“Fairytales” & “Failures”:lessons from the collaborative

project

Alice Hicks, Ann Jackson & Julia Jones

It began with the three princesses…

The enchanted forest?• The nature and topics of

collaborative research• Sent (n=71)• Researching our own

processes through 5 taped reflective conversations

Fairytale One• Building good relationships

Getting to know each other• Exploring relationship and

research process • Analysing reflective

conversations• Feelings of being valued

and respected. “We are learning so much from each other”

• 30 projects from survey

Types of Projects• 7 evaluation of services • 7 evaluation & user involvement in education/training • 3 users’ views/experiences of services/treatment • 6 user involvement (in service provision & research • 7 ‘other’

We knew little of their experiences…from our own, we were aware of..

Pitfalls and dangers• TIME factors - Julia and

Alice’s anxieties about pace

• Lack of skills (IT and research)

• Alice only working one day a week -huge “intellectual effort”

• Organisational issues –researcher left

…and it blew down…It was built on comfy things…. Relationship with

1st researcher

And when that researcher left• Weak support strategy• Insufficient focus on ‘tasks’• Hidden anxieties

Fairytale Two (there was light..)• Alice becoming more

confident and skilled• Presenting at

conferences• We had a plan with a

lovely gantt chart(!)• Building a network of

other user researchers• Finding new bond

But there was also…• Lack of support for Alice• No steering group• Intense relationship ‘Lone

rider syndrome’• Becoming unwell, illness.• Other factors at RCN• Waiting to be rescued –

where’s the white knight?• Sometimes lack of clarity for

Alice. “What do I do next?”• “It’s such intellectual effort”

for Alice

Was this the castle?• New researcher…a

Professor!• 2nd postal survey designed

and sent• Not a lot of information – 7

returns• Developed interview

schedules for professional & service user researchers

But then…

Yes, you’ve guessed it…

The new Professor left for ventures new!

The ‘collab’ castle• Was this a dream?• Would we ever get there?• Did we know the path to

take?• Where was the enchanted

forest – and how enchanting was it going to be?

We talked to the two project sites:

Key Issues and Quotes…A voyage of discoveryI found it very engagingWe wanted to change attitudes eg student nursesI wanted to evolve practiceTo give the users voiceI started with trepidationA huge personal investmentVery moving experience and felt privilegedUsers great humour, intelligence and skills

……..Difficulties with powerless student nursesDifficulties with very vocal user ‘axe to grind’Not wanting to bring up old woundsRespectful heated debatesPower of the researcherOpennessExceeded expectationsEqual, values partners and team membersNeed for more time? – going off the boil?Planning before research startsIssues with ethics

And again………• We ‘failed’ to learn our own

lessons• We doubted our journey

together• We forgot we were on a

journey• How do we ‘get heard’

within this collaborative relationship?

The wolf was at the door……….

It was dark…..

And dramatic………• We were honest about

our anger• We shared our

reflections – but did not listen to each other

• We became intensely defensive

• “Is my input valued?”

There was no knight on a white horse…..

Where would our story ever end?....

• We created some space…for ‘love’ and ‘courage’

• We ‘clapped our hands’….

• We honoured our own story

• We are honouring our ‘together’ story…

A fairy godmother reminded us….• We had to find our own

strengths• We had to be honest• We had to struggle through• We drew inspiration from a

shared purpose• We drew strength from our

passion & humour

And to re-visit our own discoveries…

“it just shows how espoused values are so much more difficult to live out!” (AJ reflections)

Some key messages:• Relationship building• Shared values, purpose and ‘newness’• Accommodating ‘difference’• Coming from different viewpoints• New learning and insights

Maybe this is what collaboration feels like….

That it is a journey…beginnings, middles and endings

Messy, uncertain and not straight pathComplex, challenging with extra sensitivities &

dilemmasEver changing roles, personnel, agendas, levels

of supportPersonal investment, commitment, belief in the

purpose, trusting the process isn’t easy to do‘Role strain’ needs to be addressed properly

..and “we make the path by walking it…..”