Accessing Participatory Research Impact and Legacy (APRIL)

The JISC/NECCPE funding enabled APRIL to bring together people with a range of expertise with the intention of developing an open, online, interactive database (conceptualised as the knowledge base). The aim of this was to: • bring together published sources on the background, participatory dimension, and impact of PHR, making these available to communities of practice • provide a means of synthesising knowledge and impact from various sources in relation to participatory dimensions • capture outputs and impacts of PHR using research and BCE reference points • develop dimensions for describing PHR through diverse stakeholder engagement • provide an on-going space for the collection of resources for the shared development of understanding through the process of public categorisation • comply with the CERIF model 11 papers, written in the past 6 years, identified as participatory by their authors were selected and the authors contacted for a discussion to: a. clarify type of partnership approach used b. assess factual characteristics of the overall partnership approach c. identify research approaches and methods d. identify perceived impact related to the participatory approach and dimension of participation This information was used, alongside indicators already gathered and developed by the APRIL project team, to outline a proforma for an interactive knowledgebase for researchers, both academic and community, to build knowledge about participatory research and its impact and share lessons learnt from the impact analysis exercise across participating institutions and the broader PR community of practice. This work is part of a broader project of the International Collaboration for Participatory Health Research www.icphr.org