Developing a community research model

Aims of the partnership

• Community researchers’ role in designing and delivering community research is enhanced
• Community researchers’ knowledge and skills relating to project research and delivery are increased
• Community researchers’ further training or employment prospects are enhanced through participation and training
• Our understanding of best practice for building community research models is increased
• Our knowledge about building an inclusive and representative approach towards community research is increased
• Our knowledge about research ethics for this type of work is enhanced
• TSIP’s capacity to employ and support community researchers, as well as quality assure their work, is enhanced

Connection to our strategy

Communities suffering from the consequences of inequality are often the subjects of research programmes instead of partners in the design and implementation of research activities. They are rarely involved in the development or evaluation of solutions designed for their own neighbourhoods.

Our development of a new community research model builds on the Gehl foodscapes project, where TSIP recruited and trained 16 local Community Surveyors from Peckham and Camberwell. They were hired to observe and interview local passers-by within the wards about their eating routines, and this approach sparked a much larger project into community-led research practices. You can read about the experience of one of the Community Surveyors here.

As we work to address the complex systemic issues underlying health and wellbeing in our communities, a focus on power, diversity, accessibility and inclusion is critical. At the same time, we must look at how traditional research ethics might need to be evolved in the context of community research.