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Principle 8:

Integrate and achieve a balance between research and action for the benefit of all partners 

CBPR emphasises integrating knowledge gained through the research partnership into interventions and policies. To achieve this partnerships may engage in activism and advocacy as well as research.

Capacities (competencies and conditions)

        Policy and advocacy skills within study sites, including extending community voices in policymaking, and influencing policies and practices aimed at improving health and wellbeing.

        Knowledge of how to frame an issue, engage different audiences and promote belief that action can lead to change

        Ability to identify or develop group lobbying power to influence change in policy or policy processes

        Commitment to the integration of research results with community change efforts

        Media engagement skills and relationships with workers in the industry

        Capacity to ensure regular and effective communication with practitioners and service delivery organisations to ensure that evidence influences the uptake and design of programs

        Understanding of the difference between programs and policies, and the steps involved in developing a policy and advocacy campaign (22)

        Knowledge of how a bill becomes law and who the major players are in decision-making

        Ability to identify supporters and opponents

        Ability to create a joint interpretive forum for sharing research knowledge

        Understanding of the change process and awareness of the potential effects of politics on outcomes

        Awareness of the effects of data and actions on the system in which research is involved

        Capacity to assess ‘readiness’ – the degree to which a community is prepared to take action on an issue 

  •         Improved responsiveness of research to real-life problems

            Enhanced complementarity of knowledge and skills, generating public support for research, creating critical mass for social change and minimising the duplication of effort

            Research partners perceive the new knowledge gained and the potential benefit to the community as a motivation to work together

            Active community organisations linked to policy makers help to empower people and institutions to take informed action

            Active community involvement and dialogue among diverse constituencies leads to policy or practice change

  •         Mentor community members to take a leadership role in the partnership and advocate for the health issue in the broader community

            Undertake value creation stories to give a structured approach to storytelling, and a disciplined way of collecting data about outcomes from actions

            Use planning models such as the  PRECEDE-PROCEED model which provide a structure that supports the planning and implementation of health promotion or disease prevention programs

            Provide training to enhance the capacity of community members to engage in the policy change process

            Deliver a series of workshops to train wider community members in policy and advocacy – delivered by community researchers

            Provide technical assistance to community researchers in their subsequent policy change efforts

            Map pre-existing power relationships to understand facilitators and hinderances to change through power mapping (a power analysis tool to map power and shape a campaign strategy), communication with policymakers and alliances with other advocates

            Develop a communication strategy or advocacy plan

            Build political and bureaucratic support for citizen participation

            Situate the research partnership as a bridge between community and external resources (e.g., state health department, foundations), assist community researchers and community members to identify and develop local assets, write grants and work with funders to support community groups 

  •         Clear partnership ‘goals’ defined and shared by partners from the onset, as well as the goals for the mutually defined CBPR projects

            Evidence that the partnership and participation in the research made a difference in the involvement with the community to stimulate change

            New partners and networks engaged to make changes to health and wellbeing

            Number of training sessions or mentorship delivered in relation to policy change, media involvement or communication

            Mapping of policy makers

            Documentation to demonstrate that participants feel they have the knowledge and power necessary to advocate for policy change, and the extent to which people have the power to change policies in their area

            Evidence of improved capacity of participants to carry out policy related work

            Clearly articulated policies and strategies outlining communication, consultation and participation processes within government agencies

            Evidence of change to policy, process, practice or service delivery

            Evidence of ongoing project accountability through measuring intermediate outcomes of capacity strengthening, ownership, and empowerment against goals and making explicit their link to ultimate research outcomes and public health impact

  •         Value creation stories

            Narratives collected from and with researchers and co-researchers

            Evidence of actions related to policy change i.e. letters

            Communication strategies with duty bearers

            List of potential solutions and action plans

            Power mapping outputs

            Confidence scales/measures

            Evidence of meetings with decision makers and advocates

            Training slides developed and delivered to communities by community researchers

            News articles that show outcomes and relate to research partnerships

            Photographs with narratives that show conversations and advocacy activities

            Evidence of additional resources e.g. allocation of rooms, printing services, financial support from different organisations, communities etc.

            Interviews or participatory methods that track or demonstrate the path to policy/practice changes

            Audio visual outputs such as blogs, vlogs and podcasts

     

*Please note that some statements are adaptations or direct quotes from the papers listed in the reference section