CBR projects incorporate very different expectations from conventional research. For example, in CBR, everyone is a teacher, learner, and contributor, while in conventional research, the researcher is an "outside expert" with a limited, task-oriented relationship to the community. In CBR, the relationship formed between the community and college partners is multi-faceted, collaborative, and sometimes long-term.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
- Generate the basic idea for the research.
- Have an idea of how they will use the research results.
- Willingness, desire to participate directly in the research process.
- Provide resources in time, energy, access to the population, and previous studies.
- Committed to, and develops specific plans, to utilize research study results (i.e., for program improvement, capacity-building, generating funds, community education, etc.).
- Understands that study results may identify challenges, as well as strengths, and that these results are opportunities for program improvement (this is particularly relevant to outcomes studies).
- Agrees to share their CBR experiences, when possible, through focus groups and/or learning events held by the College.
- Willing to share research results with funders, the community at large, and in CCDSJ materials.
FACULTY PARTNER(S) (Faculty & Students)
- Willingness to be a research partner and desire to learn from community partner.
- Listens to what the community partner expresses as its needs and lets this be the driver (the "project compass").
- Provides expertise and is willing to explain the research process and share responsibility for research design, data collection, and application.
- Works with the college's Internal Review Board (IRB) to receive approval when necessary.
- Shares project progress with the CCDSJ.
- Prepares final report (with executive summary) and presents it to community partners.
- Full commitment to mentor and supervise student(s) on the project. This includes engaging student participation as full-fledged members of the research partner process.
- Understands that projects may not fit neatly into academic calendar.
- Willing to participate in future CBR focus groups sponsored by the CCDSJ.
- Willing to share research results with funders, the community at large, and as cited in CCDSJ materials.
CENTER FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE (CCDSJ)
- Encourages and communicates CBR project opportunities through a variety of channels (i.e., directory, email, CCDSJ web site, personal calls and visits, etc.).
- Facilitates the "match" between partners.
- Makes roles and responsibilities and CBR principles clear to partners.
- Approves and oversees project budgets.
- Provides general resources (i.e., project funding when possible, linking to various resources, training on CBR, etc.).
- Serves as a process consultant and intervenes if projects are stalled.
- Evaluates the partnerships, CBR processes, and overall success of the projects.
- Is initially working to develop a model for CBR programs, and then will engage in ongoing refinement of the model.
- Conducts interviews and focus groups as part of the evaluation and project oversight responsibilities.
- Reports results to external funders.