SPEaR Good Practice Guidelines 2008: Principles and Areas
The Good Practice Guidelines describe Five Principles that are applied to Four Areas of research and evaluation practice.
Areas Identified for Development
Two further areas have emerged where good practice guides are indicated. The areas pose particular challenges in gathering reliable information. These areas are:
- Research & Evaluation involving recent Migrants and Refugees
- Research & Evaluation involving sensitive subject matter (e.g. R and E involving mental health service consumers, trauma survivors, etc.)
Particular challenges include aspects such as language/s, gender, beliefs and constraints on discussing sensitive matters with 'outsiders', perceptions of researchers/evaluators and government, trauma survival issues, credible access and analytical integrity, participant and information gatherer safety, etc. Understanding of NZ legislation and information on rights, credible interpreters and translators, and research analytical capacity (contextual analysis and report write up as well as information gathering), all present significant challenges for researchers and these 'communities of interest' to navigate.
These aspects are current and as policy and programme interest continues to grow, so will the demand for evidence. There are people with relevant knowledge and experience who are involved in the development of guidelines in these areas.
As these Guidelines are a living document, there will be updates from time to time. Case examples will continue to be gathered.
