1. User Involvement Shared Learning Group presentation
1st December 2011
Tim Hughes - Involve
http://www.pathwaysthroughparticipation.org.uk

2. The reports
Final report Summary report Briefing papers
Informing and
influencing policy
Local engagement in
democracy
Volunteering as a
participation pathway
Available from:
www.pathwaysthroughparticipation.org.uk/resources

3. Research questions
How and why does participation begin and
continue?
Can trends and patterns of participation be
identified over time?
What connections, if any, are there between
different forms and episodes of participation and
what triggers movement between them?

4. 101 in-depth
interviews
Life stories
Qualitative research
Individual at the heart
Approach
Participation as ‘situated practice’
3 field work areas:
Leeds Stakeholder
Enfield engagement
Suffolk

5. What is participation?
Social participation:
the collective activities that
individuals are involved in
Public participation:
the engagement of individuals with
the various structures and institutions
of democracy
Individual participation:
people’s individual actions and
choices that reflect the kind of society
they want to live in

6. Why participation starts
Helping others
Developing relationships Groups and organisations
Exercising values & beliefs Local environment and place
Having influence
For personal benefit Practical resources
Being part of something Learnt resources
Felt resources
An emotional reaction
A personal life event
An external influence

7. Why participation
continues or stops
Impact
Life event
Enjoyment
Friendships
Relationships
Time
Health
Energy

8. The factors that shape
participation
Individual motivations
and resources
Relationships and social
networks
Groups and organisations
Local environment and
place
Wider societal and global
influences

9. Trends and patterns of
participation over time
Priorities
Critical moments
Life stage

10. Connections between activities
Integrated involvement Core-peripheral

11. Participation connections
Values and beliefs An issue
Motivating forces
Interests Skills

12. Implications for user involvement
Being able to Feeling valued Having an impact
talk the talk
The experience
Resources
Importance of...
Who you know Common purpose /
Collective endeavour

13. Some questions...
Can opportunities for involvement be created that fit
with people’s everyday lives?
How can user involvement empower people?
How can people be better connected?
How can user involvement be linked with other forms
of participation?
Is there a dark side to user involvement?
How can a culture of involvement be embedded in
organisations?