Author Archives: admin

We need more experimentation….

This is well worth a look……The Public Petitions Committee of the Scottish Parliament   An important call for us all to talk about our assumptions, share our thinking and adopt a more experimental approach to the design and delivery of public services.   … Continue reading

Posted in Co-production and new ways of working, How can evaluation be useful?, Participatory research methods, Partnership working, Research Impact, What is action research? | Leave a comment

When are you ever not piloting?

See this new page with a short article about the important debate about redefining the relationship between public services and communities and the role of research and evidence.  It would be great to hear your responses.

Posted in Co-production and new ways of working, How can evaluation be useful?, Participatory research methods, Partnership working, Research Impact, What is action research? | Leave a comment

Seldom heard voices

This set of stories came from the recent evaluation of the Cedar work. They are composite stories based on themes from across different data sources.  They’re told by young people and mothers who’d been in Cedar groups and the staff that … Continue reading

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An award for mentoring

The Craighead Institute have been awarded Mentoring in Business Project of the Year 2011 for their Management & Leadership Health, Work and Wellbeing Mentoring Project.  The evaluation of this important project was undertaken by Research for Real. See the report … Continue reading

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Research as if people were human

 Here’s a link to an important new book by Yoland Wadsworth “Building in research and evaluation – human inquiry for living systems“, 2011

Posted in Co-production and new ways of working, How can evaluation be useful?, Participatory research methods, Research Impact, What is action research? | Leave a comment

How can evaluation be worthwhile and useful?

We have recently completed an exciting and innovative action research evaluation of the Cedar groupwork programme.  This provided a systemic and reflective approach to evaluation which is likely to be of interest to others who want to blend action and analysis … Continue reading

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Learn to share, share to learn

Times are difficult and we need to talk to each other about what we ought to be doing.  Yet, conversations seem to be no longer available in many settings.   We need to learn to work differently and develop new knowledge, skills … Continue reading

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New skills we need…listening, unlearning, reflexivity…..

Professor Robert Chambers was interviewed about his career in international development.  It’s refreshing to hear his reflections, especially about unlearning and reflexivity….. Robert Chambers interview

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Action research makes an impact?

One of my ‘favourite’ quotes is from a former Chief Research Officer who said that “Evidence-based policy is all very well, but at the end of the day, politics wins out”.  So in that spirit, it’s great to hear that a … Continue reading

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Things we like

I think it is very important to hold to the idea that action research is one way to break down this barrier between living an inquiring life and research in a formal sense, and to see inquiry as part of … Continue reading

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