Research Design for Social Impact
PROGRAMME SUMMARY
*NEW COHORT LAUNCHING 10TH OF JANUARY 2025*
Is this course for you?
At Design for Social Impact Lab, our purpose is to create a profound social impact by revolutionising the way organisations and individuals approach social change. In the pursuit of social impact, creating inclusive and anti-racist monitoring, evaluation and research and learning is not just an option; it's a necessity. Our approach to research and learning is rebellious and anti-oppressive.
Using our eight principles; Co-Design, Pedagogies of Care and Solidarity; Anti-Racism and Decolonial Approaches; Environment Justice; Intersectional; Systems Thinking and Structural Change and Action we will show you how these concepts can be applied to your monitoring, evaluation, research and learning practices.
So, are you....?
- In a role where you design “evidence” based social impact programs?
- a technical advisor, information manager or learning community specialist who wants to "shift power" but would like some tools and a community space?
- A post-graduate student, committed to developing meaningful and ethical research?
- Fed up with extractive, exclusionary and tokenistic approaches?
- Wanting to connect and learn with other social impact rebels?
- Eager to apply theory to practice?
- Looking for a course designed by practitioners, for practitioners?
- Wanting to learn from a wide range of guest speakers, including facilitators with Lived experience of systemic injustices?
If the answer is yes, then come join us in January 2025. You'll come away with ideas and tangible actions, reshaping the narratives and power dynamics that perpetuate inequality. Most importantly, you'll have tried and tested methods that you can apply to your own work and practice.
What you can expect from the course, and us:
The Research for Design for Social Impact is not your standard online course. This 8-week journey is designed to empower you with innovative tools, fresh perspectives, and practical skills to drive social change within your research practice.
You will give you a fantastic opportunity to join a group of peers who want to integrate a critical, participatory action-orientated approach to your scholarship, monitoring, evaluation, research and learning (MERL). The programme is for you if you’re looking for:
- A 8-week programme, comprised of weekly 1- 1.5 hour, online sessions, and learning activities, grounded in equity-centred design thinking, anti-racism and anti-colonial practice.
- Practical and tried and tested examples around how to build in participatory research within resistant organisations, and with resistant funders.
- An Introduction to creative, participatory research approaches to research methods and joint analysis.
- Weekly engagement in course content via either self-led reading and reflection activities or participation in live webinars.
- Discussion, learning and exploration of topics like power and anti-oppressive approaches to monitoring, evaluation, research and learning.
- Interactive approaches to learning and development which prioritise peer learning rather than lengthy lectures.
- Webinars will be recorded and available following the end of the course.
By the end of the course, you will come away with:
- The language, frameworks, and conceptual understanding of what equity design means and looks like in research design.
- Practical experience of applying theory to practice- You'll be working on real-life challenges and supported by a team who has decades of experience designing equity centred MERL.
- An individualised action plan to embed Design for Social Impact's eight principles into your work.
- Continuous opportunities to learn and engage - you will be part of a community of learners who can support and learn from one another. We actively encourage collaborative learning, dialogue, and sharing of experiences and job opportunities to foster a sense of solidarity.
Our Guest Speakers
On this course, you get to learn with and from a diverse group of people!
Each week we invite practitioners to share their experiences of integrating anti-oppressive research and evaluation methods. These community conversations are practical, enriching and show you how a diverse range of people, from around the globe, are applying these methods in a wide variety of non-profit and research roles.
Scroll below to see some of our previous faculty members.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What makes this different from other courses ?
What if I can't make every live session?
I'm not fluent in English, Is this available in other languages?
My job is pretty busy- what sort of time commitment do I need?
Do you offer subsidised places?
Who will facilitate the course?
Can we take this course as a team?
Course overview
Week 1: Introduction to Research for Design for Social Impact (Foundations)
- Theme: Defining Research for Design for Social Impact.
- Exploring the motivations behind anti-oppressive approaches to monitoring, evaluation, research and learning (MERL)
- Design for Social Impact's key principles, framework and ethical considerations.
Week 2: Intersectionality in Research
- Theme: Unveiling Interconnected Identities
- Discussing the role of power dynamics in shaping monitoring, evaluation, research and learning processes.
- Understanding the concept of intersectionality in monitoring, evaluation, research and learning processes.
- Ethics, informed consent through an intersectional lens.
Week 3: Anti-Colonial and Anti-Racist Approaches in Research
- Theme: Challenging Colonial Narratives
- Critiquing colonial biases in MERL methodologies.
- Examining the importance of centering multiple knowledges and perspectives.
- Incorporating anti-colonial and decolonial approaches to monitoring, evaluation, research and learning design and execution.
Week 4: Activist Methodologies
- Theme: Bridging Theory and Action
- Exploring critical participatory action research and other activist methodologies.
- Photovoice
- Cartographies
Week 5: Activist Methodologies part 2
- Theme: Bridging Theory and Action
- Engaging with communities in the research process.
- Digital Methods
- QuantCrit ( critical quantitative approaches)
Week 6: Co-Analysis in Rebellious Research
- Theme: Collaborative Analysis for Collective Understanding
- Introducing co-analysis as a tool for collective interpretation of data.
- Facilitating collaborative sense-making within research teams.
- Case studies illustrating successful co-analysis in rebellious research projects.
Weeks 7-8: Action Planning and Future Directions
- Theme: Applying Research for Design Principles in Practice
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Designing and implementing equity-centred monitoring, evaluation, research and learning projects.
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Presenting findings and discussing the potential for social action.
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Reflecting on the challenges and successes of the research process
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Charting the path forward and encouraging ongoing engagement in rebellious monitoring, evaluation, research and learning processes.
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