Many commentators tell us that the qualitative research tools in most common use, while fit for many purposes, are ineffective in discovering the emotional reasons behind behaviour. In my arena - children and young people's research - I am seeking to address this with the development of creative workshops. With this, I have for the first time combined my dual backgrounds of qualitative research and drama (before retraining as a researcher, I was in theatre for 15 years as an actor and director, including many productions for children). Workshops will comprise a mix of research and drama exercises, together accessing areas normally hidden during, for instance, standard focus groups. The impetus for this development comes from a current trend to involve storytelling in research in some way or another.
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