Want to help with an Anti-Poverty Strategy project in Clare?
Peer researchers needed: bursary and expenses paid
Clare PPN is looking for four ‘peer-researchers’ to join a project which is creating a Five-Year Anti-Poverty Strategy for Clare. Have you lived experience of poverty? Are you a good listener? Are you interested in meeting new people? Would you like to learn new skills and help with trying to address poverty in Clare? Then this might interest you. Read on for details:
What is a ‘peer- researcher’? A peer researcher is someone who uses their own life experience and understanding to engage with others and gather useful information on a particular issue. So for example, a peer researcher on a project dealing with homelessness, would be someone who has themselves experienced homelessness at some time in their life. A peer-researcher on addiction would be someone who themselves has experienced addiction.
What do we mean by ‘lived experience of poverty’? You will be meeting people who are experiencing poverty because of lack of income, including for example those who are unemployed or unable to access work because of a particular disability or care responsibilities, people having difficulty getting housing, people who have health issues including mental health, single parents and people who experience poverty because of being isolated in rural Clare or those who experience discrimination because of where they are from whether that’s another country or a council estate, their ethnicity, or because of relationship break ups or losing a life partner.
We want to make sure that the people who come to these focus groups to talk to us to are met by people who are open, kind and understand how life can be difficult and will not judge them.
We want to examine the structures and supports needed for people to thrive and their experiences of using existing services . If are someone who has experienced some of these situations yourself and would like to be involved in helping us run this project we’d like to hear from you.
What will you be doing if you are selected? After receiving training in facilitating groups, confidentiality and research ethics you will be helping the staff of Clare PPN and their lead researcher to conduct group discussions with people who are or have experienced any form of poverty in Clare.
What is involved?
- Introduction and training (online and in person)
- 4 days of peer research focus groups in Clare
- You will receive a bursary (fee) of €125 per day and we’ll cover any travel and meal costs involved.
- The research will be taking place in person throughout County Clare in March and April
- You will be fully supported in this process and staff from Clare PPN and our lead researcher will be present at each event.
To apply for one of these positions please email: sarah@clareppn.ie before February 28th 2022 In your email please tell us why you’d like to be involved in this project and outline the experiences you think would make you suitable for one of these roles. We will be selecting the peer researchers based on creating a group from a range of backgrounds, ages. abilities and experiences. Please note that this project is working with adults only and you must be 18 or over to apply for these roles. We particularly welcome interest from under-represented groups including those who experience class discrimination.
This project is being delivered by a steering group formed from Clare PPN’s Social Inclusion College and is funded by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Grant Scheme.
