Abstract
Consider what is regarded as knowledge about mental health. Who created that knowledge? What opportunities did people who experience mental health challenges have to contribute to that knowledge; knowledge that informs organizational and social responses to their experiences? We imagine not many. One means to knowledge production is co-produced research; where people who the research is aimed to impact are central contributors to the entire process. This centring requires a shift in control that does not simply happen. Co-research is a transformational approach that requires a foundational rethink of power and epistemology – who is understood as a knower and how others might be excluded from this identity. This chapter outlines the authors’ experience of being involved in a co-research project in a youth residential mental health setting. We explore the foundational principles and concepts of co-research, outline some of its challenges and possibilities, and use our experiences to highlight the transformative potential – both personally and professionally – of genuine co-research.
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Spies, R. et al. (2022). Co-research with People with Mental Health Challenges. In: Liamputtong, P. (eds) Handbook of Social Inclusion. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89594-5_138
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