O’ Connor, Kath
- Kath is a director and a founder member of Substance whose main research interests include qualitative research methods, multi-agency partnerships, young people and social exclusion and the crime prevention agenda. Kath is a field-researcher and evaluator working on a number of projects adopting a range of participatory approaches to data collection. She was the lead researcher on the North-West Positive Futures case-study research project between 2004 and 2006 and remains engaged with this piece of work. This longitudinal in-depth study of Positive Futures projects has enabled the development of innovative qualitative action-research methods especially focusing upon research with disaffected young people.
Kath has experience of working within other public sector agencies: as a research officer with a local authority and through PhD research with a North West Constabulary. Kath is currently the North West Evaluation Network steering group convenor and the North West representative on the UK Evaluation Society Council.
