About us
- The Bradford Centre for Qualitative Research (BCQR) was launched in 2023
- Overall aim is to develop a strong qualitative research arm of Born in Bradford (BiB) and Bradford Institute for Health Research (BIHR)
- We want to establish ourselves as leading experts for community-driven qualitative health research in the North of England.
- We started in BiB but our scope is across BIHR
What are our aims?
- Build capacity and networking opportunities amongst BiB and BIHR qualitative researchers & build our team
- Make an impact through community-driven research
- Produce high quality, innovative qualitative research within our scope
- Raise the profile of qualitative research in Bradford
- Seek collaborations and make partnerships with academia, research, implementation organisations and wider programmes to inform these with qualitative research
- Secure grant funding to conduct community-driven high impact research within our scope
What do we do?
Capacity and Quality: Lead – Bridget Lockyer
Develop and deliver training (in house and external providers)
- Core training delivered every 18 months: Introduction to qualitative research, focus groups and interviews, ripple effects mapping, ethnography, thematic analysis.
- Past intermediate/advanced training: using participatory ketso kit, creative communication, supporting independent research, using dance as a creative method and advanced Nvivo.
- Upcoming training: ethics and reflexivity in qualitative research, equality diversity and inclusion, recruitment and engagement, co-design and co-production, qualitative longitudinal research, systems approaches, realism and citizen science, mixed methods research, Nvivo training series
Further support our Qual team
- BiB Quali Team Meeting (networking, sharing progress/updates, building collaborations and shared identity)
- Quali Tea Time (informal, sharing problems/ideas)
- Shut up and write sessions (half day/full day devoted to writing)
- Policy development (transcription, qual data repository)
- Communicate what’s on through bi-monthly newsletters, twitter, and BIHR/BiB wide emails
Partnerships and Sustainability: Lead – Jen Hall
- Support external grant application with qualitative elements within BiB
- Secure grant funding to build BCQR team and methodological expertise
- Build partnerships with external qualitative researchers
- QUAG (Qualitative Advisory Group) meeting three times a year
- Annual BCQR Award (recognising qualitative research in Bradford)
Our Team
- Jen Hall – Partnerships and Sustainability Lead
- Zille Huma – Communications Lead
- Jamie Crowther – BCQR Delivery Lead
- Bridget Lockyer – Capacity and Quality Lead
- Sufyan Dogra – BCQR Senior Supervisor
Qualitative Advisory Group (QUAG)
Our QUAG membership is varied and includes senior academics from institutions across England. Collectively, they represent disciplines including sociology, psychology, criminology, geography, public health, education, and social work. Their expertise relates to topics and methodologies such as physical activity, co-production, health inequalities, youth justice, and disability.
BCQR wider wrap around support: progress and impact
BCQR have been working to develop the infrastructure for qualitative research within Bradford and offer wider wrap around support for researchers in various ways:
- Policy development: We have begun work to support the development of a more embedded and effective qualitative research infrastructure across BiB. We have starting consultation around developing a qualitative data repository to support the longer term storage of qualitative data, and we have developed a first iteration of a BiB transcription policy.
- Quali-BiB team meetings: We have established this regular meeting (bi-monthly) as an opportunity for staff across BiB who are involved in conducting qualitative research to connect, learn more about each others’ work, and seek internal feedback on research ideas and challenges.
- Quali-tea time: We have established this lunch time get together as an informal networking and support mechanism for colleagues across BiB and BIHR. Taking place bi-weekly, Quali-tea time provides an opportunity for networking and and to discuss issues and challenges with fellow qualitative researchers.
- Shut up and write: We have developed and hosted ‘Shut up and write’ sessions specifically for qualitative researchers. These whole and half day events take place approximately once a month. They encourage a focus on writing and also act as a networking opportunity.
BCQR: one year report – Poster (canva.com)
BCQR bi-monthly newsletter
October 2024 BCQR Newsletter
April 2024 BCQR Newsletter
How can you get involved
BCQR is open to anyone with an interest in qualitative research, regardless of how much qualitative research you engage in in your role. You can get involved by:
- Joining the bi-monthly BiB Quali Team meeting
- Signing up to training and shut up and write sessions, come to quali-tea times
- Offering to lead training on your methodological expertise
- Approaching us (Jen and Bridget) about qual grant opportunities/potential PhD projects
- Letting us know how we can support qual work in BiB and BIHR further
