CCBR and partners sought to understand racialized newcomers' settlement experiences, particularly regarding ICTs. Through three phases, stakeholders engaged via interviews, focus groups, and case studies. Findings highlight mixed ICT experiences and persisting challenges, prompting recommendations for flexible service provision and capacity building for the settlement sector.

The Centre for Community Based Research and The Knowledge Development and Exchange Hub (KDE) will work collaboratively to develop a series of events and resources on community-based evaluation to be hosted on the KDE hub website, providing support for its funded projects in promoting the mental health and well-being of Canadians.

The Supporting Peer Work project is a community-guided research project that explores the employment experiences of peer workers in “low barrier” social service agencies in Toronto throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The project aims to support agencies to break down structural barriers to equitable employment and learn from the transformative practices of workers with lived expertise.

This strategic program review of the Waterloo Regional Heritage Foundation (WRHF) explored diverse stakes and interests in heritage in Waterloo Region, gained input on promising practices for engaging under-represented groups in heritage, and sought recommendations for WRHF next steps in providing more equitable, diverse, and inclusive programming.

This research project employed an equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) framework to identify CAPC/CPNP strengths, shifting diversity, shifting needs, promising adaptations, and strategic directions for promoting more equitable and inclusive programming across Ontario.

CCBR partnered with the Research & Innovation Committee of the Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities (SCHC) to plan and deliver activities to build organizational capacity for community-based research. These activities, including a workshop series and interactive planning retreat, helped SCHC determine research priorities and procedures for conducting internal community-based research and engaging with external research partners.

The goal of this 2-year CIHR-funded project is to explore how participatory visual methods, specifically photovoice and digital storytelling have been adapted to online and hybrid platforms to support community-based research and related social change agendas.

In partnership with a youth advisory committee (YAC) and team of peer researchers, this CIHR-funded project validated the efficacy of Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research’s youth sexual health and harm reduction resource “Sexfluent”. CCBR worked alongside CANFAR and York University as a research partner on this research, and provided YAC coaching, peer researcher training, and analysis support.

With funding from Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada, Immigrant Services Association in Nova Scotia (ISANS) partnered with CCBR to pilot & evaluate tailored equity & anti-racism tools designed to enhance services for racialized immigrants in four sectors – volunteerism, family support services, disability support services and recreation.

Two community-based research projects with Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) were conducted with a mutually reinforcing goal of institutional change. The first project developed an equity, diversity, and inclusion strategy across CMU, using a systems change framework and theological lens and the second project explored what it means for diverse constituent groups to hold CMU in common.

Located at Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre, the Trip! project is a youth-led harm reduction information service for the dance music scene and youth who use drugs. CCBR partnered with stakeholders to conduct a community-based evaluation that explored how well the program model aligned with:1) current drug using trends amongst youth; and 2) PQWCHC’s values, vision, & mission.

CCBR worked closely with Food Banks Canada to enhance the evaluation framework for their After the Bell program. Drawing on insights from qualitative discussions with staff and partners, we strengthened both the processes and outcomes of their evaluation, with attention to the impact of their program through an equity, diversity and inclusion lens.