Award Title: Intersectional Perspectives for Community Inclusion: Understanding the Past and Shaping the Future with Older Marginalised IDD and LGBT+ People
Funder: Economic and Social Research Council

Abstract: AIMS 
The research aims are to: (1) develop understandings of how to co-create inclusive physical, social, cultural, and virtual community spaces and places, services, and resources for and with mid-older aged IDD (including those with profound and multiple disabilities wherever possible) and LGBT+ people (aged 45 years and older) to enhance community participation and (2) translate our findings into inclusive policy and practice. Although we have specified an age band for the current research, we will be focusing on the notion of generation within our sampling and analytical frame to, as Pritchard and Whiting (2014) suggest, organise our understandings of age-related issues 29. This is necessary to fully understand the life course perspective and how that translates into community inclusion since the norms of a generation provide strong social locations for the thoughts, attitudes and actions of people born into a particular era 30. Here, we will include people of the 'lost generation', 'baby boomers' and 'generation X' whose lives were differently affected by economic hardship, uncertainty, confidence, resourcefulness, technology and education.

OBJECTIVES 
The project aims will be achieved through the following objectives:
i)	Build collaborative, transdisciplinary partnerships to generate and analyse qualitative and quantitative data through the ARCGIS storytelling tool to establish how mid-older people with IDD and those who identify as LGBT+ attribute meaning to inclusion, exclusion in online and local community participation (WP1 and WP2).
ii)	Generate and analyse data through qualitative social network analysis using  egocentric sociograms (relational, online and community based) to identify online and local experiences of community inclusion and participation over the lifespan amongst 1) mid-older people with IDD and 2) those who identify as LGBT+, and 3) identify points of intersection across groups. (WP2).
iii)	Conduct interviews and deliberative dialogue workshops with professional and practitioner stakeholders to understand how spaces and places can be made accessible to provide supportive, inclusive communities for mid-older people with IDD and those who identify as LGBT+ (WP2).
iv)	Use data and analyses from WP2 and 3 to generate potential solutions for the development of local / online community spaces and places which facilitate inclusion, minimise exclusion and encourage social and community participation in mid-older IDD and LGBT+, reducing layers of inequality (WP3 and WP4).
v)	Translate and mobilise knowledge from research findings to provide strategies and recommendations to influence policy and practice to improve inclusion and reduce experiences of exclusion for mid-older people with IDD and those who identify as LGBT+ in everyday local and online community life? (WP4 and WP5).

RESEARCH QUESTIONS 
The objectives translate into the following research questions:
i)	How do mid-older people with IDD and those who identify as LGBT+ attribute meaning to inclusion, exclusion in online and local community participation? 
ii)	How do mid-older people with IDD and those who identify as LGBT+ experience societal inequalities, patterns of inclusion and exclusion over the lifespan, and at points of intersection across groups?
iii)	How might spaces and places be made accessible to provide supportive, inclusive communities for mid-older people with IDD and those who identify as LGBT+?
iv)	How might local / online community spaces and places be co-created to facilitate inclusion, minimise exclusion and encourage social and community resilience in mid-older IDD and LGBT+ people as to reduce layers of inequality?
v)	How might policy and practice shape and improve inclusion and reduce experiences of exclusion for mid-older people with IDD and those who identify as LGBT+ in everyday local and online community life?

Lay Abstract: Many older people experience exclusion from the communities they live in. The World Health Organisation has recognised this through their Age Friendly Cities and Communities programme, which encourages the development of different spaces and places to improve older peoples' inclusion in their communities and cities.  Historically and politically people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and people who identify as lesbian, gay, bi, trans + (LGBT+) have been socially excluded from their communities throughout their lives; when people with IDD were housed in institutions and homosexuality was seen as an illness or criminalised. These life experiences put older people from these two groups at greater risk of inequality, discrimination and exclusion in community contexts. Using online technology has also been difficult for older people, particularly for people who already experience exclusion such as those with IDD and those identifying as LGBT+. So far, very little research has been done with these two groups to hear their experiences of local and online community inclusion and exclusion and to better understand how community inclusion can be strengthened in England and Scotland.   
This study aims to develop knowledge of the community spaces and places (local and virtual) that people with IDD and LGBT+ use in their everyday lives. The main research questions examine how older people with IDD and LGBT+ describe and experience inclusion and exclusion and what these mean to them. We will explore how local and online community places can be improved to reduce social inequalities. Finally, the research will look at how these new ideas might be used to shape government policy and organisational practices. 
The research is organised in five related work packages. Which are jointly led by university researchers and practitioners in third sector organisations. All stages of the research will be guided by people with lived experience in IDD and LGBT+ in advisory groups. People with IDD and LGBT+ lived experience will work as trained co-researchers on the project. We will use a variety of verbal, visual and geographical methods to access marginalised voices in appropriate ways and enable diverse people's views to emerge.
In work package (WP) 1 we will build strong relationships within the study communities, set up advisory groups of older people with IDD and LGBT+, train co-researchers and create an international reference group of 'critical friends' for the project. In WP2 we will recruit participants and access their stories of spaces and places in their communities over time. This will involve generating and co-analysing interactive mapping software data, photography and social network interviews to gain a rich and authentic understanding of inclusion and exclusion. Third sector representatives will also be interviewed for their views. In WP3, we will bring the different data sets together, jointly reflect on and synthesis findings, analysing patterns of inclusion and exclusion across both IDD and LGBT+ groups and understanding what they mean in real world contexts. Four events will be held in WP4 with participants, family members, carers and service providers to evaluate potential new policy and practice solutions for local and online community inclusion. WP5 will translate and share co-produced project knowledge (via knowledge mobilisation champions) across communities, private, public and third sector organisations. This will lead to practical, accessible ideas and a road map for change in community inclusion for people with IDD and people who identify as LGBT+. Findings will also be shared in local, national and international conferences/seminars, publications, third sector and two showcase events and across social media. An impact tracking and evaluation plan has been devised to make sure that findings from this project have impact at individual, community, and policy levels.

Research Activity Codes: 1.2 PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC PROCESSES
Health Categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE