Enhancing participatory research skills and partnerships

Between April and July 2022 LAHRI conducted the project ‘Enhancing participatory research skills and partnerships’ with support from Research England. The overall aim of the project was to enhance and extend participatory research skills and partnerships with a focus on the arts and humanities.

The project had three strands with a research team with distinct objectives and research methods:

• A review of mechanisms for engagement with community and voluntary organisations,
• A pilot project with community partners, and
• A pilot project with Special Collections.

The first strand, ‘A review of mechanisms for engagement with community and voluntary organisations,’ led by Dr Pammi Sinha (acting Deputy Director for LAHRI at the time) and Dr Elizaveta Vasserman (postdoctoral research associate (PDRA)), aimed at mapping participatory research activities and understanding the nature of interactions between colleagues from the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures (AHC) and non-academic organisations within the Leeds City Region.

To answer the research questions, we undertook desk research to examine research projects showcased on the AHC website, which engaged non-academic organisations within the region, conducted surveys and interviews, and organised a workshop, which took place late June.

Figure 1. Correlations between AHC schools and different types of non-academic organisations in the Leeds City Region

The second strand, ‘A pilot project with community partners,’ led by Dr Fozia Bora (Associate Professor of Islamic History) and Dr Vahideh Golzard (PDRA), worked with five members of the local Iranian and Syrian communities to explore how Persian and Arabic collections within Special Collections at the University of Leeds could be made more accessible. This study included interviews, a participatory workshop, and a follow-up discussion about the participants’ engagement with Special Collections. Although small in number of participants, the project saw immediate impact in that Special Collections has prepared a display of Qur'anic manuscripts, the significance of which is now better understood by the curators, and considering a targeted awareness raising campaign.

Figure 2. Catalogue number BC Read Catalogues/VIC (epigraphical turquoise pottery bowl, dd.13th-14th century): One of the objects discussed with participants of the second strand of the project

The third strand, ‘A pilot project with Special Collections,’ led by Joanne Fitton (Associate Director, Special Collections and Galleries) and Dr Bing Wang (PDRA), using rarely displayed items in the Chinese collections, designed a zine-making workshop for working more closely with the Special Collections, with help from Dr Ruth Daley and Dr Elspeth Mitchell. Although time constraints prevented this workshop from running, its structure is being considered for its potential as a mechanism for other programmes to engage more frequently with Special Collections.

The final report on the whole project was written in early August 2022 and presented findings and recommendations. These included lessons learnt from the AHC researchers on participatory research practices and issues to be raised at faculty and university levels. A list of good practice guidelines on participatory research for early career researchers was another outcome of the project.