Session 10
Representation Matters: The Importance of Listening for Understanding Lived Experience
In sport, data-driven decision-making is often underpinned by statistics and survey findings. While these tools are vital for identifying trends and informing policy, they can sometimes overlook the rich, complex realities of disabled people’s lived experiences.
This workshop introduces qualitative research as a valuable tool to bridge that gap, offering depth and context to help explain and bring to life other forms of evidence.
In this workshop, we will explore how qualitative methods, especially those that are participatory in nature, can provide valuable insights that complement quantitative findings. Drawing on concepts like co-production, using real-world examples, the session will demonstrate how working with disabled people as co-researchers can produce more inclusive, relevant, and impactful evidence-based outcomes. We will also consider practical ways to make research findings more accessible for a wider range audiences, by drawing on visual dissemination techniques.
This workshop will support attendees to develop their knowledge and understanding about how participatory qualitative research approaches can enhance the current evidence base and support more inclusive practice within disability sport and beyond.
Delivered by:
Janine Coates (School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University) & Lesley Sharpe (School of Psychology, Sports Science and Wellbeing , University of Lincoln)
