Welcome to vantage point onlineAt Volunteer Vancouver, our mission is to inspire & build leadership in the voluntary sectorOne of the ways we do this is through Vantage Point — our issue-based newsletter. This edition draws on the experience and expertise of Elana Brief PhD. and Colleen Reid PhD., research directors of the Women's Health Research Network, and Brenda Roche of the Wellesley Institute. Your comments are welcome — please email us at vantagepoint@volunteervancouver.ca. Research in the Community: Posing an answerable and meaningful research questionBy Elana Brief and Colleen Reid We all conduct research constantly in our lives. We have a question that we want to answer (e.g., where is the best daycare for my child?) and, by speaking to others, and reading, and watching, we acquire data, analyze the data, possibly reject some data, and gradually narrow in on an answer to our question. The success of the process is hinged on asking a clear question. Revisiting the Foundations of Community-Based ResearchCBPR is a collaborative approach to research that equitably involves all partners in the research process and recognizes the unique strengths that each brings. CBR begins with a research topic of importance to the community with the aim of combining knowledge and action for social change to improve community health and eliminate health disparities. Putting the Community back in Community OrganizationBy Virginia Edelstein I wonder sometimes if the not-for-profit sector has lost sight of the community’s role in our work. Some of us talk about community a great deal, but in the end, is it just lip service? Do we really see community as an integral part of our work? And do we take that realization and put community to work in achieving our missions? Brian’s BookshelfColleen Reid, Elana Brief, and Robin LeDrew, Our Common Ground: Cultivating Women’s Health through Community Based Research Vancouver, BC: Women’s Health Research Network, 2009. This model of community engagement through questioning is a skill that every not-for-profit organization (actually, any organization that seeks to engage a community of clients or customers) should intentionally acquire and hone. About Volunteer VancouverThe mission of Volunteer Vancouver is to inspire & build leadership in the voluntary sector. This publication is intended to be a medium of communication and information for the many organizations active in the volunteer and not-for-profit sector. The opinions expressed herein are solely those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect official policy of the Board of Directors of Volunteer Vancouver. Volunteer Vancouver |
