Collaborative research with older gay men and lesbians

2004 Conference

This paper examines a recently funded project into the needs of older gay men and lesbians in the Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset area, funded via a Community Fund grant. This is a joint project between Bournemouth University and Help and Care, a local voluntary sector agency working with older people and their carers.

The paper will provide an overview of the existing literature in this area and will add to this by providing practical examples experienced in the first year of this project. The paper will examine issues relating to the recruitment of volunteers, the identification and prioritising of themes and the tensions relating to this type of research. This project is using a collaborative model through a Participatory Action Research methodology. The importance of approaching research with minority groups of older people in an inclusive way, and the implications of participatory research will be also be explored.