- Partnerships should be based on mutual respect, collaboration, power-sharing and democratic participation and equality.
- Community partners should be involved at the early stages of a project, helping to define research questions and objectives, and having input into how the project will be organised.
- Community partners should have real influence on project direction.
- Research processes and outcomes should benefit the community, and community members should be trained whenever possible; research projects should help to build capacity.
- Community members should be a part of the analysis and interpretation of data and should have an input into how the results are disseminated.
- Partnerships should be encouraged to last beyond the life of a project.
- Community members should be empowered to initiate their own research projects which address needs they identify themselves.
For more information, follow the link to: A Guide to Ethical principles and practice, by the Centre for Social Justice and Community Action (Durham University) and the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement
- Community-Engaged Research takes place under real world conditions and the research questions come from the community, which increases the relevance of the outcomes and achieves social transformation.
- It promotes a more participative democracy and a sustainable development as it builds capacity and benefits all partners involved.
- Partnerships and collaboration enhance the creative process by adding new dimensions, experiences and expertise.
- It improves the research process itself (study and instrument design) and also enhances teaching.
- Involving community members in analysis and interpretation provides important explanations of results, and local interpretation may provide ideas the researchers had not considered from their point of view.
- It brings the opportunity to build greater trust and respect between academic researchers and communities. This may lead to future research and collaborations.
- It provides new opportunities and reaches a wider audience or new audiences.