Creative connections: taking research online in Shetland
/In their Knowledge is Power update, Shetland Community Connections show how online communication and vital support costs have been used to get a research project started despite challenging circumstances, a project with the potential to have a real impact on disabled people’s lives.
Background
Shetland Community Connections is a community organisation which works with individuals, organisations, schools and employers in Shetland to support peopl to form new relationships, raise aspirations, find work opportunities, build on their skills, and participate fully in activities and social life.
After discussing issues affecting disabled people, the group decided to focus their Knowledge is Power project on understanding the reality of attending social and cultural events or spaces for disabled people, their families and carers in Shetland and how their experiences can be improved.
Connecting everyone
Once they had agreed on the research questions, looked at the data and ethical issues, the group developed their online survey for community members to complete. To ensure everyone could take part, they ordered an easy read version which could be completed in person and then added to the online responses. The group also looked at impactful advertising and maximising the reach of the survey.
Currently, the group is awaiting the costing of a BSL video publicity and signer for interviews. A wider range of promotion has also been explored.
They set the start date of the 15th November 2021 for publicity to be sent out and began to plan additional 1:1 interviews. Groups have now been identified groups to approach who might wish to take part in a group discussion for evidence.
Maintaining the momentum.
Due to COVID-19, Shetland Community Community Connections was unable to complete the original research idea. New members joined, and the group started again to build ideas.
Some opportunities have arisen out of challenges. For instance, the group has found the experience of having to conduct online meetings enabling, in the sens that a more remote spread of people are able to attend. The group’s Knowledge is Power mentor was able to attend more meetings than would have been possible without the virtual platform.
The funding has been vital for increasing the scope of the research by paying for the high impact advertising which the group could not have fund raised for. The advertising in itself is raising the issue for wider discussion and status. Their choice of advert with inbuilt “click here” link to survey (see image) & QR code on paper / poster advert has been creative and demonstrated again the power of the coming together of different lived experiences and the Knowledge is Power ethos.
“Laura our mentor has been fantastic and kept the faith! Everyone has kept going and other issues have been raised and taken forward by people in addition to the actual research. [It’s] been an uplifting and powerful process to be part of. Now [we’re entering into] the exciting launch phase!”
What’s next?
Once the survey is completed the plan is to pull together a report of the findings with plenty quantitative and qualitative evidence. Then the group will decide how best to maximise the opportunity to influence planning of events and look at engaging with venues as well as local council. It is hoped the size of the return and the breadth of the evidence will evidence need for disabled people to be involved on an equal basis in event planning and support venues to make small or large changes.
Return to the Knowledge is Power learning page for more research updates, case studies and learning.
Shetland Community Connections used Knowledge is Power support costs to place a prominent advert and link to their research in the local newspaper (see yellow banner). Image copied from Shetland News website.