Civil Society Organisations ’ participation in research “ Insights into current practice ”

Civil Society Organisations’ participation in research “Insights into current practice” Dr. Theo Gavrielides, IARS Founder & Director & Andriana Ntziadima, IARS Promotions & Resources Manager CONSIDER – Expert workshop Lille, France, 26th September 2013

Agenda … • Introductions & caveats • The context – past & current projects • The strengths • The weaknesses • Going forward

Independent Academic Research Studies IARS is a UK-based leading, international think-tank with a charitable mission to give everyone a chance to forge a safer, fairer and more inclusive society. We achieve our charitable aims by producing evidence-based solutions to current social problems, sharing best practice and by supporting young people and the community to shape decision making. IARS is an international expert in criminal justice, restorative justice, human rights and inclusion, citizenship, public service and user-led research. We are known for our robust, independent, evidence-based approach to solving current social problems, and we are considered a pioneer in user-involvement and the application of user-led research methods.

IARS - CSO • Non-profit • Non-state, non-governmental • Independent, non-political, non partisan • Non-violent, equality organisation • Registered company limited by guarantee • Registered charity • Voluntary sector organisation • Membership based • Charitable objects for the benefit of society and targeted communities

IARS - CSO • Research • International scope • Think-tank • Educational, training and accreditation services • Consultancy & expert advice • Contracts and commissioning (social venture activities)

Context & Caveats • EQUAL EU programme – Homelessness and Black & minority ethnic communities in the EU • JUST – Criminal Justice programmes • Mediation and Restorative Justice Prison settings • The 3E Model of Restorative Justice • Restorative Justice in Europe: Safeguarding Victims and empowering professional • Youth in Action – 4.1. Framework Agreement • “Social sciences – social policy – justice”

Strengths

Strengths • The voices of communities – not living in “ivory towers” • Innovative & flexible • Bottom up science • Independent and strong voice • Access to communities and sample that is “hard to reach” • The research itself can be social action

Strengths • User-led research methods • Action research/ participatory research models • Networking abilities & campaigning role • Experience, expertise, passion, dedication • The purpose of social sciences research – not losing sight of life implications

Challenges • Power structures: the mouse and the elephant • Power structures within • SCO – Academic institutions: what is their common currency? • A problem of priorities • Shared values – shared understanding

Challenges • Research vs evaluation • “The vicious circle of funding” (research for evidence based practice or evidence for funding) • Trust and being sceptical – under the scrutiny • Involving staff and users in the framing of research and evaluation • Asking the “wrong questions”

Challenges • Lacking the infrastructure (e.g. partnership agreements, overheads, reserves) • Lacking the research tools (e.g. online journals, libraries, software, databases) • Awareness & information on research based grants and programmes

Going forward • Built-in infrastructure support • Partnerships - SCO participation requirement (not tokenistic) • Leadership – proportionate distribution • Better understanding of SCO research methods and approach to science • Brokering relationships SCO - academia

Going forward • Dispelling myths • “Academic” – a “dirty” word! • “Research” – a luxury • Qualitative vs quantitative research • Practitioners – users – researchers – policy makers: relationships restored • The evolving nature of science, research and their implications for life.

Questions & Contact details

Civil Society Organisations ’ participation in research “ Insights into current practice ”