Inclusive Practices in Action: A Training Day with IVAR
A guest blog by Aideen Blackborough with graphic recording image by Eddy Phillips
A Just Ideas team of Aideen, Ali, Eddy, Helen and Ollie recently travelled to London to deliver Inclusive Practices Training for the Institute for Voluntary Action Research and what a fun and productive day we had! The research team at IVAR were keen to ensure that their working practices were as inclusive as possible and asked us to put together some training with a particular focus on involving disabled people in research.
The training began with setting the rules for how we would work together as a group and a key point was that it was OK to both ask questions and to get things wrong. It was important to us as a team that the delegates felt safe and supported to ask difficult and sensitive questions in order to deepen their understanding. We also highlighted that nobody has all of the answers!
Understanding Disability: Medical vs Social Models
Aideen took the lead as we explored the term “disability” and the medical and social models of disability. The legal definition of disability according to The Equality Act is: “…a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.” In the group discussions it was highlighted how this definition is based on the medical model, as it puts so much emphasis on the individual’s condition and fails to recognise society’s role in creating barriers.
We progressed to look at another aspect of The Equality Act – how to make reasonable adjustments. The delegates split into three groups and were each given a case study for which they were asked to identify the reasonable adjustments that they would make in that scenario. A key take away point from this was summarised as: Ask, Listen, Do. Whilst you can always make reasonable adjustments that you think are helpful, it’s always best to ask the individual you are working with what they need. It’s important to really listen to what would make things work for them and then, wherever possible, implement what they need. We also recognised that sometimes time and resource constraints can make it difficult to meet individual needs on the spot and that’s OK – most people will understand. If you need some time to implement appropriate reasonable adjustments, you should explain this so that the individual feels heard and valued.
Intersectionality in Action
Eddy took the lead on the next section which explored intersectionality which is defined as:
“…a metaphor for understanding the ways that multiple forms of inequality or disadvantage sometimes compound themselves and create obstacles that often are not understood among conventional ways of thinking.”
Delegates were invited to consider the case study of Jax, a young person whose multiple identities had resulted in multiple barriers to inclusion. The group discussed the various barriers faced by Jax and came up with numerous ideas which could reduce these obstacles and support Jax.
Forum Theatre: Learning through Experience
We enjoyed a well-deserved lunch before delving into our Forum Theatre session, led by Ali. After just one rehearsal, our Just Ideas Associates put their acting skills to the test, each assuming a role in a somewhat tense research session! Having observed the scene once, the role of the delegates was to identify what the characters should do differently and stop the scene to advise the “actors”. This was a fun and interactive session which encouraged the delegates to reflect on what had been learned so far. There were lots of laughs as well as productive discussions around the role of research facilitators in creating inclusive environments.
The Take-Away: Inclusion Benefits Everyone
The day was filled with productive and thought-provoking discussions and everyone, including our Just Ideas’ team, learnt something. Delegates were able to identify where they could make their practices more inclusive and accessible. It was agreed that more inclusive practices make life easier for everyone, not just disabled people.
As IVAR themselves reflected:
“The session was enjoyable and engaging, with relevant and informative content. I especially appreciated the interactive approach, which encouraged me to think critically about applying the training in everyday practice. The team created a safe and supportive space for learning and open discussion which made it easy for our team to ask questions and explore sensitive topics with confidence. We plan to use the learning to further our commitment to inclusive research, including reviewing the accessibility of our research communications and being more creative with our methodologies (we may even bring some forum theatre into our team meetings!)”
Jo Brown, Deputy Director of Research, IVAR
Find out more
If you’re thinking about your own inclusive practices and would like us to deliver a similar session, please get in touch