user based research Community Based Research • Participatory Action Research • Research that attempts to change something, for the better, by those who are most affected PAR “involves researchers and participants working together to examine a problematic situation or action to change it for the better” (Kindon 2007:1) • This assumes: • CYP&F are experts in their own lives. • They have subcultural knowledge they can draw from that professionals don’t have access too • It is ethical (see UNCRC) to consult people on decisions affecting their lives • Knowledge is a social construct – not a realist ontology.

20. Part 3 – Benefits of practice/user based research Community Based Research • Evidence Based Practice: • We know there has been a reduction in reported ASB in many areas. • We know more about which types of orders are likely to reduce reoffending. • Participatory research suggests: • Unintended consequences - further exclusion. • They can be unfair and inequitable. • Morally questionable - balance of probabilities • What works, for whom? • Socially constructed nature of ASB

21. Participation and theory generation How children, young people, and families create theory Peter.hart@durham.ac.uk @youthworkerpete www.dur.ac.uk/peter.hart