Participatory action research with and within community activist groups: Capturing the collective experience of Ireland s Community and Voluntary Pillar in social partnership

Abstract

The inclusion of community activists in policy planning is increasingly recognized at thehighest international level. This article shows how the use of Participatory ActionResearch (PAR) can present a deeper and more holistic picture of the experiences ofCivil Society Organizations (CSOs) in shaping national-level social policy. By utilizingaction-based research, the Community and Voluntary Pillar (CVP) of Ireland s system ofsocial partnership is shown to be an important agent in deliberating national bargainingoutcomes (known as the Towards 2016 national agreement). The key contribution ofthis research is the reflective methodological considerations in terms of PAR design,execution and participant integration in the research process as a way to enrich anddevelop a deeper and more informed community of practice.