Advisory service for the design and implementation of inclusive participatory processes, adapted to groups that are often excluded from direct participation, such as persons with intellectual disabilities, mental health conditions, autism, the elderly, or persons with diverse conditions affecting their autonomy and/or communication. 

It is aimed at public administrations, third-sector organisations, research groups, companies, etc. who seek to ensure that these people are included in creation, validation, and decision-making processes, and can participate on equal terms.

The service facilitates the co-creation of safe and caring spaces, as well as materials and activities that promote understanding, self-expression, and real decision-making for all participants.

It includes:

• Assessment of participation barriers.
• Design of processes adapted to a specific group (format, language, communication channel, materials, pace, schedules, etc.).
• Implementation and facilitation of the participatory sessions.
• Creation of a final report with results and recommendations.

The general framework is participatory action research (PAR) and, depending on specific needs, different methodologies and techniques are used:

• Citizen science
• Consensus conferences (adapted to specific groups)
• Focus groups and qualitative interviews
• Ethnography and observation
• Adapted collective activities

The participatory processes are designed from the outset with universal accessibility in mind in order to ensure that the participation of traditionally excluded groups is relevant, recognised, effective, and transformative.

The research group STS-b combines academic rigour and social commitment with extensive experience in implementing participatory processes, stemming from:

• In-depth and practical knowledge on specific groups and how to work with them.
• Direct access to organisations, users, and activists thanks to a strong collaboration network.
• An interdisciplinary team of social scientists (clinical and social psychology, sociology, communication and media) connected to the field of technology and engineering, bridging the gap between two worlds that are usually separate.
• Application of methodologies adapted to each situation.
• Proven experience in the direct implementation and facilitation of participatory processes.
• Credibility and neutrality as a university research group, independent from purely commercial interests.