Exploring an Intersectional Approach to Community-led Research

SAWN is a charity working predominantly with Black African migrant women in Oldham. Supported by Dr Suriya Nayak from the University of Salford, women of SAWN explored what research is and how they can do it themselves. They also investigated the role creative exploration and expression of their experiences - shaped by the different parts of their identities such as race, gender and disability - can play in research, in increasing wellbeing and creating connections. An example is their ‘Sisters of the YAM Choir’, which gives the women an opportunity to raise their collective voice against systems of oppression whilst reflecting on their own experiences.

it’s all about trust . . . so we can have challenging conversations as a group based in the community. Trust is huge to contribute to learning.

As a result, the women of SAWN have built their skills, confidence and connections. Two SAWN women now contribute to a Greater Manchester gender-based violence panel.

With their evidence building grant they will be discovering ways to describe and share their approach to community-led research to influence the wider research system, which they have experienced as extractive, colonial and problematic. They will also explore how the knowledge surfaced through this approach can drive changes to policy and practice. The use of creative methods for sharing their insight and recommendations will underpin this work.

SAWN women learning how to use vegetables they have grown to dye fabric Obutonde Project

In cooking, how the food turns out is dependent on the recipe, how the ingredients are prepared and cooked. Similarly, we want deeper understanding of our recipe and how the ingredients of our community-led collaborations determine impact to improve the lives of SAWN women

Find out more about SAWN's work