Action Research for the Development of Welfare

The Nordic welfare model, known for its universality and commitment to equality, has evolved over time to address the social needs of its citizens through benefits such as healthcare, education and social security. Despite its strengths, the model faces challenges, including increasing social inequality, demographic changes and increased immigration. These challenges call for new solutions that can sustain the welfare state in the adaptation to contemporary issues. As we see it, there is a need for civic engagement and co-creation based on dialogue to find sustainable solutions to our societal challenges. In this perspective, we propose action research as a powerful approach to addressing some of these challenges, particularly in promoting social sustainability in communities and organisations. By emphasising dialogue, collaboration and democratic participation, action research has the potential to empower different stakeholders and local communities to co-create solutions on complex social problems. It moves beyond traditional top-down governance, while facilitating dialogues and processes based on citizen and employee engagement. Illustrative examples from Norway and Denmark demonstrate the impact of action research in improving welfare, particularly through projects like the Citizens’ Model and a project for co-developing organisational learning in a public institution specialised in hearing loss and deafblindness. These examples show how action research can foster social sustainability by empowering marginalised groups and a variety of voices, contributing to the improvement of welfare for present and future generations.