We’re delighted to be collaborating with the University of Edinburgh on a citizen research project around our digital inclusion work, in which our volunteers are trained as ‘citizen researchers’.
People Know How has partnered with the Binks Hub at the University of Edinburgh on a research project made possible by funding provided by Good Things Foundation and Research Data Scotland. The project centres on Reconnect, our service supporting adults and families to improve wellbeing by increasing digital and social inclusion, and focuses on digital inclusion, an area about which there’s currently very little research.
This research is being undertaken by our volunteers, with training provided by the Binks Hub and People Know How as they take on the role of ‘citizen researchers’.
Areas for exploration
Starting with our own monitoring and evaluation for Reconnect, the project aims to deepen the field of research by comparing the experiences of those we support and our findings with those of other organisations, as well as existing literature.
The four areas we aim to research as part of this project are:
- How people come to Reconnect and the needs they bring
- How the service has helped them (including skills, knowledge, confidence and emotional support)
- The difference digital inclusion can make to solving financial challenges and saving money
- What more the service could be offering to make a bigger impact on digital exclusion
To help answer these questions, our citizen researchers participated in training workshops with the Binks Hub and Reconnect teams in how to approach conducting interviews and running focus groups. They will then collaborate with our Digital & Wellbeing Coordinators to think about which approach would work best and who might be interested in participating, including people who receive support, staff and People Know How’s VIPs (volunteers, interns and placement students).
Research, interview and analysis
Our citizen researchers kicked off the project with training sessions to prepare them to equip them with the skills to conduct research interviews and focus groups themselves. They explored what good research looks like, from using open communications skills through to making sure to avoid bias.
Interviews with people we support, Digital Support Volunteers, staff and other organisations commenced shortly after completing their training. Citizen researchers are currently engaged in analysing the results of these interviews and identifying common themes, with support from People Know How and the Binks Hub.
Next steps
At People Know How we believe that sharing our learning is essential in order for our work to benefit people across all of Scotland. The aim of this project is for us to compile a report and summary that will be shared widely in our open-access research database for all to read and take from as we deliver our digital inclusion projects.
We’re very grateful to the University of Edinburgh’s Binks Hub for their partnership in this project, as well as Good Things Foundation and Research Data Scotland for awarding us the grant that has allowed us to run this project.