Negotiating Agendas and Expectations in a Diverse University-Community Research Teamû Learning from a Sexual Health Study

with LGBTQ Youth Labeled with Intellectual Disabilities

û November 4, 2010

û Critical Junctures Conference, Guelph, Ontario

Presenters

û Denise Nepveux

ó York and Syracuse Universities

û Zack Marshall

ó Griffin Centre Mental Health Services

û Tess Vo

ó Griffin Centre Mental Health Services

Presentation overview

û Project overview

û Study context

û Team assets

û Unanticipated difficulties

û Suggestions for practical change

û Strategies that have worked

Project overview

û Focus

ó HIV Prevention Project for Youth with Disabilities

û Project history and context

Study context

û Ideal:

ó Interdisciplinary

ó Research initiated from grass roots

ó Partners engaged in all steps incl. funding app.

ó Shared goals

ó Long-term commitment

û Reality:

ó Interdisciplinary

ó Research initiated by university researchers; no particular push from community

ó Partners came in toward end of grant

ó Complementary goals, needs and resources

ó Short-term, one-off project

Team assets

û Multiple kinds of diversity

û University partners experienced in community-based research

û Community partners experienced in collaborative projects and research

û Shared values

ó Queer- and trans-positive

ó Sex-positive approach to HIV prevention

ó Youth engagement

ó Arts-based approaches

Unanticipated difficulties

û Time pressures

û Communication

û Learning and unlearning

û Differing theoretical and disciplinary perspectives

Suggestions for practical change

û Take time to establish a clear Memorandum of Understanding

ó Acknowledge Theoretical Frameworks

ó Establish Principles of Collaboration

ó Define Roles with Detailed Descriptions

û Set aside time to attend to group process

û Anticipate tensions and set up a plan for addressing them

û Clarify publication process, including authorship and decision making

Strategies that have worked

û Strengthening interpersonal relationships

ó Increasing dialogue

ó Demystifying the research process

û Adding specificity as project progresses

ó Committing through verbal written agreements which were honoured

û Explicitly value the contributions of team members and offer constructive feedback

Authors

û Nepveux, D.1, Marshall, Z. 2, Vo, T. 2, Proudfoot, D. 3, Nixon, S. 4, & Flicker, S5.

ó 1-York and Syracuse Universities

ó 2-Griffin Centre Mental Health Services

ó 3-York University, Institute for Health Research

ó 4-University of Toronto, Dalla Lana School of Public Health

ó 5-York University, Faculty of Environmental Studies

Acknowledgements

û This study was funded by:

ó Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research (CANFAR)

ó Centre for Urban Health Initiatives

û Additional support from:

ó Ontario Trillium Foundation

ó City of Toronto, AIDS Prevention Community Investment Program

ó Ontario HIV Treatment Network