In Tower Hamlets, organisations taking part in the survey worked with between 0 to 50 P&C researchers over the past year, with an average of eight P&C researchers per organisation. P&C researchers bring valuable experience, skills, and networks, which greatly enhance the research process.
One in three organisational representatives from the VCS, universities, the NHS, and the Council noted that P&C researchers are not involved in all stages of the research and policymaking process. This raises the question of whether P&C researchers are involved only to access communities and collect data from them. Another question, inspired by a P&C researcher, concerns the role of P&C researchers: are they there to represent their own views, or are they expected not only to share their own perspectives but also to research the views and experiences of their communities? How is this ambivalent role reflected in the design, facilitation, and interpretation of the research? A detailed review of P&C researchers' roles and participation is beyond the scope of this project, but such a review could enhance understanding of P&C research among all stakeholders, potentially improve its credibility, and showcase its methodologies and impact.