Section 6: Action Research Resources
6.1 Reconnect Questions of National Significance
The following text is provided by FaHCSIA in consultation with the Action Research Committee.
The objective of Reconnect is to support young people ‘at risk of’ or experiencing homelessness, and improve their level of engagement with family, work, education, training and the community.
Reconnect’s central client is the young person. Keeping this in mind, Reconnect’s objectives are undertaken by understanding and working with the young person in the context of their family and/or other significant relationships they identify in their lives.
The Questions of National Significance have been devised from Reconnect’s Program Objectives and Good Practice Principles. These questions are relevant and core goals for all Reconnect services to reflect on, leading to improved service delivery. The Questions of National Significance are examples of macro questions; broad questions which overview a large area of focus. Action Research inquiries will usually address a micro question; a small concrete question which would form a part of the larger macro question.
Example:
Macro Question:
“What would it take to improve the stability of young people’s living situations?”
Micro Questions:
“What can we do to better engage with accommodation service providers?”
“What can we do to improve the service knowledge of young people?”
“What can we do to measure stability outcomes for our clients?”
OUTCOMES
- What would it take to improve the stability of young people’s living situations?
- What would it take to improve the capacity of the community to provide early intervention into youth homelessness?
- What would it take to make inter-service linkages with other community and government agencies seamless, integrated and sustainable?
- What would it take to improve young people’s engagement with family relationships?
- What would it take to improve young people’s engagement with education and training?
- What would it take to improve young people’s engagement with employment?
- What would it take to improve young people’s engagement with their communities?
GOOD PRACTICE PRINCIPLES
- What can we do to improve the accessibility of our service?
- What can we do to ensure our service delivery is driven by our clients?
- What can we do to ensure our service delivery has a holistic approach?
- What can we do to improve our collaboration with other stakeholders?
- What can we do to ensure our service delivery is culturally and contextually appropriate?
- What can we do to embed review and evaluation within our service?
- What can we do to build the sustainability of our service?
6.2 References and further reading
Below is a list of references used in this manual together with other publications which may be useful. Some have annotations below. For most, the content is self-evident from the title.
Australian Council of Social Service (2008) Australian Community Sector Survey: Report 2008, ACOSS Paper 154, ACOSS, Strawberry Hills, NSW.
The Australian Community Sector Survey is an annual survey that covers the non-profit community services and welfare sector. The sector is a major provider of the community services that most of us rely on at some point in our lives, but which are particularly important to people on low incomes.
Alston, M. and Bowles, W. (1998), Research for Social Workers: An Introduction, Allen & Unwin, Sydney.
Altrichter, H. et. al. (1990) ‘Defining, confining or refining Action Research?’ In Zuber-Skerritt, O. (ed.) Action Research for Change and Development, Centre for the Advancement of Learning and Teaching, Griffith University, Brisbane.
ARTD (1998) ‘Evaluation of the Youth Homeless Pilot Programme’ in Evaluation Committee, Prime Ministerial Youth Homeless Taskforce, Putting Families in the Picture: Supplementary Report, Department of Family and Community Services, Canberra.
This provides program evaluation of the 26 Youth Homelessness Pilot Programme projects. It also includes the findings of the Programme, identifying good practice insights, critical success factors and barriers and gaps.
ARTD (2003) Independent Assessment of Reconnect Services, Unpublished report to the Department of Family and Community Services, Canberra.
ARTD conducted independent assessments of Reconnect services annually from 2001 to 2005 drawing on client data, service reports, and interviews and field visits around Australia, including Centrelink officers, schools, care and protection agencies and NGOs.
ARTD (2009) Analysis of Action Research Reports from Reconnect and Newly Arrived Youth Support Services, Unpublished draft report to Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Canberra.
Australian Government (2008) The Road Home: A National Approach to Reducing Homelessness, Australia.
Also known as the ‘Homelessness White Paper’ this sets out the Australian Government’s plan to tackle homelessness.
Beadle, S. (2009) Complex solutions for complex needs: Towards holistic and collaborative practice, Youth Studies Australia, Vol.28 (1), 21-28.
Community Connections (2009) Entrenched school refusal - Draft pilot project discussion paper, unpublished paper, Nundah, Brisbane.
Crane, P. (2006) Action Research in social programs, paper supporting the ALARPM Conversation 17 August 2006, Brisbane. Available on Queensland University of Technology ePrints
Crane, P. and Brannock, J. (1996) Homelessness among young people in Australia: Early intervention and prevention, A report to the National Youth Affairs Research Scheme, National Clearinghouse for Youth Studies, Hobart, Tasmania.
This study contributed to the development of the Youth Homelessness Pilot Programme and Reconnect framework, with concepts such as ‘soft entry’ points, ‘immediacy of response’ and ‘first to know’ agencies. Alongside other principles, this report suggested Action Research as being a ‘good practice’ for effective early intervention.
Crane, P. and Richardson, L. (2000) The Reconnect Action Research Kit, Australian Government, Department of Family and Community Services.
Funded by the Australian Government, this manual was written to support the undertaking of Action Research in the Reconnect program. It is the predecessor of the manual you are reading.
Denzin, N. (1994) The art and politics of interpretation, in N. Denzin and S. Lincoln (Eds.) Handbook of Qualitative Research, Sage, Thousand Oaks.
Dick, B. (1999) Sources of rigour in Action Research: addressing the issues of trustworthiness and credibility, paper presented at the Association for Qualitative Research Conference, Melbourne 6–10 July.
Available at action research resources(link is external)(Opens in a new tab/window) this article explains the concept of rigour and how it is achieved in Action Research by capitalising on the features inherent in the process.
Dick, B. (2003) Structured focus groups, ALAR Journal, Vol.8 (1), 34-49.
Very useful for anyone running focus groups within their PAR process.
Evaluation Committee, Prime Ministerial Youth Homeless Taskforce (1998) Putting Families in the Picture: Supplementary Report, Department of Family and Community Services, Canberra.
This report summarises the main findings and statistics from the evaluation of the Youth Homelessness Pilot Programme. It contains a section on the good practice principles that were generated through a PAR process with services and endorsed by the evaluation.
Evans, C. and Shaver, S. (2001) Youth Homelessness: Case Studies of the Reconnect program: Final Report, Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney.
Undertaken for the Australian Government, Department of Family and Community Services, this study investigated 4 Reconnect services, the service networks they developed, and the contribution made to building early intervention community capacity.
Frazer, D, in collaboration with Gehan, K., Mills, A., and Smart, C. (2003) … pearls of wisdom: Action Research in an indigenous context - working together to make things better, unpublished report.
This excellent report can be found on the Centre for Multicultural Youth web site at nayss(link is external)(Opens in a new tab/window)
Friere, P. (1972) Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Penguin, Harmondsworth.
Gibbs, A. (2001) ‘Social work and empowerment-based research: possibilities, process and questions’, Australian Social Work, Vol. 54 (1), 29 - 39.
Goff, S. (2001) Transforming suppression: Process in our Participatory Action Research practice, Forum: Qualitative Social Research, Vol.2 (1), Art.21.
Goff, S. (2005) Participatory practices: On bringing our field together, ALAR Journal, Vol.12 (2), 106-126.
Proposes a useful framework which distinguishes four ‘constituents’ of participatory practice: Governance, development, learning and activism.
Goff, S and Associates (1998) Restraint of love: Participatory Action Research into the meaning of family violence to young people, Southern Cross University Press, Lismore.
This book gives an excellent account of how service researchers and participants work together in the Action Research process from a ‘both sides’ perspective.
Gonzales, E. (2007) Participatory Action Research for environmental health: Encountering Freire in the urban barrio, Journal of Urban Affairs, Vol.29 (1) 77-100.
Grant, S. (2008) Learning through ‘being’ and ‘doing’, Action Research, 5 (3), 265-274.
Grundy, S. (1982) ‘Three modes of Action Research’, Curriculum Perspectives, Vol.2 (3), 23–24.
Healy, K. (2006) ‘Asset-based Community Development: Recognising and Building on Community Strengths’, in O’Hara, A and Weber, Z. Skills for human service practice: working with individual, groups and communities. Oxford University Press, Melbourne.
Hearn, G., Tacchi, J., Foth, M., and Lennie, J. (2009) Action Research and the New Media, Hampton Press Inc., Cresskill, NJ.
This book takes a practical approach to action research underpinned by a critical yet inclusive approach to social problems. It contains a mix of general chapters on action research and chapters which explore new media applications.
Hill, G. (2002) Story telling as inquiry, ALAR Journal, Vol.7 (1), 52-61.
Using stories as a vehicle for inquiry can provide rich ‘thick’ accounts which communicate central themes and meanings.
Hunter, F. and Francis, S. (2006) A Guide to Action Research in NAYSS, Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues, Carlton.
This guide is designed to provide NAYSS providers with an easy-to-use reference guide to enhance and support effective, innovative and culturally appropriate delivery of NAYSS services to newly arrived young people. The guide was developed by the Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues (CMYI) in conjunction with the Department of Families and Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA).
Kelly, J. and O’Donnell, K. (2007) yarnin up Action Research to make a difference in health and well being of Aboriginal peoples, ALAR Journal, Vol. 12 (1).
Kelly, P. (2005) Practical suggestions for community interventions using Participatory Action Research, Public Health Nursing, Vol.22 (1), 65-73.
Kemmis, S. & McTaggert, R. (Eds.) (1988) The Action Research Reader, 3rd Edition, Deakin University, Geelong.
With a range of contributions about Action Research values and processes, this is a good place to start reading.
Lennie, J. (2006) Increasing the rigour and trustworthiness of participatory evaluations: learnings from the field, Evaluation Journal of Australasia, 6 (1), 27-35.
Mallett, S. (2009) Youth homelessness prevention and early intervention, Parity, Vol.22 (2), 5-7.
Mills, G. (2003) Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, Merrill/ Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Naden, K., Trikilis, B., Bonser, G. and Boothye, P. (2004) Yarning About Cultural Appropriateness - Stories and Findings from the “Miimali 2004 Reconnect Action Research Focus Groups Project”, Miimali Aboriginal Community Association, Emerton, NSW.
O’Connor, I., Wilson, J., Setterlund, D., and Hughes, M. (2008) Social work and human practice, Pearson Education, Australia.
Parker, M. (2001-2002) Summary and Analysis of Reconnect Action Research Reports, unpublished reports to the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Canberra.
Petr, C. (Ed.) (2009) Multi-dimensional Evidence-Based Practice: Synthesising Knowledge, Research and Values, Routledge, NY.
An in-depth analysis of how the incorporation of consumer and practitioner perspectives deepens our understandings of what constitutes best practice, and can compliment empirical research.
Porter Orchard and Associates (annually for the periods 2002-2003 to 2006-2007) Reconnect and NAYSS Action Research Reports, unpublished reports to the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Canberra.
These reports provided analysis across the individual AR reports submitted by Reconnect and NAYSS services to FaHCSIA, and considered by the Action Research Committee of Reconnect. Depending on the presence of inappropriately identifying information service providers receive these reports or summaries of them to assist in their undertaking of AR.
Porter Orchard and Associates (2009) Report 5: Analysis of Trends in the Process and Content of Services AR from 2002-2007, unpublished report to the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Canberra.
A particular report which analysed across all the reports from Reconnect and NAYSS services submitted for the periods 2002-2003 to 2006-2007.
Prime Ministerial Youth Homeless Taskforce (1998) Putting Families in the Picture: Early Intervention into Youth Homelessness, Department of Family and Community Services, Canberra.
This report summarises the outcomes of the YHPP and recommendations from the Taskforce.
Quixley, S. (1997) The Action Research Resource Kit, Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services, Canberra.
This Action Research Kit was developed for the Youth Homelessness Pilot Programme to assist with implementation of AR in the pilot services. A PAR approach was endorsed from the outset, though much of the program literature shortens this to AR. Its program-specific focus and step-by-step framework makes it recommended reading.
Quixley, S. (1998) ‘A Commentary on the Process of Implementing Action Research in the Youth Homelessness Pilot Programme’ in Evaluation Committee, Prime Ministerial Youth Homeless Taskforce, Putting Families in the Picture: Supplementary Report, Department of Family and Community Services, Canberra.
This commentary takes a detailed look at how Action Research was implemented in the Youth Homelessness Pilot Programme. It has valuable insights about the methods used; the implications for practice; the advantages and challenges of the Participatory Action Research framework; and characteristics of effective Action Research.
Rice, J. (2002) Reference groups that really work, ALAR Journal, Vol.7 (1), 41-51.
RPR Consulting (2003) Report of the Reconnect Longitudinal Study: Building Community Capacity for Early Intervention, Department of Families and Community Services, Canberra.
This report outlines the conclusions of a two-year longitudinal study of Reconnect services’ role in building community capacity for early intervention into youth homelessness, which was undertaken as part of the Reconnect Program evaluation.
RPR Consulting (1998) Report of youth homelessness pilot projects good practice forums, Department of Family and Community Services, Canberra.
This report includes the material collated from the four Good Practice Forums held in May 1998 that was attended by Youth Homelessness Pilot services. The report also contains good practice early intervention principles that were proposed at the forums for working with young people and their families. The report discusses the main intervention strategies used by projects, and the relationship between these and the good practice principles. It also covers gaps and barriers to effective intervention, including a discussion about systemic issues.
Ryan, P. (2003) ‘I’m looking at the future’ Evaluation Report of Reconnect, Department of Family and Community Services, Canberra.
Saleebey, D. (2006) The Strengths Perspective in Social Work Practice, Pearson Education Incorporated, Boston.
Stringer, E. (2007) Action Research, 3rd Edition, Sage, Thousand Oaks.
Ernie Stringer is an Australian author who has written a number of books on Action Research. Contains useful detail on particular data collection and analysis strategies.
Stringer, E. (2004) Action Research in Education, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River.
Stringer, E. and Dwyer, R. (2005) Action Research in Human Services, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River.
Tsey, Komla., Patterson, D., Whiteside, M., Baird, L., Baird, B. & Tsey, Kwame (2004) A microanalysis of a Participatory Action Research process with a rural Aboriginal men’s health group, Australian Journal of Primary Health, Vol.10 (1), 64-71.
Wadsworth, Y. (1997) Do It Yourself Social Research, 2nd Edition, Allen & Unwin, Melbourne.
This resource deals with practical issues such as time management and different forms of documentation. It has an extensive section on Action Research techniques/methodologies and is particularly useful for comparing traditional/positivist research methods with Action Research, as well as outlining the benefits of Action Research in particular settings such as human service contexts.
Wadsworth, Y. (1997) Everyday Evaluation on the Run, Allen & Unwin, St Leonards, NSW.
This very accessible book discusses evaluation from an Action Research perspective. It takes you through research and evaluation processes in a practical way with a good section on using critical reference groups.
Wadsworth, Y. (1998) What is Participatory Action Research, Action Research International, Paper 2, Institute of Workplace Research, Learning and Development, Southern Cross University Press accessed at http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/ari(link is external)(Opens in a new tab/window)
This much cited article is available online and provides a comprehensive but quite accessible outline of the key characteristics of PAR.
Wadsworth, Y. (2001) Becoming responsive - and some consequences for evaluation as dialogue across distance, New Directions for Evaluation, 92 (Winter), 45-58.
Wadsworth, Y. (2005) ‘Gouldner’s child?’ Some reflections on sociology and Participatory Action Research, Journal of Sociology, Vol.41 (3), 267-284.
Discusses the sociological and epistemological development of PAR. Excellent read for those who enjoy theory.
Wadsworth, Y. (2008) ‘Systemic human relations in dynamic equilibrium’ Systemic Practice and Action Research, 21 (1), 15-34.
Wadsworth, Y. (2008) ‘“Is it safe to talk about systems again yet?” Self organ-ising processes for complex living systems and the dynamics of human inquiry’, Systemic Practice and Action Research, 21 (2), 153-170.
The above two articles are for those who want to dive into deep theory. They are described by Yoland as providing ‘a transdisciplinary “mental architecture” that illuminates how inquiry may usefully be seen as the dynamic process by which all living systems live, and by which the ‘living human organism’ - at whatever scale, but simplified as individually-psychologically and collectively-sociologically - utilises its varying inquiry capabilities to ‘get round the cycles’ of life, using an epistemology of action-research. (Or does not get fully round the cycle, if these are in any ways impeded). This is a deep theory of the compelling rationale for ‘building in’ Action Research cycles of induction-abduction-deduction to the lives of all ‘human systemicities’, both individual and social, and at all scales of time/space activity.’
Wadsworth, Y. (forthcoming 2010) Building it in - Research and Evaluation for (truly) living human systems, Allen & Unwin.
Waldman, J. (2005) Using evaluative research to support practitioners and service users in undertaking reflective writing for public dissemination, British Journal of Social Work, Vol.35, 975-981.
Whitehead, A. and McNiff. J. (2009), Doing and Writing Action Research, Sage, London.
This is written for practitioners from workplace-based professional development programs and research training courses. It provides guidance on how to present findings so as to inform policy, how to demonstrate the quality of the AR undertaken, and how to write critically.
6.3 Networks and online resources
6.3.1 National Homelessness Information Clearinghouse
The Homelessness Information Clearinghouse is an online tool designed to help tackle homelessness in Australia. This site is available to share resources, ideas and information. It is intended to be a dynamic information website that contains current news and events, extensive information about good practice, research and data, and other opportunities for comment and discussion. Designed with the homelessness sector in mind, the site provides an easy to use method of finding and sharing information.
National Homelessness Information Clearinghouse(link is external)(Opens in a new tab/window)
6.3.2 Action Learning, Action Research Association (ALARA)
The ALARA web site at http://www.alara.net.au/public/home(link is external)(Opens in a new tab/window) describes ALARA as …
a strategic network of people interested in using Action Research and action learning to generate collaborative learning, research and action to transform workplaces, schools, colleges, universities, communities, voluntary organisations, governments and businesses. … ALARA is one of the longest-established associations of AL and AR practitioners, growing from an originating base in Queensland Australia where we are incorporated. We host the World Congresses, hold annual Australian National Conferences focusing on Action Research and action learning developments, publish a journal and a newsletter, and support local network events. Our membership is now drawn from 25 countries.
Membership of ALARA provides practitioners with access to a wide range of online resources as well as the opportunity to attend a range of seminars and events around Australia.
6.3.3 SPIRAL(link is external)(Opens in a new tab/window)
SPIRAL is a Victorian network made up of around 300 people interested in a wide variety of approaches to Action Research. SPIRAL stands for: Systemic- Participatory- Inquiry- Research- Action- Learning. SPIRAL produces an email newsletter and supports various events and seminars related to Action Research.
6.3.4 Action Research Resources website(link is external)(Opens in a new tab/window)
This site is definitely worth a good look. The web site’s content is accessible and ‘reader friendly’. It contains an extensive range of resources from basic information and discussion pages, introductory overviews to Action Research concepts, through to more specific papers on rigour, methodology, and critical issues in Action Research processes. It includes:
This site is definitely worth a good look. The web site’s content is accessible and ‘reader friendly’. It contains an extensive range of resources from basic information and discussion pages, introductory overviews to Action Research concepts, through to more specific papers on rigour, methodology, and critical issues in Action Research processes. It includes:
- an extensive annotated bibliography of source material
- a list of links to other sites (Australian and international) and discussion groups
- the e-journal Action Research International
- contributions by other authors on Action Research and associated topics
- a public course with weekly sessions about Action Research. (The resource papers from this are available online.)