Partnership research in green space community development: a reflection on multi-professional working

Abstract

Green space offers a significant environmental resource that can improve the individual experience of health and quality of life. However, barriers exist that prevent the use of green space, and partnership (multi-agency) working has the potential to overcome these. In response to this, a community development partnership project (Stepping Stones to Nature) was established to improve green spaces in neighbourhood communities through engagement and consultation. Integral to this project was an initiative to evaluate the process and experience of partnership working. The aim of this paper is to report the experience of the multi-agency group guiding the research process. A researcher who was not involved in the Stepping Stones to Nature project conducted the focus group of seven participants, and one interview, which were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim then thematically analysed. Four main themes were evident from the data: expectation/perceptions; stakeholder involvement and team building; tensions (at organisational and individual levels); reflection and learning (through the partnership and research process). This paper reflects the different expectations of the research process that need to be identified early in partnership research in order that they can be appropriately managed.