How to diversify your panel: what can we learn from each other?

TIME

14.00 – 15.30, 4 September

GOAL

How can we reach out to at risk target groups like disabled, deprived people or minorities.

CHALLENGE

Involving end users is key in living lab research. But what if this end user is not able or not interested in participating?
Most living lab communities in Western Europe exist of white, more highly educated participants. It is a challenge to address the severely disabled patients or people with another ethnic or cultural background. How can we involve them into our activities? And why is that so important in the first place? How do we find them and how can we persuade them to participate. And would they like to be involved on the long term? What are their expectations? And what do living labs need to accommodate this.
How do other continents experience this challenge? Are panels more diverse? And do living labs focus on a specific at risk group? Let’s share knowledge!

OBJECTIVE

In this workshop we would like to :

– Gain insights into the pains and gains of at risk groups to participate in innovation projects
– Explore strategies for recruitment, enabling interaction and follow-up of 3 specific target groups, namely:
1. severely disabled
2. deprived people
3. minorities
– Share knowledge and ideas for more diversity in panels and user groups.

OUTCOMES

TANGIBLE

Reference list of publications (good practices) on involving vulnerable groups. As preparation for this workshop, we would like to ask the participants to contribute a publication (in English) of a good practice in their region.

INTANGIBLE

On the one hand we would like to have concrete actions/strategies/ideas on reaching out to vulnerable target groups. On the other hand we would like to have insights on the similarities and the differences in involving these at-risk groups (compared with the ‘white’ panel)

BRIEF OUTLINE / METHODOLOGY

After a plenary introduction, participants will be allocated to break out rooms. Every participant can indicate his/her preference (deprived, severely disabled patients, minorities)

Break out 1: pains and gains in participating of this specific target group

Plenary: what are the similarities and the differences between the 3 chosen target groups and what are the similarities and the differences between the ‘white’ LL panel.

Break out 2: ideation on recruitment strategies, interaction and follow-up

Plenary:
– what are the similarities and the differences between the 3 chosen target groups and what are the similarities and the differences between the ‘white’ LL panel.

– what can we learn of the international context?

AUDIENCE

This workshop is for panel managers of Living Labs, social researchers and project managers of local authorities.