“How can residents and agencies be more effective partners in addressing needs and services within the Lawrence Heights and Neptune community?” This was the question that led to BePart, a collaborative project between residents and local agencies in Lawrence Heights and Neptune, two related social housing neighbourhoods in North Central Toronto. The project was guided by a commitment to action research, building trust and strong connections both within and between residents and agencies, and working together towards a shared vision for the future. Residents and agencies on the Steering Committee were trained in many aspects of community-based research and used multiple data collection approaches to shed light on the research question. Emerging themes and recommendations (for residents, agencies, and funders) were developed, communicated and are being currently considered in social development planning efforts.
BePart: Collaborative Research Report
Principal Organization: New Heights Community Health Centres
Principal Investigator: Gillian Kranias
Authors: BePart Steering Committee
Participants: Residents of Lawrence Heights and Neptune neighbourhoods
Research Methods: Focus groups, surveys, and interviews