For Clinical Researchers

As clinical researchers, it is important to partner with community members because they provide a practical, relevant knowledge base and understanding of their community. This can help improve your research practice and findings by connecting with more people.

What are some ways to get community members interested and involved in research?

Make connections with local resources embedded in the community.

Utilizing local resources, such as local newspapers or community organizations, provides connections to citizens who are already engaged. Local organizations and businesses have established an important level of trust and buy-in from their community members. As a researcher, partnering with these organizations can help extend trust to you and your research study.

Example: Partner with a local newspaper and create opportunities for researchers to present their work to lay community audiences through workshops or “Lunch & Learns.”

Be present at local community events and participate in outreach.

By actively participating in these events, you can meet people where they are and be engaged and supportive of what is happening locally. This continues to build the community’s trust of you and your research.

Example: There are many events happening throughout communities all the time. Connect with local stakeholders groups and find ways to partner together to talk about health and research, including spending time outside of work hours and tabling at these important community events.

Promote research participation and education through visual and interactive media.

Through media, such as videos and posting on social media, you can expand the reach and interest for your research study.

Example: Create a research informed community and guide them to places where research is promoted

Provide a tailored community based research ethics training for communities to learn more about how research is done.

Providing training to community members to be involved in conducting research can expand their knowledge and understanding of research, including increasing awareness about the importance of research ethics.

Example: Using a Community-Partnered Research Ethics Training brings community and academia together to talk about research in mutually beneficial ways.

Disseminate research findings through local community organizations and agencies.

By working in partnership with communities to also disseminate research through their own innovative approaches and ideas, research findings can reach more people.

Example: Community members are experts and can help researchers with new ideas that can gain entrée into communities