Using gatekeepers to recruit and manage participants

This session forms part of the CPD programme (research) for York St John University staff for the academic year 2023-24.

This session is aimed at staff whose research is people-centred and supervisors of PGRs doing people-centred research. The term ‘gatekeeper’ can be interpreted in several ways and some new to research find this can be a confusing concept. This session is intended to pool experience around using gatekeepers, to explore the meaning given to the term and to examine the benefits and pitfalls of introducing third parties into your relationships with participants. What are the ethical implications? How might gatekeepers influence your recruitment? Should we only use gatekeepers for when researching inaccessible groups?

Facilitator: Dr Sharon Jagger