Learning together: Widening participation research with, for and by young researchers

Abstract

This innovative practice account draws on the researchers' experience of conducting the 'Young Researcher Project' commissioned by the Cumbria Collaborative Outreach Programme, 'Hello Future', which aims to widen participation in higher education. The account focuses on the lessons learned during the project that others may find valuable in conducting similar work. The project involved enabling a small group of young learners to engage in a range of qualitative research techniques including interviewing. Using a reflective process influenced by Brookfield's four lenses -self, student, peer and literature informed feedback- we explore three principles which were central to the project: facilitated participation, flexibility and responsiveness, and interprofessional collaboration. We propose that enabling the young learners to have a voice was dependent on the researchers providing structure and training even though this may, by definition, run counter to the notion of 'participatory' research. In other words, participation on the part of the young learners required support and scaffolding provided by the research team. The account highlights the pragmatism of this approach in the context of completing a project within a short timeframe and to the maximal benefit of different groups, not least the young learners who learned new skills and reported increased levels of self-confidence.