Introduction

Knowledge is Power was developed as a result of an increased interest in and commitment to community-led action research in Scotland. From June 2016 to October 2017, SCDC and the Poverty Alliance worked alongside ten community organisations from across Scotland to identify what a support resource, designed for communities to undertake their own action research processes, would look like.

Together we identified what impacts community-led action research can lead to, what more might be needed to embed action research processes and help them work well, and where challenges might lie.

Learning report

This report brings together the activity and key learning from this programme and highlights the work delivered by the community organisations involved.

Faced with unprecedented circumstances due to the pandemic, these organisations delivered a range of community-led action research with their communities.

Download the full learning report or view the key learning below

What is community-led action research? Find out from SCDC (new tab).

Programme learning snapshot

We’ve brought together the programme learning into four main themes. These are expanded upon in the full programme report, and offer a snapshot of what Knowledge is Power helped us learn about carrying out and supporting community-led action research.

1. Community Capacity and Assets – This theme stresses the importance of ‘community-led’ action research and the active involvement of volunteers. It also highlights the importance of involvement in community-led action research in helping to build the confidence and skills of volunteers. 
   

2. Engagement and Inclusion - This theme highlights the use of creative methods in community-led action research in order to reach those sections of the community whose voices are least-heard. It also stresses the importance of wider engagement with communities as part of local research processes.
   

3. Making an Impact – This theme stresses the importance of ‘action’ in community-led action research and the value of the unique and rich insights through lived experience which inform the research process.
   

4. Support – This theme highlights the need for proper support for people involved in community-led action research, whether through training, mentoring and/or renumeration. It recognises the need for community-led action research to be valued in the same way as other forms of research.

Download the full Programme Learning Report