A team of Castleisland Community College Transition Year students has linked up with the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG) to train in the area of Peer Research.
Dannielle Reidy, Laura Fleming, Maebh Young and DJ Fealy attended training conducted by Danielle Keegan and Maria Campbell from NUIG.
Complete a Piece of Research
“They learned how to complete a piece of research and how to present a finished project. This will be very beneficial to them when they go on to university,” said facilitator and community college teacher, Juanita Lovett.
“They have undertaken to produce a research piece on peer mentoring.
“The Kerry CYPSC Youth Participation Working Group is facilitating the process of training young people as peer researchers to undertake research on topics which are important to them so they may undertake research on behalf of Kerry CYPSC and its working groups.
Inform Development
“The youth research findings will be used by Kerry CYPSC to inform the development of its work-plans, actions and the work of its working groups,” said Ms. Lovett.
Peer research is aimed at and conducted by people with lived experience of the issue being studied.
It may be completely user-led, or it may be carried out by researchers working alongside a bigger research team.
Learning From Each Other
Peer research focuses on commonality instead of difference. It draws from a combination of experiences and is driven by a sense of learning from each other.
It strives towards regaining power and control. Having an open attitude helps and, like all research, good communication skills is the key in carrying it out.
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