June 26, 2018
Connecting research with the community
Ensuring the research taking place at the University of 不良研究所 makes an impact in the community was the focus of a recent two-day conference that brought representatives from faculties, centres and institutes across campus together with community organizations.
Attendees eagerly gathered to discuss the benefits, best practices and successful integration of knowledge mobilization with expert Dr. David Phipps, PhD. Phipps, who serves as executive director of research and innovation services at York University and network director for , explains that knowledge mobilization is about engaging in conversations and linking research with the public.
鈥淲e want to connect research and researchers, and that includes faculty and students, to organizations beyond the academy that are interested in working with research and research evidence to inform decisions about public policy, professional practice and social services.鈥
Facilitating uptake
Phipps adds that knowledge mobilization is vital because dissemination of evidence is not enough to inform change.
鈥淚f all we needed to do was make our evidence accessible, we would put it on Google, metatag it right and people would find it and use it. We know that doesn鈥檛 work.鈥
What works, he says, is facilitating the uptake of evidence.
鈥淔acilitating uptake doesn鈥檛 mean that I send it to you, it means that I work with you. The most fundamental piece is first listening to both partners to find out what鈥檚 of mutual interest. I can send you all the knowledge I want, but if you aren鈥檛 interested in that, then you鈥檙e never going to take it up.鈥
Werklund School of Education Associate Dean of Research and conference academic lead , PhD, agrees.
鈥淲e need to ensure that we are answering the community鈥檚 research questions so that they can apply the knowledge gained from the research we鈥檝e performed together.鈥
Connecting the dots
That the University of 不良研究所 has long been engaged in knowledge mobilization was one of the key takeaways of the conference.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e already on the knowledge to impact or research to impact pathway,鈥 says Phipps. 鈥淲hat was very evident to me is that 不良研究所 already has many of the assets in place. The dots are there. 不良研究所 doesn鈥檛 need to do much to start connecting those dots. It just takes a few conversations and a bit of executive leadership so say, 鈥榣et鈥檚 join up the dots鈥.
One of the dots highlighted during the conference was work to advance employment opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. Dr. Nicholas, PhD, an associate professor in the , shared insight into his efforts to engage partners across Canada and came away with plans to apply what he learned going forward.
鈥淭he workshop offered some terrific practical means to advance the pathway from knowledge to widespread impact at a community level. Some of the strategies presented around partnership development and building infrastructure for ongoing engagement with key stakeholders, will be utilized.鈥 Sharing with and hearing from off campus groups was a priority for the planning committee. LivingWorks and Wood鈥檚 Homes were among the organizations that participated in the panels.
鈥淲e really wanted people 鈥 researchers, community members, research administrative staff 鈥 to learn that the University of 不良研究所 does meaningful community engagement. We wanted people to know that it can be done and it is being done,鈥 says the Werklund School鈥檚 Research Facilitator and conference co-organizer .
Mohammad Lasker says he benefitted from meeting with conference participants as well as by presenting on the collaboration between the Bangladeshi-Canadian community and the .
鈥淭he conference was simply an inspirational and exciting event for us. It gave us a chance to network with different stakeholders and learn ways to develop sustainable relationships with the community.鈥
Jody Wolfe valued the chance to detail the United Way鈥檚 experiences with partnerships and community impact and to learn about the many community initiatives underway.
鈥淭he Knowledge Mobilization event was a wonderful opportunity to connect with those who share the goal of bringing evidence into decision making and practice.鈥
Continuing the conversation
In order to keep connecting the dots, Kjorlien and co-organizer , PhD, are already planning next year鈥檚 event.
鈥淥ne of the things we have heard very clearly from all participants was the need to continue the conversation and to create a community of practice that will capitalize on the existing expertise on campus but also help facilitate new conversations with different stakeholders,鈥 says Olszewska, who works as Research Grants and Awards Facilitator in the Faculty of Arts.
To amplify the connection to community, Kjorlien and Olszewska will host the next conference off the U不良研究所 campus.
鈥淎 community-facing event will allow for much more community involvement. This event will help communities voice what they would like to learn from the University and how they鈥檇 like to learn it.鈥
Anyone interested in learning more about further knowledge mobilization events can email Yvonne Kjorlien or Dr. Kinga Olszewska.
The Knowledge to Impact conference was made possible through the support of the following groups: Werklund School of Education, Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Social Work, School of Public Policy, Innovate 不良研究所 and the Office of the Vice-President (Research).