Breadcrumbs
Action Research Projects
Background
As part of the Diversity Review, the Countryside Agency commissioned scoping research (748kb word) which reported in 2003. A key recommendation was that the Diversity Review's research programme should include action research-based project initiatives. These would include strong elements of user involvement, address ownership issues and consider longer term sustainability of actions and outcomes.
Research Aims
The aim of the action research projects was to develop and test outreach methods which would lead to a long term connection between people who were currently under-represented as visitors to the countryside. The Diversity Review was tasked to look specifically at under-representation in relation to disabled people, people from Black and Minority Ethnic communities (BME), young people and people who live in inner city areas. It was envisaged that 4 geographically distinct projects would be established, broadly addressing issues affecting the 4 under-represented groups, but ever mindful of the existence of diversity within diversity. Across the four projects, the focus was on linking providers of access to the countryside and outdoors with members of under-represented groups, in order to engage people in overcoming the known constraints on countryside visiting.
Outreach Methods and Partner Selection
There are a number of methods, or outreach tools, which have been developed over the last twenty years to address the under-representation of different groups in countryside visiting. Recommendations from the scoping research were that the methods utilised by the ARPs could include: Urban/Rural Twinning based on shared interests; Community generated video; Provision of Internet-based information; and, capacity building of community leaders.
Subsequent dialogue led to the establishment of criteria on which projects would be selected. These included the need for projects to: hold the prospect of being mainstreamed; promote access to 'countryside' which is sufficiently local for easy independent access; and, have a commitment to data collection which would help show any changes in access.
Diversity Review Action Research Projects
Following workshops and meetings, four projects were identified in June 2004. These have developed their own objectives, outcomes and outputs, which build upon those established at the Diversity Review's programme level. The projects ran over 3 years - ending in the Summer of 2007. The projects were as follows:
Beyond the Boundary - Yorkshire Testing whether the barriers of confidence and lack of information by BME communities can be overcome through supporting urban and rural communities to twin with one another.
By All Means -Kent Testing whether a measurable increase in the level of access to Kent's countryside routes and sites can be achieved through working closely with disabled people and their representative organisations through all phases of planning, development and management.
Finding Common Ground - Plymouth Testing whether engaging with women and their families in inner city Plymouth, and linking them with women in rural communties, increases their confidence and unlocks their ability to access the Devon countryside.
Stepping Out - Coventry Testing whether engaging with carers of people with mental health problems in Coventry in accessing activities through a graduated, 'stepping stones' approach, leads to an improvement in their quality of life, raised awareness levels in service providers, and increased capacity within community organisations.
Evaluation of Action Research Projects
Michael Bell Associates were appointed in August 2004 to apply a best practice Evaluation Framework and Methodology to the four projects. This is applied through:
- Active involvement in carrying out and supporting the monitoring and evaluation of the four Action Research Projects, from their inception to their conclusion;
- Contribution to the ongoing development of the Evaluation Framework and Methodology.
Natural England will undertake a final evaluation of these Action Research Projects by the end of 2008 and will produce a final report on the findings.
For information about this final evaluation, please contact Alan Pearsons at alanmichael.pearsons@naturalengland.org.uk.
