bcji in action: using planning as a tool for community ... · •60% female, 40% male •60% of ......

BCJI in Action: Using planning as a tool for community engagement

Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Grant Convening

March 22 & 23, 2017: Washington DC

Dr. Roberta Gibbons and Cassandra Holmes

Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Planning Grant

Using Research to

Engage Community

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Description of Little Earth• Only Native-preference Section-8 housing complex in the US• Founded in 1973 as transitional housing from reservation(s) to city• Official population of 650 (on lease) estimates of 1,00-1,200 true population

• Population represents 30 different tribes• Half of population is under the age of 18• Four square blocks

• 60% female, 40% male• 60% of households on public assistance• 79% unemployment • 74% below poverty threshold

Little Earth in 1973


Using Research to

Engage Community

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Participatory Action Research• Research WITH the community, rather than ON the community• Lived experience = knowledge• Research leading to action

“Participatory research attempts to break down the distinction between the researchers and the researched, the subjects and objects of knowledge production by the participation of the people-for-themselves in the process of gaining and creating knowledge. In the process, research is seen not only as a process of creating knowledge, but simultaneously, as education and development of consciousness, and of mobilization for action (Gaventa 1988: 19).


Using Research to

Engage Community

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Participatory Action Research

Principles of Community-

based Participatory

Action Research

• Promotes collaborative and equitable partnerships in all research phases and involves an empowering and power-sharing process

• Builds on strengths and resources within the community

• Facilitates co-learning and capacity building among all partners

• Balances research and action for the mutual benefit of all partners

• Disseminates findings and knowledge gained to the broader community and involves all partners in the dissemination process

• Promotes a long-term process and commitment to sustainability


Using Research to

Engage Community

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Using PAR as data collection at Little Earth• Researcher immersion in community• Original PAR team:

• 7 residents chosen by Employment Specialist, Community Building Team Advisor, and Executive Director.• Included 2 youth.• 10 meetings over 3 months – Cross training between researcher and community; selection of data collection

method; development of survey.• Team membership opened: New team

• 12 members, greater cluster representation. • Includes 2 (different) youth

• Training for door-to-door survey administration, PAR-T collected data over 4 days• Training on data entry; PAR-T entered data• Researcher conducted data analysis• Results presented to/discussed with PAR-T; PAR-T chooses what is important• PAR-T presents results to community at community meeting

• Community meetings: Food, data tours, discussion of data facilitated by PAR-T member• Community feedback at meetings = data

Items in blue reflect a process followed by entire research team for all data collected. Total of 7 cm’s.

Community Safety Champion Meeting

Data Tours

Community Meetings


Using Research to

Engage Community

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BCJI Pillars and Participatory Action Research

Data and research

Community engagement

Build community

capacity

PAR


Using Research to

Engage Community

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Impact of Participatory Action Research at Little Earth – Researcher’s Perspective

• Sustainability of PAR-T/ Community Safety Champions • Block club leaders• One Minneapolis Grant funding continued work• CSC’s recognized as leaders in community• Conducted own youth survey

• National Initiative work by MPD informed by survey research and leveraged for implementation grant

• Research team “part of the family”• CSC member recently hired as aid to city councilperson• Early Action Project $$ remained in community – Star Quilts


Using Research to

Engage Community

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PAR

Personal Reflections on the PAR process and participation in Byrne Grant Data Collection


Using Research to

Engage Community

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Challenges• Administration turnover, other employee turnover• Original PAR had some members seeking conflict with researchers/family conflicts• “Letting go” of research• Acoustic challenges in gym• No food funding• No men on PAR Team Lessons learned• Take the time to plan!• Importance of establishing trust

• Listen before you talk, be there, follow through, open communication, honesty, respect

• Need for community leader(s) to be on board – Jolene Jones! Margarita Ortega! And Carrie Day Aspinwall, community

engagement coordinator

bcji in action: using planning as a tool for community ... · •60% female, 40% male •60% of ......

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