Making Sense of the Research Workshops

In these workshops we discussed what survey respondents said about why they got involved in community organizing, how they first came to be involved, where they got involved, what obstacles/barriers they faced during their involvement, and what they learned through their involvement.

We also looked at responses from people who say they have never been involved in neighbourhood organizing for social change – and what they say about why they aren’t involved, and what it would take for them to become involved.

The workshops were intended as a starting point for thinking through how to connect what survey participants said with the way we do organizing and recruitment. Our approach to the data throughout was: What is the research telling us?; What is significant about this?; and, Now what?

The data we looked at in the workshops was based on approximately half of the over 500 in-depth interviews from the survey. We will continue to input the remainder of the survey data over the course of the next few months.  The full data set will become available in 2012.

However, this preliminary look at the findings proved important for people. Conference participants provided valuable feedback about the research findings, what the findings mean and the practical implications they have for organizing. For example, there is a keen interest in ensuring the final data is analyzed through an anti-oppression lens (the limited data at this point prevented us from making any meaningful cross-tabulations but this will come later).

People noted some surprises in the information as well as some additional support for understanding what they are already doing well and how it can be extended. Participants said that the findings can help community groups make strategic decisions on such things as capacity building, recruitment and engagement of those in their neighbourhood.

We will be continuing the process of community-academic participatory analysis of the data this fall led by Grace-Edward Galabuzi, Ryerson University. The full case study data will not be available until 2014; however, articles on the case studies that have been completed are available on this web site here. 

Conference Objectives

Opening Session

Making Sense of the Research Workshops

Popular Education Workshops

Research Workshops

Panel: How Change Happens

Conference Wrap-up

Thank you!

Resource List