Community-Based Research Survey

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This survey is part of a research project commissioned by the University of Lincoln in the UK, which aims to identify university-community research partnerships across Europe. We believe that university-community partnerships have a vital role to play to support and strengthen civil society organisations and social justice agendas. This has gained greater urgency at present, as civil society, communities and active citizens have to cope with higher demands placed on them as a result of the economic crisis/ austerity, high unemployment and widespread cuts to public services.

We define community-based research as aiming to:

• co-produce knowledge through collaborative research methodologies which recognises the expertise and knowledge of community partners, seek to gain community ownership of the research design, process and results
• build communities' ability to undertake research and evaluations themselves, and to develop ‘research mindedness’
• develop critical understanding of social issues, questioning dominant ideas about social disadvantage and other challenges. This can encourage community engagement in the social policy debate and help active citizens develop strategies for social change (Freire, 1970) within a democratic and social justice framework.

The survey below is the first step in this project and aims to:

1) Identify individuals working in universities and/or community organisations who are engaged in, or committed to, university-community partnerships. This will be followed by more in-depth case studies

2) Gather data with a view to developing joint Europe-wide research proposals, e.g. for the 2014 call for the EU Horizon 20 research programme.
3) Create an informal network of community-university partners in Europe to keep the momentum going and to engage with the global alliance GACER http://communityresearchcanada.ca/alliance in the area of social sciences/social & community policy and related disciplines.

If you want to share your experiences in this area, please complete the questionnaire below. The questionnaire can be answered both by academic researchers and community researchers, or by civil society organisations with experience of research. Your answers will form part of our data collection for this scoping study.

Many thanks for your contribution.

Part 1. Identification

Your name *

Your contact details *

Is your main role

In an academic institution? (fill in a)

In a community organisation? (fill in b)

Section a

a) If you are working in an academic institution, please state your university and department:

Do you already have community partners?

If yes, please give the names of the organisations (translated into English if necessary):

Section b

b) If you are working in a community organisation, please state its name

(translated into English if necessary)

Do you already have a university partner(s)?

If yes, please give the names of the academic partner(s):

How would you assess your level of experience of university-community research?

High: engagement over many years with several projects (go to PART 2)

Medium: some experience of engagement (go to PART 2)

Low: but I would be interested to find out more (go to PART 3)

No experience: and not sure if relevant to my work (go to PART 3)

Clear selection

Part 2. About your experience of university-community research

1. What type of research collaboration best describes your experience(s)

(Tick all that apply)

Working with communities/groups to gather research data, with academics undertaking the research

Training community members as researchers

Involving communities/groups in the identification of the research questions

Involving communities/groups in designing research activities

Involving communities/groups in analysing data

Involving communities/groups in sharing and disseminating research findings

Other:

2. Does your experience include any of the following participative research methodologies:

(Tick all that apply)

Mapping

Visioning tools

Field trips

Appreciative inquiry

Drama/arts

Focus groups

Story-telling

Other:

3. What would you describe as the main discipline(s) of your community-based research activities

4. Can you name one or more research topics (or project titles) of past community-based research projects

5. Did the research projects target any specific groups of people?

(Tick all that apply)

People on low incomes

Young people

Old people

Young and old together (inter-generational)

People with health/mental conditions

Homeless/at risk of homelessness

Migrants

Roma/travellers

Other:

6. Methodologies involved in your community-based research projects

Qualitative

Quantitative

Mixed methods

Clear selection

7. How was your community-based research funded?

(Tick all that apply)

Funded by university / academic streams (research council, EU or national research funding)

Funded by private sources (e.g. foundations, trusts, charities)

Funded as a community-based research project, as a joint application

Other:

8. What were the outcomes of your research project(s)

(Tick all that apply)

Developed evidence base on community issues

Research findings / reports disseminated in community

Research findings / reports disseminated with policy makers

Contributed to community-based learning

Challenged inequalities – promoted equality/diversity/ community cohesion

Developed/ promoted active citizen participation in general

Other:

9. Can we contact you again to interested get more information on your community research activities for a case study?

Yes

Not sure

Clear selection

Part 3. Future joint university-community research partnership

10. Are you interested in working together on a European-wide research proposal involving university-community research?

(for a proposal in April 2014)

Yes, very much interested.

Yes, potentially interested.

Not at the moment, but keep me informed

No (state reason below)

Clear selection

Reason:

Do you need help with finding community/university partners?

Yes

No, already have partners

Possibly: I have potential partners (depending on the topic)

Clear selection

11. Are there any research topics that would interest you/ that are particularly relevant to your work/ to your community partners?

Please describe briefly

12. Are you already a member of a network relevant to community-university research?

Yes (if yes provide details below)

Clear selection

Details:

Name the network(s) and, in ( ) whether they are Local (L), Regional (R ), National (N), European (EU) or international (I)

. Staying connected: Would you like to become part of a new informal, Europe-wide community-based research? If YES, what is your preferred way of keeping informed/ networked for the purposes of community-based research ?

(tick all that apply)

By email

Through a new, purpose-built network/ e-platform

Through a new group in an existing network (what EU-wide network do you think we could use?

Clear selection

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