I stand at the intersection of community and research; it defines my journey as a community researcher. My passion for community development drives a core belief: to champion community causes, I must first embed myself within the community.
I’m grateful to organisations like BVSC, the University of Birmingham, and other partners who equipped me with essential research skills. These skills have been vital in amplifying the challenges and inequalities I’ve observed firsthand. I began by immersing myself fully in the community I wanted to support and sharpened my research skills to give voice to its members effectively. This immersion allows me to gain invaluable insights. Direct engagement has brought me closer to understanding lived experiences, transforming me into a more vigorous advocate for community members.
Community research centres on engagement. It’s crucial for uncovering people’s needs and providing practical, relevant solutions that create meaningful change. Creating dedicated spaces for people to share their stories not only brings pressing issues to the surface but also uncovers deeper, often hidden, challenges within communities. In my role, I strive to create a safe space for community members to share their concerns and personal experiences. Frequently, this is deeply emotional, incredibly revealing, and a profound learning experience. This direct engagement is crucial for generating knowledge that informs policy design and decision makers for targeted interventions.
Gathering information from the community is one aspect but amplifying those often-overlooked voices is equally vital. This is where research skills truly come into play. Collaborating with academics and other partners has enabled me to ensure that community insights are effectively integrated into the final project reports.
I have participated in various research projects on the long COVID experience, barriers to accessing green spaces, urban wellbeing, inclusive communities, and mental health within ethnic minorities in Birmingham. As a Community Researcher, I found that conversations with local people reveal a wealth of unheard voices. While community voices provide crucial insights, decision-makers ultimately determine whether they shape policies and influence the decision-making process.
In summary, I have developed a new passion: to be a strong advocate for community-led research. Citizens show immense strength when they raise their voices on issues that matter to them rather than suffering in silence. I find it gratifying to learn from the lived experiences of local people, amplify their voices, and co-create actionable reports that make change possible.
Author: Jean Claude Kabuiku
Tags
community research, blogs, community researcher