This training session is delivered by Dr Ben Scher for the GUDTP
Are you interested in making your research more inclusive, impactful, and grounded in lived experience? This two-day interactive workshop, offered as part of the Grand Union Doctoral Training Partnership introduces doctoral students to the theory and practice of participatory research methods.
Whether or not you currently use participatory methods, this workshop will help you think critically about your role as a researcher, how knowledge is produced, and how to design research that is ethically engaged and socially relevant. Through real-world case studies, hands-on activities, and space for peer discussion, you’ll gain practical tools for building trust, navigating power dynamics, and co-producing knowledge with a particular focus on the multiple “choice points” throughout the doctoral research process which can be enhanced through participatory engagement.
Whether you are thinking about employing qualitative or quantitative methods for your PhD project this two day workshop is designed specifically for doctoral students working across disciplines in the social sciences with the specific aim of supporting you in thinking creatively and reflexively about the practical application of participatory methods. No prior experience in participatory methods is necessary.
About the workshop facilitator - Dr Ben Scher
Dr Ben Scher is a social scientist whose research explores health inequalities and social exclusion amongst populations experiencing high levels of overdose and drug-related harm. He recently completed his DPhil in the University of Oxford’s Department of Social Policy and Intervention where he conducted participatory rapid-ethnographic fieldwork with people who use drugs in street-based settings across the UK, Canada, and Greece. Alongside his doctoral work he has presented his work at policy venues including the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the UK House of Commons and through a Tedx Talk. He has collaborated extensively with peer-led organisations to co-produce research and teaches on the topics of participatory methods and drug policy in both school and university settings. In August 2025 he will be starting a postdoctoral fellowship in the Global Health Department at Princeton University where he will continue to co-produce evidence and interventions seeking to respond to rising rates of overdose across the globe.
Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, and once places are full, we will maintain a waiting list.
Please only register if you are certain of your availability and commitment to attend.
Book Now OR Join the Waiting List
