Research Week 2014: Connecting with the Community: Research and Community Engagement
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The document outlines the principles and practices of community-university research (CBR), emphasizing its importance in engaging communities and producing relevant outcomes that promote social change. It highlights methods for connecting researchers with community partners, funding opportunities, and the roles of different stakeholders in the research process. Additionally, it discusses the significance of participatory research approaches and ethical considerations in ensuring community involvement and benefit.
Research Week 2014: Connecting with the Community: Research and Community Engagement
- 2. • What is community-university research? • Why is this important to me (researcher)? • What works when doing CBR? • How do I connect with the community? • How do I fund CBR? Agenda
- 3. What is community engaged research? • Community situated • Participatory • Action oriented Goal: Research outcomes that address needs identified by the community Background
- 4. • Community situated - begins with a research topic of practical relevance to the community (as opposed to individual scholars) and is carried out in community settings. • Participatory - community members and researchers equitably share control of the research agenda through active and reciprocal involvement in the research design, implementation and dissemination. • Action-oriented - the process and results are useful to community members in making positive social change and to promote social equity. Background
- 5. Knowledge production Knowledge mobilization Community mobilization
- 6. Why community engaged scholarship? • Supporting the local community • Academic research that is more reflective of NGO budgetary concerns • Supporting your program of research • Peer-reviewed quality research using new data sources and adaptable models • Connecting with Tri-Council principles • SSHRC is looking for fruitful engagement with its partners in the academic, public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Why?
- 7. • Academic Excellence means the strict adherence to a series of research rules that maintain standards of quality • Community Relevance means the ability of research to take on problems that require a solution Why us?
- 8. Reflective Action (e.g. Lewin): Ongoing cycles of planning, acting, & reflecting to imagine and pursue a new future together that is not pre-determined by past Social Justice (e.g. Friere): Linking research and education, and conscientization in an emancipatory framework that advocates for equitable access Legitimizing community expertise (e.g. Indigenous self- determination: People most affected by an issue gain voice and choice that is expressed in their own terms, motivating them to act Approaches
- 10. • Responsive & open communication • Evaluation committee approach • Simplified, evaluative research • Punctual delivery of outputs & products • Availability for meetings, presentations, etc. • Multiple final products (reports, summaries, pamphlets, etc.) What is expected
- 11. • Varying levels of engagement • Distracted points of contact • Frequent staffing/admin/exec turnover • Communications challenges • Apathy from organization (sometimes) • Top-down support for recruitment What to expect • Top-down support for recruitment • Access to neutral/comfortable research spaces • Access to internal/private documents & data • Enthusiasm from organization (Sometimes) • On-site support for data collection/review, etc.
- 12. • Simple research methods: Surveys, Focus Groups, Interviews, and Lit review • Simple data analysis: Descriptives and correlations (p>.05) • Subcommittees: Avoid cat wrangling • Paper-trails: Document processes for repeatability, continuity • Ethics: On your end; bolsters the validity of the research in the partner’s eyes • Plain language: Summaries should be made that are digestible by all audiences What works
- 13. How to engage communities • Informal partnership – Leveraging existing relationships with community leaders. I.E. Best friend’s uncle’s dogwalker’s sister. • Outreach – Making on-the-ground connections with community groups and leaders through dissemination activities. I.E. Open seminars, community meet-and-greets, newsletter contributions. • Engaging – Actively joining and/or contributing to community groups. I.E. Joining executive boards, volunteering, participating in meetings. • Brokering – Making connections with the assistance of a third party. I.E. Knowledge mobilization officer, existing centres (CCRLA, SIRG, MCHL), public tendering systems. How to connect
- 17. • Partnership Development Grant • To foster new research and/or related activities with new or existing partners; and to design and test new partnership approaches for research and/or related activities. • $75,000 to $200,000 over one to three years • Partnership Grant • Support for new or existing formal partnerships for initiatives that advance research, research training and/or knowledge mobilization in the social sciences and humanities. • $500,000 to $2.5 million over four to seven years. SSHRC Partnership Grants
- 18. • Partnership Development Grant • November 2014 • Partnership Grant Stage 1: Letter of Intent Up to $20,000 • February 2015 Stage 2: Formal Application (by invitation) Deadlines
- 19. Matching Funds Partnership Development Grant: • Applicants must have matching funds (cash and/or in-kind) • No minimum Partnership Grant: • 35% matching funds from sources other than SSHRC
- 20. Adjudication Partnership Development Grant • Challenge: 50% • Feasibility: 20% • Capability: 30% Partnership Grant • Challenge: 40% • Feasibility: 30% • Capability: 30%
- 21. • Supports: • short-term targeted knowledge mobilization activities (most often conferences and workshops) • outreach activities such as artistic activities, development of interactive technologies, media events, adaptations, software etc… • emphasis is on connecting Post- secondary research and the community SSHRC Connection Grant
- 22. • There are four adjudications per year • December, March, June, September Deadlines
- 23. Eligibility • There are Individual and Institutional versions of the Connection grant • Researchers should submit the Individual version (even if the event involves a large team) • The focus should be on mobilizing Canadian research, especially if the event is outside Canada • Applicant must have a primary affiliation with a Canadian PSE • Grant funds must be administered by a Canadian PSE • Co-applicants and collaborators do not need to be Canadian nor affiliated with a PS institution
- 24. Value • Connection grants range from $7,000 to $25,000 for an event and up to $50,000 for an outreach activity
- 25. Matching Funds • Applicants must have 50% matching funds (cash and/or in- kind, excluding registration fees for event) • For example, if you are requesting $15,000 from SSHRC, you must have $7,500 from elsewhere • The matching funds cannot be from another SSHRC grant (although you may use SSHRC funds for the event provided there is no duplication of support)
- 26. Matching Funds cont… • Applicants should approach their departments and faculties for financial assistance • Applicants may have funds from another grant (other than SSHRC) • Some examples of relevant in-kind contributions include: • Conference space • Administrative support • Technical support • Communications and Knowledge Mobilization support
- 27. Adjudication • Challenge: 40% • Feasibility: 30% • Capability: 30%