Meaningful dissemination produces the “long tail” that engenders community impact

Abstract

Purpose Lack of understanding of the needs of older LGBT individuals is a global issue and their needs are often ignored by health and social care providers who adopt sexuality-blind approaches within their provision. As a result, public services can find it difficult to push the LGBT equalities agenda forward due to resistance to change and underlying discrimination. The aim of this paper is to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This report considers how a body of participatory research concerning the needs and experiences of older LGBT people was used to create innovatory dissemination tools, which then engaged communities through public engagement to learn about the needs and experiences of older LGBT citizens. Good research has a “long tail” – (in statistics, “a large number of occurrences far from the ‘head’ or central part of the distribution”). The report considers how a film and a method deck of cards, presented to service providers in several workshops over time, offered opportunities to learn and critically reflect upon an informed practice. Findings Because of the on-going feedback from our workshops, the authors, in turn, learned the importance of having a champion within a community organisation to take forward the LGBT agenda. A report of one such outreach champion is included here. Originality/value Consideration is given to challenges involved in creating impact through research, and how participatory community processes may enhance impact to develop over time.

School Management Committee monitoring principles and performance of Government Aided Muslim-founded Primary Schools in Bugisu Muslim District Council, Uganda

“…Additionally, Umhlaba Development Services (2017) note that it is crucial for monitoring findings to be communicated to different stakeholders as a way of giving them feedback concerning the pre-results. Simillarly, Fenge & Gibson (2018) agree with the fact that activities that involve dissemination plans lead to community engagement which contributes to achieving impact in terms of community benefits. OECD (2001) emphasises that monitoring aims at tracking results and hence dissemination of those results is paramount because it shows what has been done, how it has been done and whether resources were utilised as expected.…”

Creative processes of impact making: advancing an American Pragmatist Methodology

“…Fenge et al (2018, p. 13) argue that “research that is meaningful is never really ‘finished’”, and that impact is more than “a moment in the sun–an explosion of a scientific ‘breakthrough’ on the public scene–then yesterday’s news”. Complimenting this perspective, the techniques we have highlighted offer a valuable tool for shaping new “trading zones” that integrate “knowledge across diverse theoretical and methodological traditions” (Romme et al , 2015, p. 549).…”

“…Complimenting this perspective, the techniques we have highlighted offer a valuable tool for shaping new “trading zones” that integrate “knowledge across diverse theoretical and methodological traditions” (Romme et al , 2015, p. 549). We believe that such knowledge “trading zones” (ibid, 2015) are essential for evaluating the practical relevance of academic theory by generating realistic and innovative ways of thinking and acting (Aguinis et al , 2014) as well as promoting the “long tail” of engagement that supports impact (Fenge et al , 2018).…”