Study title

Cape Verde, Nepal, Timor-Leste

Individual

Organization

Event/process

Group

(1) Qualitative Fieldwork: A minimum total of six full weeks of qualitative fieldwork will be undertaken by the team in each of the three research locations. Each location will be visited by at least two of our team: this team-based approach will enable us to maximise rapid data collection and, as part of the research process, to develop a richer, more reflective and strongly comparative understanding of each research setting. Fieldwork will consist primarily of observational research and interviews at interventionprogrammes and with surrounding local communities.(2) Focus Groups and Semi-Structured Interviews: We shall hold around 100 focus groups and semi-structuredinterviews with key informants and individuals within our stakeholder clusters. As recommendedin academic literature, focus groups will be used with young people, to take account of the power dynamicsbetween researcher and researched, and to secure comfortable group environments (Langevang 2007). 20further interviews will be held with international bodies such as NGOs and governmental organizations. All interviews will be recorded, professionally transcribed, and verified by the research team before undergoing narrative and thematic coding using Nvivo. Further semi-structured or unstructured interviews will be undertaken with stakeholders and written up via field-notes.(3) Participatory Action Research methods (PAR): We shall employ PAR with our research groups. A highly innovative, contextual, research group-focused method, PAR is committed to producing research that is “with and by local people rather than on them”, and which fully engages with local communities in making social change (Cornwall and Jewkes 1995: 1667; Cornwall 2008). We shall use PAR data-collection techniques with local stakeholders (notably NGO volunteers, officials, and user groups) to capture theirexperiences and to identify and facilitate practical, empowering actions that lead towards social change. Ourlocal research groups will be invited to participate in data collection using audio-visual technologies and techniques (such as photo diaries, ‘photovoice’, and digital storytelling), so that they may (re)present themselves in direct and creative ways. In line with the PAR method, the actual data collection technologies to be used will depend on the participants’ preferences. This entails an element of ‘risk’, but PAR carries ‘high rewards’ in generating rich qualitative data and in narrowing the epistemological divide betweenresearchers and researched. To enhance its effectiveness we shall implement different variants of PAR – such as community, feminist and post-colonial approaches – as per context (Chambers 1994; Flicker et al. 2008; Jacquez et al. 2013). Researchers will also share their skills (e.g. - as fitness trainers) as part of the research process, to build rapport and to contribute to the participatory methodology.(4) Documentary research: We shall compile and analyse public and restricted-access documents, such as reports by governmental bodies and NGOs, and background materials such as mass media reports on relevant issues such as on peace-building, youth, gender, and development issues.(5) Quantitative data compilation: We shall compile and analyse secondary data, such as ‘monitoring and evaluation’ statistical data that has been generated by SDP programmes.