COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH Discussion
The discussion group agreed that the State of the Field Reviews emphasized
the importance of strengthening the research skills of practitioners and
community-based organizations, and enhancing participatory action research
and community arts based inquiry.
A number of issues were raised around the term “community-based research”.
For some, the first step was to define what is meant by “community” – who is
community and who is included. Others focused on redefining research and
whether it is possible to understand and frame community-based research
without viewing it through the traditional academic understanding of research.
The Community-Based Research discussion group offered ALKC and CCL
three recommendations:
- Provide a tool set backed up by interactive on-line workshops
including writing workshops.
A tool set could help to clarify expectations about action research, build
research and writing skills, and promote the different avenues for
dissemination including the media.
- Provide information on successful and unsuccessful proposals to
help community groups judge whether or not they are likely to be
able to secure a grant.
This could include assistance with proposal writing, and perhaps
involving volunteers/mentors to assist community groups interested in
conducting research.
- Develop a two-tiered strategy on research that recognizes the very
different logics of research aimed at a) influencing policy and b)
facilitating community action.
In a number of the State of the Field sessions, there was a clear message
to use the wealth of existing research and knowledge to influence the
development of more responsive policies. The discussion in the State of
the Field Review on Literacy emphasized the necessity now of a
National Agenda for Action - a pan-Canadian Literacy Strategy.
In addition, there was discussion on the ways that research can be used,
depending on the context or community. Research is often used as a
term for systematizing knowledge and it can also be viewed as
community learning or information gathering; often communities
undertake research but describe it differently.