Background
This article presents a worked example, advocating for Emancipatory Practice Development in community-based social welfare practitioner research.
Aims and objectives
It is posited all applied disciplines are interconnected to health through provision of welfare-related services for individuals living in the UK, underpinned by public policy drivers: person-centred practice and service-user involvement.
This article recommends Emancipatory Practice Development as a cross-disciplinary framework for assisting all human service organisations providing welfare-related services; enabling organisations to speak the same language.
Methods
A worked example is presented, applying Emancipatory Practice Development with two community practitioners who shared views through a non-moderated focus group.
Findings and conclusion
It is posited that before seeking any stakeholder views, the first step in sustained transformation is practitioner reflections using Reflexivity. This enables practitioners firstly to reflect on whether their practice is authentically person-centred, within a safe physical and emotional space; and secondly to consider devising creative methodologies in service evaluation.
Implications for Practice Development
• Emancipatory Practice Development should be utilised as a cross-disciplinary framework in Applied Social Sciences.
• Before engaging with any stakeholders, practitioners should engage in Reflexivity to encourage authentic reflection and creative person-centred methodologies.
• Safe emotional and physical spaces are needed for authentic practitioner reflection.