METHODOLOGY FOR WHOLESCAPE ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT (WARP)

Please read Terms of Reference for full information.

A central part of WWF's UK Strategy is the delivery of 'Wholescape' projects in England, Wales and Scotland. The idea of 'Wholescapes' refers to WWF's attempt to address nature, climate and people in a holistic way at a regional level, by linking projects across land, rivers and sea.

The Wholescape Action Research Project (WARP) is a key component of the overall wholescape approach. A core objective is to leverage experience from the wholescapes to influence policy and practice elsewhere in the country and at national level. To do this, it is essential to be able to tell the stories of the wholescapes in a detailed and compelling way. We want to make sure that the progress of the projects is accurately documented, lessons learned are recorded in detail, and the contribution of a wide range of stakeholders is facilitated. To achieve this, we are establishing the WARP. The WARP will use a Participatory Action Research approach to document and analyse the Wholescape project as it develops. It will culminate in detailed case study reports presenting the outcomes and lessons learned from the first two years of the Wholescapes project.

REQUIREMENTS WWF is seeking a research partner to produce a methodology for the WARP. We invite proposals for the design of an Action Research methodology that would systematically engage with project stakeholders across an extended period, document an analyse key issues, and produce findings for one or more written reports. Key requirements: The methodology should: • be applicable to different contexts, so that it can be used in Norfolk, Pembrokeshire and other wholescape projects in the future. • be capable of identifying compelling findings and storylines that will help elevate the experiences in the wholescape projects to have impact at a wider, national level. • enable the participation and engagement of a wide range of stakeholders and communities. • strike the right balance between flexibility and consistency. It should be flexible enough to be applicable in different geographical and social contexts across multiple wholescapes, whilst at the same time enabling research across different wholescapes to be consistent and comparable. • The researcher(s) will be required to work closely with WWF staff and other stakeholders on the design of the methodology. The researcher(s) are expected to have: • A background in environmental social science or similar discipline. We would also be interested to hear from people with a journalistic or storytelling background. • Knowledge or experience of participatory action research. • A working knowledge of the context of UK conservation, especially in relation to farming. • Experience of designing research projects that engage a wide range of different stakeholders (including communities, NGOs and corporate partners) and tailoring engagement and research with these different groups in an appropriate way.