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DTES RESEARCH
ACCESS PORTAL
Where to start: the DTES RAP resources page
Rebecca Rogers
DTES Community-Based Research Assistant, UBC Learning Exchange
Graduate Student, UBC
The Downtown Eastside Research Access Portal’s (DTES RAP) resources page links to approximately 50 guides, articles, and tools for those who are interested in learning more about community-based research. Although the page offers a wide range of resources, identifying where to start can be a daunting task!
As a graduate student working as the Downtown Eastside community-based research assistant at the Learning Exchange, I was tasked with implementing updates to the resources page suggested by Barbara Jenni, who drew from earlier work conducted by students from the Urban Ethnographic Field School. Because the DTES RAP resources page provides a broad collection of guides, articles, and tools, I could see how it would be overwhelming to know where to start. I created this introductory post as a starting point for those interested in learning more about conceptualizing, planning, and doing community-based research. This list of 10 resources reflects my perspective as a graduate student and includes items that I found to be helpful and informative.
These resources range from videos on how to start thinking about ethical community-based research to making your findings accessible to the public. In keeping with the structure of the resources page, the list is divided into four sections to help organize the diverse sources: Groundwork, Action Plan, Move into Action, and Share Findings. The list is designed for anyone interested in learning more about community-based research, regardless of their interest area.
Image by Martin Dee / UBC Brand & Marketing
Groundwork
How to do ethical and community-based research. The items on this tab of the resources page focus on consultation processes, methodologies, and framing expectations with, by, and for communities.
1. Community-Based Research YouTube Channel: Centre for Community Based Research
The Centre for Community Based Research YouTube channel has several videos and web seminars dedicated to the CBR approach and its application. The channel is a great resource to find introductory videos, webinar recordings, and mini-series.
Click here to view The Centre for Community Based Research’s YouTube channel.
2. Community Resource Handbook: Simon Fraser University CERi
The handbook provides a practical and accessible guide designed for community-serving organizations, students, and researchers who are interested in community-engaged research.
Click here to view CERi’s “Community Resource Handbook”.
3. Empowering Informed Consent: Hives for Humanity
This is a convenient card-style pamphlet about developing ongoing informed consent for community-based research. An accompanying full report is also available.
Click here to view Hives for Humanity’s “Empowering Informed Consent” pamphlet.
4. Research 101: A Process for Developing Local Guidelines for Ethical Research in Heavily Researcher Communities
This article, co-authored by Scott Neufeld, Jule Chapman, Nicolas Crier, Samona Marsh, Jim McLeod, and Lindsay Deane, reports on the process involved in creating Research 101: A Manifesto for Ethical Research in the Downtown Eastside. It offers insights and empowering resources for community organizations entering university research partnerships.
5. Research Ethics: A Guide for Community Organizations: PACE Society (Raven Brown)
This guide addresses ethical issues in doing research with sex workers. Its content is applicable to other groups experiencing structural barriers. It includes a section with practical questions to consider in doing research with organizations.
Click here to view “Research Ethics: A Guide for Community Organizations”.
Action Plan
How to plan a community-campus research partnership. The links on this section of the resources page focus on topics related to collaboration, representation, and clarifying contributions.
6. Developing and Sustaining Community-Based Participatory Research Partnerships: A Skill-Building Curriculum
This tool for community-institutional partnerships using (or planning to use) a CBPR approach emerged from a project involving multiple organizations and departments at the University of Washington. The curriculum provides an overview of the knowledge and skills required to develop strong community-based participatory research partnerships.
Click here to view “Developing and Sustaining Community-Based Participatory Research Partnerships”.
Move into Action
How to use research for the public good. This section of the resources page focuses on strategies for knowledge exchange and knowledge mobilization.
7. The Co-produced Pathway to Impact Describes Knowledge Mobilization Processes
This article, co-authored by David Phipps, Debra Pepler, Wendy Craig, Joanne Cummings, and Shelley Cardinal, describes the ‘Co-produced Pathway to Impact’ model of knowledge mobilization. The article illustrates the benefits of university-community collaboration in sharing knowledge.
Click here to read “The Co-produced Pathway to Impact Describes Knowledge Mobilization Processes”.
8. Community Vision for Change in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside: Carnegie Community Action Project
This report is an example of how results from a community-engaged consultation process can be shared.
Click here to read “Community Vision for Change in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside”.
Share Findings
The items featured on this section of the resources page focus on how to share research beyond journal articles and create stigma-free materials.
9. Knowledge Mobilization Resources: Research Impact Canada
Research Impact Canada offers a range of tools, trainings, and more, on knowledge mobilization, including plain language checklists, needs assessment tools, and examples of Research Snapshots (article summaries). This resource aims to maximize the impact of research and provides guidelines on how to communicate the impact of research to a wide audience.
Click here to view Research Impact Canada’s “Knowledge Mobilization Resources”.
10. Guide to Communicating Research Beyond Academia: Research Retold
Two chapters of this guide can be downloaded for free; the website also lists the resources mentioned in the guide, including software to create visual summaries, a database with free icons, and other data visualization tools. The guide encourages readers to think about the importance of communicating research beyond academia and provides resources to help assist with dissemination.
Click here to view Research Retold’s “Guide to Communicating Research Beyond Academia”.
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Do you have questions or feedback about this article? Do you have an idea for the news section? Please reach out to community engagement librarian Nick Ubels at mrai.info@ubc.ca
