Principles for participation at Pushing Boundaries
Based on discussion with our accountability group of community researchers, citizen scientists and peer researchers, we have developed a shared set of principles for speakers and attendees at Pushing Boundaries to adhere to.
These are:
1. Communicate so everyone can understand
- Keep language simple.
- Make your aims and objectives clear upfront.
- Use examples and visual aids, where appropriate.
- Be open and honest wherever possible.
2. Help make research accessible and inclusive to all
- Aim to shift perspectives on what people think research is and can be – and who can do it.
- Avoid behaviours that make research and innovation overly complicated and inaccessible.
3. Respect and acknowledge the different ways people participate
- Some people might want to actively participate in conference discussions and activities, while others may prefer to observe.
- When people do participate, make sure to listen to them and commit to taking on board what they say.
- It’s okay to step back so other people can be heard. Don’t assume you know what other people might say or want.
4. Help each other to learn from a diversity of people, places and points of view
- Recognise this event is for lots of different people, who have different understandings of, and perspectives on, research and innovation.
- Don’t assume people will understand you straight away.
- No one knows everything: together we know a lot more and will find out more.
- Aim to leave reflecting on other people’s perspectives, not just your own.
The principles ultimately aim to make the experience of the conference inclusive for everyone. Following the principle of ‘nothing about us, without us’, they particularly aim to make sure the event is an inclusive experience for community members in attendance, and achieve goals that are important to these audiences. Everyone at the conference has a role to play in achieving this.
