This publication introduces the topics of participatory research, participatory action research and participatory evaluation. Leaders can embrace these practices in order to foster positive relations within their organisations and with their territory.

Organisations need to learn in order to match their actions and the feedback from their environments. Evaluation and research processes are crucial steps in learning processes, as they provide direct and explicit information. Participatory approaches to evaluation and research intentionally include the people and groups who are most affected by an inquiry in the design and execution of the process. Participatory forms of research and evaluation help to ensure that the methods and findings reflect the perspectives, cultures, priorities, or concerns of participants. Because students, parents, community members, or other stakeholders are given active roles in a participatory research or evaluation process—and therefore roles in producing new knowledge or insights about their school, organisation, or community—participatory research is a foundational and widely used strategy in organising, engagement, and equity work.