Resources

Masters Thesis: Use of Photovoice in Ecological-Community Psychology

This Ecological-Community Psychology masters thesis utilizes a form of participatory action research called Photovoice wherein participants co-create photos which are physical sites for learning and sharing information.  The thesis aims to understand the varying experiences among survivors of sexual violence on the Michigan State University campus in order to better assess the level of support provided by the campus-community to the diversity of survivors.   (more…)

By anaantunes, ago

Digital Story: Use of Photovoice in Ecological-Community Psychology

This Ecological-Community Psychology masters thesis utilizes a form of participatory action research called Photovoice wherein participants co-create photos which are physical sites for learning and sharing information.  The thesis aims to understand the varying experiences among survivors of sexual violence on the Michigan State University campus in order to better assess the level of support provided by the campus-community to the diversity of survivors.

Participants in the thesis project (survivors of sexual violence) assembled the photos and narratives and created a digital story, a video compilation of their lived realities. This digital story was shown at two different events, planned by the masters student (now doctoral student) who wrote the thesis and the participants. One event was a tightly knit survivor community of other survivors, campus-community activists, allies; the other event was open to the entire Michigan State University community.

(more…)

By anaantunes, ago

Data, Analytics and CBOs

Big data and analytics for community-focused nonprofits can improve analytic capabilities and increase impact. However, Community-based organization needs do not match well with conventional notions of data and analytics. Decentralized model for data-driven research may be preferred, but centralized model is dominant. CBOs can articulate data needs, but are often not yet able to access relevant data easily and use data effectively. Finally, certain values maximize impact of big data and analytics. (more…)

By anaantunes, ago

Establishing and Evaluating Equitable Partnerships

In this paper, the authors present two models for establishing and evaluating partnerships. They also provide a working definition of a partnership, propose strategies for identifying resources for starting and maintaining partnerships, and provide several methods for evaluating them. Their purpose is to increase understanding of the dynamics of building stronger, more equity-based partnerships. Models recommended are the Give-Get and Double Rainbow. (more…)

By anaantunes, ago

Participatory Research and Community Youth Development: VOICES in Sarasota County, Florida

This article reports a case study of community-based participatory action research conducted as a community youth development activity, demonstrating a trend toward engaging youth in youth development efforts. The project actively engaged middle school youth in their communities and offered an avenue through which they could contribute to matters of importance to them. Youth are presented as stakeholders in the research process. Concrete strategies for collaborating with youth are described and evaluated. (more…)

By anaantunes, ago

The Crabby Creek Initiative: Building and Sustaining an Interdisciplinary Community Partnership

In this article, we identify the steps and strategies that emerged through an interdisciplinary, community-based participatory research (CBPR) project—the Crabby Creek Initiative. The Initiative was undertaken jointly by Cabrini College faculty in biology and psychology, the Valley Creek Restoration Partnership (VCRP), the Stroud Water Research Center, (SWRC) and local residents of this eastern Pennsylvania region. The paper examines the phases the partners have gone through and the strategies used as the building blocks of partnerships in the process of collaboration: trust, mutual design, shared implementation, joint ownership, and dissemination of knowledge, the building blocks of sustainable partnerships. Ultimately, the lessons learned have the potential to galvanize practitioners to engage not only in citizen science, but also more broadly in the practice of applied and engaged democracy. (more…)

By anaantunes, ago

Developing a Community-Led Education Pipeline

The Coeur d’Alene Tribe, the University of Idaho Extension, and other community and regional partners have been collaborating on the development of an education pipeline as a result of several years of leadership training in the community. Through their collaboration, gaps in educational services have been identified, new partnerships are being developed, and a deeper analysis of the root causes of the high rate of school dropouts is taking place. (more…)

By anaantunes, ago

Taking a Stand: Community-Engaged Scholarship on the Tenure Track

This article assesses the journey to tenure among higher education faculty whose scholarship focuses on community engagement. It provides examples for two categories of action—contextual interventions and structural interventions—that agents of the university enact in order to create space for their approach to scholarship. It also describes structural transformation, which is the product of strategically conceived and deployed structural interventions that fundamentally alter university reward structures and culture so as to promote and support community-engaged scholarship. Finally, this piece describes a contextual intervention by the author that has allowed him to work within local communities while meeting standards of research and teaching that move him toward tenure. (more…)

By anaantunes, ago