Stay Up Late Communications and Project Coordinator Luke chats with Gig Buddies participants and Stay Up Late Assistants Jason and Rohan about their involvement in a recent research project with University College London (UCL).
In the interview, Jason and Rohan share what it was like to work alongside UCL researchers on a study exploring how the Gig Buddies project works in practice, what people enjoy about being involved, and where there’s room for improvement. The findings from the research will be shared soon.
Luke:
Can you tell us a bit about your role in the UCL research project and what you were involved in?
Rohan:
My role in the UCL project was to look at the Gig Buddies project and see which parts worked well. We gathered people’s experiences by asking them about the gigs they went to, and they also took photographs.
Jason:
We also interviewed people who wanted to be involved in the research project. We spoke to a few people, collected that information, and then every few months the UCL researchers fed back to us about how things were going.
Luke:
What made you want to be part of the research project?
Rohan:
I thought it would be something different to get involved in. It also helped us see how the Gig Buddies project is being used and what people like about it.
Jason:
I agree with that. It also helped us see what we need to improve on. It’s really good to hear positive feedback as well, because we got a lot of that, which was great for us.
Luke:
Do you think having lived experience shaped how you approached being involved in the project?
Rohan:
Yes, because we could put our own perspective into it.
Jason:
Yeah, 100%. We could use our own experience and talk honestly about what we like and what we didn’t like.
Luke:
What did you think about the questionnaires and the photo-taking (Photovoice), as ways of finding out about people’s experiences?
Jason:
I thought the photos were a great idea and encouraged people to take part. It was really good to see them. Some of the questions were fine, but I think some of them needed a bit of changing.
Rohan:
Yeah, I asked to change some of the questions too.
Luke:
Was it the wording of the questions, or the topics they were asking about?
Rohan:
Mostly the way some of the questions were worded.
Luke:
Did anything about the research feel particularly accessible, or not accessible enough?
Rohan:
It felt accessible overall. Using photos was a really good visual way to collect people’s experiences.
Luke:
Was there anything that didn’t feel accessible?
Rohan:
Most of it felt accessible.
Jason:
Some of the questions could have been clearer. Maybe they could have been explained in a clearer and simpler way, because some people would find that easier.
Luke:
Was there anything that surprised you about the research process, or what people shared?
Rohan:
Seeing what people really thought about Gig Buddies. It was nice to see how buddies got along and how they learned from each other’s experiences.
Jason:
Yeah, I agree with Rohan.
Luke:
What do you think the research got right about the Gig Buddies experience?
Jason:
The photos were definitely done well. Some of the questions were good too. Overall, they had the right idea with the research, and it helped us get information that we can use to improve our charity.
Rohan:
It represented the Gig Buddies experience well. It showed how buddies learned from each other and learned more about the other person and their disability.
Luke:
Why do you think it’s important that projects like Gig Buddies are part of research like this?
Rohan:
It helps people outside of the project get a better understanding of what it’s like to be involved in a project like this.
Jason:
It also helps people understand that people with disabilities deserve to have a social life too.
Luke:
How do you hope this research could help Gig Buddies or similar projects in the future?
Jason:
The research shows us what we need to improve on. Even if some feedback feels negative, we can turn it into something positive and improve our work. I think this research will help make the project better.
Rohan:
Gig Buddies is always growing, and other Gig Buddies projects can learn from this research too.
Luke:
What was your favourite part of working on this research project?
Rohan:
Probably taking part in the interviews.
Jason:
For me, it was the whole journey. I worked with some amazing people, and it’s been really great overall.
Luke:
What does being involved in research like this mean to you personally?
Jason:
It means I get to learn new things and meet new people.
Rohan:
It means I can be part of the charity in a deeper way and help change the Gig Buddies project going forward.
