Managing Director
Young Diplomats
Associate Professor
York University, Faculty of Environmental Studies
Assistant Professor
Ryerson University, School of Social Work
Executive Director
Young Diplomats
Executive Director
Somali Youth Association of Toronto
- Definition of CBPR:
CBPR is a collaborative approach to research that equitably involves all partners in the research process and recognizes the unique strengths that each brings. CBPR begins with a research topic of importance to the community with the aim of combining knowledge and action for social change to improve community health and eliminate health disparities. (Israel et al, 1998, 177)
When we think about research, we sometimes imagine ivory towers, academics behind closed doors, or the lone professor with a magnifying glass. Rarely is research associated with creativity, community activism, or collaboration. Community Based Participatory Research is a research methodology that challenges traditional ways of doing research and exposes critical questions such as:
Who chooses what issues are important or worthy?
Who decides how information should be collected, stored, and shared?
Who benefits from the research process and how?
- Traditional Research Versus CBPR:
| Traditional Research | Community Based Participatory Research |
|---|---|
| Outside Expert | Team of Stakeholders |
| Expert defines what needs to be researched and how | Stakeholders collectively decide focus of research |
| Report may or may not be used to make changes. | Early buy-in from stakeholders increases impact |
| Capacity leaves with expert | Capacity is built internally |
| The goal: knowledge production that is easily generalized to other settings and places. | The goal: to respond to the identified needs of a particular community. To combine knowledge with action for change. |
- How Academics May be Similar or Different From Community Members:
| Similarities | Differences |
|---|---|
| Academics are people who care They bring unique skills and experience They work in complicated and stressful environments They have productivity quotients They are often similarly over-worked and under-resourced | They have very specific theoretical jargon They have different accountability structures and 'bottom lines' They have different timelines and calendars They are not usually used to working with communities on a daily basis |
- Who Brings What to the Table:
| Communities bring: | Researchers bring: |
|---|---|
| Closer connection to lived experience of community Unique skills and experience Experience with strong intersectoral partnerships Innovative applied research ideas Understanding of cultural contexts Access to some funding Ability to affect grassroots change |
Broad experience with research in field Knowledge of the literature at hand Access to some funding (specific to universities) Methodological expertise & software Research infrastructure, including personnel (such as graduate students) Theoretical frameworks Access to credibility Ethics review process Ability to affect policy change |
- What are the goals of the project? Who benefits? Is this a priority for us? Is it tokenistic?
- What are everyone's goals and responsibilities?
- How will decisions be made and navigated? Who has final say? Who has control of the funds?
- Who will collect the data? Who will have access to the data? How will privacy and confidentiality be managed?
- What training or support do we need to make this happen?
- How will we make sure that this partnership stays healthy? Can we check-in?
- Can we produce a Terms of Reference Contract?
- Can we set up an advisory committee consisting of community members and stakeholders to help oversee this project?
- Will community members be hired to implement this project?
- How will the results of the project be disseminated? Can we be creative in this process?
Before you dive into any campus-community research partnership, you should ensure that both parties have a clear understanding of the expected roles, responsibilities, project objectives, timelines, and project vision. One way to ensure this transparency at the start of the project is to have a contract.
A Terms of Reference is a kind of 'memo of understanding' that you can use to guide the work of your CBPR project. It is a document that should be co-created with all of your project partners. Creating a Terms of Reference Contract, gives your team an opportunity to ask: What does Community-Based Research mean to us? Why are we working together? What principles are underlying our partnership? How will we work together? Your Terms of Reference Contract should be something that each partner signs on to - but it should also be considered "a living document" - one that you can come back to and revisit throughout the life of your project. (Toronto Wellesley Institute)
The OCAP Example...
OCAP stands for Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession and it was sanctioned by the First Nations Information Governance Committee in 1998 to ensure self-determination over all research concerning First Nations communities:
[OCAP] is a way to say 'yes' to beneficial research and 'no' to research that may result in harm. (National Aboriginal Health Organization, 2007, 9)
Diaspora Engagement in Peace-Building and Development in Home and Host Countries. Toolkit for Community-Based Research (CBR) Practitioners. (2007). Toronto: Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation http://www.gordonfn.org/GC_diaspora-resources.cfm
First Nations Centre. (2007). OCAP: Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession. Sanctioned by the First Nations Information Governance Committee. Assembly of First Nations: Ottawa: National Aboriginal Health Organization www.naho.ca/firstnations/english/documents/FNC-OCAP_001.pdf
Flicker, Sarah & Savan, Beth. (2006). A Snapshot of CBR in Canada. Toronto: Wellesley Institute http://depts.washington.edu/ccph/pdf_files/CBR%20snapshot%20report%20final.pdf
Flicker, S., Flynn, S., Larkin, J., Travers, R., Guta, A., Pole, J., & Layne, C. (2009). Sexpress: The Toronto Teen Survey Report. Toronto: Planned Parenthood Toronto http://www.ppt.on.ca/pdf/reports/TTS_report.pdf
Israel, B.A., Schulz, A.J., Parker, E., Becker, A.B. (1998). Review of Community-Based Research: Accessing Partnership Approaches to Improve Public Health. Annual Review of Public Health, 19, 173-202 http://depts.washington.edu/ccph/pdf_files/annurev.publhealth.19.1.pdf
Nelson, G., Ochocoka, J., Lord, J. (1998). Nothing about me, without me: Participatory action research with self-help/mutual aid organizations for psychiatric consumer/survivors. American Journal of Community Psychology, 26(6), 881-912 http://info.wlu.ca/~wwwpsych/gnelson/nothing%20about%20me%20without%20me%201998.pdf
Based Participatory Research Practitioners. New York: Hunter College Centre on AIDS, Drugs and Community Health lhttp://depts.washington.edu/ccph/pdf_files/ritas.pdf
Sample Terms of Reference Contract. Toronto: Wellesley Institute http://depts.washington.edu/ccph/pdf_files/MOU6.pdf
Community-Campus Partnerships for Health. (2009) http://depts.washington.edu/ccph
Community Health Scholars Program. (2009) http://www.kellogghealthscholars.org/about/community.cfm
Community Research Canada. (2009) http://www.communityresearchcanada.ca
Examining Community-Institutional Partnerships for Prevention Research Group. Developing and Sustaining Community-Based Participatory Research Partnerships: A Skill-Building Curriculum lwww.cbprcurriculum.infowww.cbprcurriculum.info
Toronto Community Based Research Network. (2009) http://torontocbr.ning.com
Minkler, M. (1999). Community Organizing and Community Building for Health. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Minkler, M., & Wallerstein, N. (2003). Community Based Participatory Research for Health San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass
Peter, P., Brydon-Miller, M., Hall, B., Jackson, T. (1993). Voices of Change: Participatory Research in the United States and Canada Westport, Conneticut London: Bergin & Garvey
Stoecker, R. (2005). Research Methods for Community Change: A Project Based Approach London, UK: Sage
Research Impact-Knowledge Mobilization Project -York University. (2009). I am seeking expertise or research findings http://www.researchimpact.ca/home/findings/index.htm
Wellesley Institute. (2007). Grants http://wellesleyinstitute.com/research/grants
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). (2009). Funding Opportunity Details http://www.researchnet-recherchenet.ca/rnr16/vwOpprtntyDtls.do?prog=714&&view=currentOpps&org=CIHR&type=AND&resultCount=25&sort=program&all=1&masterList=true
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Ontario. (2009). Apply for funding - Community & Not-for-profit organizations http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/site/apply-demande/organizations-organismes-eng.aspx
Atkinson Foundation. What we fund. Retrieved December 2009 from: http://www.atkinsonfoundation.ca/what_we_fund?PROGRAM_ID=11