Why community-led or community-informed research is vital: Community-driven or community-informed research is of great essence and currently gaining original momentum. Hence, I am delighted to be involved in various community research with lived-experience integration to achieve a realistic outcome of the research goals. From my perspective as a community researcher with lived expertise, I believe that when a project is carried out using community-informed research, the community will be efficiently informed with empowerment and not deformed.
I would say that building trust with the communities to bridge the gap will be highly effective by involving the residents of the community because research is done with the people and not on the people, which makes them engage freely by sharing their personal stories, reflections, experiences and share community issues during a community research event collaboratively to suggest solutions for a thriving community.
With my four active years of experience in Community Research Conferences as a Panellist, where I spoke about the Importance of Lived Experience Integration in Research, I realised that a research on some global issues like Gender Inequalities, Climate Change, Health and Wellbeing, Mental Health, Diversity and Inclusivity, Gender and Racial Discrimination, Social Justice Movements, that is informed by lived experience is more valuable, responsive, relevant, grounded in what matters now and fosters unity in solidarity.
In addition, using a community-led approach in research, it interests policy makers, the community, the participants, stakeholders and others because they are searching for community-rooted evidence to shape the community and make a difference positively. Also, Community-driven research makes sure that policies are not only evidence-based but also equity-led.
Moreso, having a diverse community participating in a project gives them voices as they bring all their fresh ideas, questions, learn from one another, spark creative solutions and these can be achieved when communities co-design research from the beginning together to achieve the research objectives and share feedback for better positive change. The power of being present, telling your story or facilitating as a community researcher gives the people hope for a better future and boosts their confidence, which I am a testimony to.
In all, considering how lived experience enhances insights and authenticity involves Breaking down Barriers, Walking the Walk, Live what you Preach, Steer Research that Matters to the People, Voice for the Voiceless, Listen and be Heard, Speaking for the People, Making Positive Difference and Change with Real life Stories, Partnering with Community Champions, Shaping the Community by suggesting Solutions to Issues, Research Originality and Genuineness, Shared collaborative ideas and Knowledge, Co-creation and Designing of Research Methods, Challenging Power Structures respectfully and as someone embedded in community research, I strongly believe that we are not just capturing data but we are translating lived realities into knowledge that can shift systems.
Author: Deborah Alero King
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community research, blogs, community researcher