Participatory Research Network Hub
An overview of the participatory research projects undertaken by researchers from across the University, and their outputs. These projects were funded by Research England participatory research funding.
Participatory Research Network (PRN@TUoS)
Our cross-faculty Participatory Research Network is showcasing these projects as a means to support the development of participatory research at the University of Sheffield.
More about the PRN2023-2024 projects and outputs
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in Research Ethics
The University Research Ethics Committee (UREC) and the Participatory Research Network (PRN@TUoS) have created a series of videos demonstrating the challenges and opportunities for conducting ethical research when using collaborative and participatory methods.
Videos: EDI in research ethics
Dr Jennifer Burr (School of Medicine and Population Health), Dr Kirsty Liddiard and Dr Sophie Phillips (School of Education)
The Participatory Researchers' Creative Writing Toolkit
A participatory research team made up of students, librarians and academics designed a toolkit sharing examples of creative writing activities for adoption in participation research workshops. The toolkit is an output from the Creative Library project, which used creative writing activities within workshops to collaboratively explore librarian and student perceptions of artificial intelligence.
Download the toolkit (PDF, 557KB)
Dr Andrew Cox (Information School) and Dr Vicky Grant (The University Library)
Community Researcher Toolkit Project
This toolkit offers guidance for academic researchers working with, or interested in working with, community researchers. It was developed through a series of creative workshops with academics and community researchers from diverse backgrounds.
View the Community Researcher Toolkit
Dr Kate Fryer and Dr Habiba Aminu (School of Medicine and Population Health)
2022-2023 projects and outputs
Access Folk
The Access Folk project uses participatory research and action research methods to explore ways to increase and diversify participation in folk singing in England.
Access the the podcast, knowledge exchange report, PGR guide, and other outputs on the access folk website.
Professor Fay Hield, Dr Esbjorn Wettermark, Dr Kirsty Kay (Department of Music)
Enhancing public engagement with research: Mesothelioma Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) panel
Researchers co-produced a 3-minute video with the mesothelioma Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) panel, documenting patient's experiences and insights in order to i) educate the wider public about the role patients/the public can play in research and ii) support wider engagement in PPI by highlighting examples of good practice.
Dr Bethany Taylor (School of Allied Health Professions, Nursing and Midwifery)
Supporting adoptive parents through multi-arts creative practice
This participatory arts/research project, in collaboration with Seaglass Collective and The Art House, explored questions arising across sectors and practices related to adoptive families and their needs. The project gathered in-depth data on diverse experiences of participatory arts for parents of adopted children through a participatory model and developed and strengthened networks across organisations.
Video presentation about the project
Dr Jessica Bradley (School of Education)
Exploring and embedding PGR experiences of participatory research in TUoS research cultures
This project aimed to better understand what PGRs – across all faculties and departments in the University – need in relation to developing, co-designing and engaging in participatory research. It conducted virtual focus groups and collaborative analysis workshops exploring PGR experiences of participatory research inquiry and culture. The project culminated in a co-produced podcast, manifesto, artistic visualisations from the workshop and a journal article (forthcoming).
Download our PGR manifesto (PDF, 107KB)Listen to the podcast
Artistic visualisations from the workshops
Journal article forthcoming
Dr Kirsty Liddiard (School of Education); Dr Lauren White (Sheffield Methods Institute); Ankita Mishra (Psychology).
Exploring the experiences of acute hospital care for older people with vision impairment
The purpose of the study was to explore how to involve vision impaired older people in developing and piloting methods to explore their experiences in ways that were creative and inclusive to those with vision impairment.
The project created a number of graphics offering 'top tips' for health professionals and people living with vision impairment in supporting care in the hospital environment.
Top tips for helping a vision impaired patient
Dr Fiona Wilson and Dr Gemma Arblaster (School of Allied Health Professions, Nursing and Midwifery)
Identifying research priorities in ethnic minority and socio-economically deprived communities and widening participation in research
This project aimed to place communities at the centre of research on dementia and respiratory disorders, as a step towards citizen control of the research agenda. Building on pre-existing relationships with local ethnic minority communities, researchers identified and trained Community Research Link Workers (CRLWs) from the Chinese and Roma communities to undertake patient and public involvement sessions within their communities.
View project photographs and artistic visualisations
Dr Kate Fryer (Medicine and Population Health)
Space for community to grow
This project investigated participative social research methods that co-produce knowledge aiming to stimulate effective local action on greenspace deprivation in ethnically diverse urban areas for reasons of public health and social justice.
Interview with landscape architect Bridget E. Snaith
Film forthcoming
Journal article forthcoming
Dr Bridget Snaith (Department of Landscape Architecture)
2021-2022 projects and outputs
Improving research involvement opportunities for people with palliative care needs
The project used creative methods to increase research involvement and participation opportunities for people with palliative care needs, their families and carers.
Patient and public involvement recipe book (PDF)
More information about the project
Dr Sarah Mitchell (Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health)
Promoting participatory research in ethics applications with marginalised communities
University researchers worked in collaboration with researchers with learning disabilities and/or autism to promote, model and share a participatory approach to the writing of research ethics applications.
Participatory ethics good practice guidelines
More information about the project
Dan Goodley (School of Education)
Mapping participatory research at the University of Sheffield: Establishing legacies for best practice
This project aimed to map and share participatory research across all faculties at the University of Sheffield. As its legacy, it established an ongoing Participatory Research Network (PRN@TUoS).
Participatory Research Network (PRN@TUoS)Video: Participatory Research at the University
Dr Kirsty Liddiard (School of Education)
Developing, sharing and showcasing participatory research expertise across the Faculty of Social Sciences
This Research England funded project aimed to document cross-disciplinary best practice of doing participatory research within the Faculty of Social Science. It drew on existing expertise and experience of those who have done participatory research internationally and within the UK. It culminated in a series of workshops and videos.
Professor Simon Rushton and Dr Juan Mario Diaz Arevalo (Faculty of Social Sciences)
Diversity and inclusion in early phase trials for new medical treatments
This project looked at the importance and barriers to having diverse participants in early phase trials for new medical treatments. Researchers conducted interviews with professionals involved in clinical trials, patients and public representatives.
Read the journal article
Robin Chatters (Faculty of Health)
Bringing together academics interested in participatory research with children and young people
This project worked with colleagues across the university to create an online space showcasing innovative methods of participatory research with children and young people. It highlighted challenges and lessons learned.
Connect and reflect google site
Dr Hannah Fairbrother (Faculty of Health); Hannah Raine (Faculty of Social Sciences); Dr Jill Thompson (Faculty of Health); Dr Katie Ellis (Faculty of Health)