RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N Researchers Guidance A B C D 1 2 3 4 e ? ? ?
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N African and African Caribbean Communities 3 Chinese Community 7 Learning Disability 9 Mental Health 14 Physical Disabilities 17 Refugees 21 South Asian Muslim communities 23 Contents A B C D 1 2 3 4 e ? ? ?
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N The best way to engage with our community is... • Trusting relationship - this needs to be the first step, due to the historic poor relationships these communities have had with service providers. • Community Ambassadors involvement - some members of these communities may not have the confidence our inclination to engage and as such an intermediary from those communities need to be present to ensure full cooperation that will sustain the engagement. • User friendly communication - this will make it easy for them to understand, this is not indication of illiteracy as most members of these communities come from countries where English is an official language. • Fluidity of time - punctuality in terms of time may be a challenge and as such group engagement may need to be adjusted to address this issue. This may be due to childcare issues, working unsocial hours and shift work. So, the timing for an engagement event should indicate an earlier time, for example if the session will start at 11.00 am on the leaflet you can put that it starts at 10.00 am instead. Ensure someone is there at 10.00 am just in case, and create a window rather than a specific time and this may take the form of event will be between 10.00 am - 2.00 pm. • Communication channels - create a social media group to be managed by both the researcher and the community ambassador to disseminate information. Members of these communities are mostly Christians and some Muslims, so the clergy will be useful in being the first point of introduction of the process. • QR code - the leaflet should have a QR code that will lead them directly to a FAQ as well as information about the research. The FAQ needs to be culture specific to the community though. Researchers Guidance African and African Caribbean Communities
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N Activities that work best are... • Pre-engagement discussion panel: This panel will be the focus group that will work with the communities, research facilitators, and the community using the expertise of the community ambassadors. They will determine the participation process. This panel will also be like a Co-Production team as well. • MS Teams and remote meetings: Picture based PowerPoint Presentation in a lived experience format. • Safe spaces: use of community spaces will be very useful and provide the right environment for the people to participate confidently. • Social event: these communities are very colourful and prefer a celebration and informality in the events they participate in. So be prepared to support the provision of music, food and celebrations. • One to one session: create the facility should a member require a confidential participation.
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N Skills and resources needed from researchers, to successfully deliver research opportunities to our community... • Community Ambassador: Involvement throughout process and they too need to be reimbursed for their time. • Safe spaces: Meetings or sessions to beheld in locations of less travel time, convenient and somewhat familiar will be very helpful. • Communication tools: Remote meetings on the usual channels will be making it easier and in some cases the possibility of providing a PC, Smart Phone, or Wi-Fi access can be looked at. • Research training: Training to be provided to the Community Ambassadors and participants. This is to effectively communicate (in plain, not condescending, and jargon-free) the process, the benefit, the levels of involvement and timescale. The support provided to facilitate the research. • Familiarity/representation: This is a very useful, but under-utilised tool in reaching out to communities that have an underserved experience with service providers. It will very helpful if the people involved in any part of the process is representative of the communities that we are attempting attract towards participation. This may take the form of a person from these communities within your team of facilitators or trainers.
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N Any particular barriers that our community might face that need to be considered... • Intersectionality: Researchers will need to understand this very important aspect of cultural diversity within groups and the African and African Caribbean communities are two to be aware of and due consideration given. The African community still have some traditional cultural myths and taboos that need to be understood and negotiated with the help of the designated community ambassador. Whilst in the Caribbean community they are more western oriented due to their specific historical experiences which are slightly different from the former. A separate session will be advised for the first contact or throughout the process depending on the outcomes. • Cultural competence: Understanding the areas of cooperation and the reasons behind them. Sending a pre-meeting survey to have some knowledge of the community prior to engagement will help and be very useful. • Research purpose: This must be communicated to the community and must include the benefit to the community at the top of the agenda or purpose of it. Mentioning your purpose as fact finding will not be effective at all given previous historic neglect and abuse. • Compensation of time: Most of these people are either retired, work shifts, stay home parents, low-income jobs and so on. They will on most occasion need to take time off work to participate in the programme or process. Compensating them sufficiently for their time will be a huge incentive and indicates value for their participation. • Immigration status: Some of the people with very useful information to the research may be those people with irregular immigration status and the fear of being apprehended may present reluctance to participate. • Time: There will need to be some flexibility and understanding from the researchers and some expectations about cancellations of pre-arranged meetings or sessions. This means there will be a way of planning ahead and reaching out to them where they are. This is a system that has worked for us in supporting our people. We would like to express our gratitude to African Families in the UK for their collaboration with their communities in the development of this research guidance leaflet. www.afiuk.org
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N The best way to reach us is... We prefer information from some well-known and trusted organisation, such as: • ACCE (Anglo Chinese Cultural Exchange), which has operated since 2008 and provides social, cultural, and language-based services in Ipswich. • Colchester Chinese Culture Society, which has served the North Essex region with similar objectives since 2004. • Faith-based groups, such as Chinese Christian churches, which are especially important for reaching older adults and families. The best way to communicate with us is... • Plan in-person visits with local Chinese community meetups, co-host workshops at their events. Face-to-face interaction remains the most effective within our community, particularly among older Chinese residents who may have limited English or digital access. • Group-oriented engagement works better than isolated 1:1 meetings due to the communal culture of the Chinese community. Bring people together in small, supportive groups. • Online communication is widespread among younger adults. Community administrators can use WeChat or WhatsApp to promote research opportunities. • Build relationships: Establishing trust is crucial. Attend community events, participate in cultural activities, and engage with community leaders to build rapport. Researchers Guidance Chinese Community
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N Please be aware of some barriers we may face such as... • Language barriers – English might not be our first language. Interpreters and printed materials would be helpful. • Cultural hesitancy – particularly reluctance to share personal health information or mistrust of unfamiliar professionals. • Digital exclusion – some participants, particularly the elderly, lack access or comfort with computers or online forms. Try to avoid using/doing... • At some occasions such as Lunar New Year(certain days in Jan/Feb) and Mid-Autumn Festival(certain days in Sept/Oct), they are culturally sensitive period when family is prioritised; formal engagements may be declined. • Avoid jargon and abbreviations. • We find long paragraphs with unclear objectives difficult to understand. Presenting key information in clear, structured format, such as bullet points or highlighted sections, can help improve readablility. We would like to express our gratitude to the Anglo Chinese Cultural Exchange and Colchester Chinese Culture Society for their collaboration with their communities in the development of this research guidance leaflet. www.accesuffolk.org.uk https://www.cccs.online
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N The best way to engage with our community is... • As researchers, get to know the community first, before any research project. Understand the community before you ‘walk through the door’. • Go to existing and established meetings and groups. For example, Suffolk People First in Suffolk. • Build up relationships over time. You need to do the groundwork first. • Engage with organisations that already support people with a learning disability and/or autism. • Through ‘point of interest’. For example, if you’re study is about young mothers, liaise with local anti-natal services. • Find the ‘point of trust’. For example, a Learning Disability Liaison Nurse. • Talk to other researchers who have done it well before. For example, the Innovation Team at Mid and South Essex Foundation Trust who worked on the ‘oVRcome’ project, recruiting participants with a learning disabilities and creating easy-read information • A stepped approach can often help. Slowly, carefully. Familiarise yourself with an organisation that supports people already and can support people to feel safe. • Be prepared to adapt. Consider different ways to engage with people. Shorter meetings, one to one conversations, or correspondence over text message. • Invest in the necessary support to facilitate quality engagement. For example, ensuring a screen or projector to share visual material or budget for support worker/carer input. • Work alongside an organisation with communication/information expertise. For example, read and watch material that is specifically targeted to this community. • Try to make sure there is consistency in all elements of your engagement. Be clear with the research purpose, aims, and limitations. Researchers Guidance Learning Disability A B C D 1 2 3 4 e ? ? ?
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N Activities that work best are... • Face to face and online can both be easy for people and both have benefits and drawbacks. • Acknowledge that it is harder to read body language and body language means a lot. • Face to face meetings have can more easily have a social element, and that can be really important to some people. • Meetings with a social element, with activity embedded into this can work well. People with a learning disability remember the things they like and enjoy. • You have to make it easy for people to ‘come to you’ e.g. research environment. People with a learning disability might find this exciting, but travel can be difficult. • Taxis, support and travel costs can be significant. • Consider creating a local ‘research interest group’ for people with a learning disability? This could ‘go out’ to communities as well as invite people in. • Be mindful of the size of group, (both face to face and online). Too many people is overwhelming for some people. • A lot of people with a learning disability do like to talk and need to be heard. If the design of the meeting (online or face to face) doesn’t allow for open discussion then it can be difficult. Go to an expert facilitator to help support the design of a successful meeting. • People can get bored (during online meetings especially) – is online ‘just a good as?’ It probably isn’t. • People with Learning Disabilities often have other needs (e.g. physical, sensory), so be mindful of that. But don’t over focus as this can feel a bit clinical. • If working with a large group, consider splitting up meetings or events into smaller chunks on different days. This will mean people can still be involved, and fit research activity around their schedule.
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N What do you need to consider? • If a project has multiple meetings, for example, it’s good to have a set day and time for people. • Often, people do not like having too much to do. Be acutely aware when activities are over demanding. • Do things slowly, plan forward. • People with learning disabilities do not like surprises when it comes to meetings and events. People need time to think, process and plan. • Late afternoons and evenings are not a good idea. Typically, the working day might finish at 4pm. • Perhaps mid-morning is the best time to host activity. • Be aware of support organisations’ ability to support people at certain times of day. For example, care providers’ staff shift changes may make arranging meetings and events much more difficult. As much as this shouldn’t impact people’s ability to join things, it can impact. • Often people have regular commitments. Making a choice to do something ‘different’ is sometimes met with reluctance. • People’s diaries are often full. Deviating from a regular routine can be difficult for some. • Much of public transport is inaccessible, so you may need to factor in costs for taxis. • People like being rewarded and told their contributions are valuable. Set out with the intention of rewarding participants. • There needs to be a continuing reinforcement of the intention of the research. This is what we’re doing, this is why we’re doing it, this is what we are hoping to find out. By definition, people have a need for repeated communication… Researchers need to build in this extra time into their projects.
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N Does the researcher need to describe their research and the purpose of engagement simply and accessibly? • The primary need is for accessible information. Information needs to land with the audience. • ‘Translating’ existing materials to be accessible. Co-produce with experts-by-experience. • Consider different ‘levels’ of information. For example, plain English, easy-read, video, animation, audio recordings and imagery. • Consider having somebody alongside the researcher with a lived experience to be a project champion or peer researcher. • Think about how communication is set out visually. Imagery is very important and can be ‘read’ by people. Images help people with a lower literacy levels. • Break up information and instruction wherever possible. • Easy-read Materials: How Can They Be Used to Support Research Inclusion • Cut out the floral language. Be assertive with instruction. For example, ‘I will do this’, ‘we will do this’, ‘this is what we expect from you’. Skills and resources needed from researchers, to successfully deliver research opportunities to our community... • If you have specifically identified a group, all of whom have a learning disability and/or Autism you should personalise your design. • You need a good communicator – if you’re not one yourself, buy one in! • Style of communication has to be unfussy and clear. Clear instruction works well. Dependable, definite, but respectful…
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N Any particular barriers that our community might face that need to be considered... • Co-producing accessible information to support health literacy This guide is about how to create and use accessible information to support health literacy. • Working Together Fairly This essay from the British Science Association talks about some of the barriers people face, and how to mitigate them. • The digital world offers a lot of opportunity for many people… • Don’t be shy of the digital workspace as long as you adapt things appropriately. • Ensure there is support pre, during, and post any research activity. • There can often be physical barriers. New venues can be daunting. Often people assume that things won’t be accessible. • Visual stories can help people to plan and navigate through new environments. Anything else researchers need to be made aware of about engaging with our community? • Just do it! • Be brave. We would like to express our gratitude to Thinklusive for their collaboration with their communities in the development of this research guidance leaflet. www.thinklusive.org
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N The best way to engage with our community is... • Everyone is on the Mental Health Continuum. We all experience changes in our mental health over the course of our lives. Treat those experiencing mental ill-health as equals and trust us to know what we need – and ask us! • Treating us as unique people and not making any assumptions from our diagnoses is important and a good way for us to feel respected. Everyone is different so the best thing that can be done is factoring in a greater level of flexibility (e.g. with timings, research methods, location etc.) to account for what different people need. Researchers Guidance Mental Health The best way to reach us is... To hear from a trusted professional or someone we know well: • Having someone we trust recommending the research project will encourage us to get involved and we will be more likely to open up when taking part. • It is hard to actively seek out research opportunities. It is difficult to know where to look, who to trust and what is being asked of us. Therefore, having people directly come to us to take part is more likely to encourage participation.
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N The best way to communicate with us is... • To give as much choice as possible on how and where research happens, as everyone has different preferences, such as face to face, by email, phone calls or online. • To be flexible with time. Everyone has good and bad days so having ample time helps us not feel any pressure if something comes up that causes a delay. We want to feel that what we contribute is more important than how fast we contribute. We want to have the chance to clarify any questions we might have at different times. • To let us know what it is about our experience and opinions that you think would be valued, and what changes the research might bring about. It’s helpful to know if there is something that might benefit us that could come from the research, or benefit others that might have similar experiences to ours. What do you need to consider? • Participant burden can have a greater negative effect on us. Checking in on us regularly will help reduce the risk of this, and asking us if we need to stop, take a break or approach something differently would be helpful. The language that researchers use: • Needs to be free of jargon and understandable for everyone. If questions are short and non-repetitive it is much easier to answer them more clearly and prevents us from being put off from engaging in research. • Will engage us best when it’s pitched positively, non-judgementally and respectfully. • Must not ever be looking to encourage us to talk about our previous trauma, so we can avoid being retraumatised. If it’s needed for the research, it must be clear from the start so we agree to it, and support must be in place that is likely to work for us, such as accessing an evidenced based trauma treatment that we have information and choice about.
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N Please be aware of some barriers we may face such as... • How far in advance you make plans with us. We might not want to book things weeks and weeks in advance if we are not sure how we are going to feel. • Needing signposting options in place for relevant support we can access if the research affects us negatively. We are much more likely to trust and engage with research if we know at an early stage that we can access help if we do need it. • Distrust of researchers and concerns of confidentiality. Answering lots of questions in a formal setting may resurface negative memories of being in a medical setting (e.g. getting a mental health diagnosis). Reducing the formality helps with this, from how you present yourself to how the questions are worded. We would like to express our gratitude to Suffolk Mind for their collaboration with their communities in the development of this research guidance leaflet. www.suffolkmind.org.uk What the community tell us “If they haven’t treated me like a human being, I don’t want to engage.” “I find it motivating the idea of helping others - seeing evidence of this is helpful.” “I probably wouldn’t complete it if I wasn’t in the right kind of head space.” “Questions need to be easier to understand - and/or could have examples to prompt answer.” “lack of trust is always a barrier.”
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N The best way to engage with our community is... • Understand stroke - it can have broad and varied impact, affecting physical ability, communication, cognition and wellbeing. • Be mindful of the barriers to engagement in research - Stroke specific issues of mobility, access, reading, being understood and communicating responses, alongside issues such as trust, cost, lack of IT access/skills, confidentiality and time. • Join the members at a stroke group session, they have reported that it’s better to be in a familiar environment, with familiar people. They are more relaxed and can be supported readily by those who know them. • Liaise with staff, volunteers, family and carers, who understand individual difficulties. • Join a conversation group to understand the challenges of reading, writing and communication difficulties with aphasia. • Consider how you might modify interaction and materials for those with aphasia such as images, written material. • Keep it simple. • Give time! Researchers Guidance Physical Disabilities ‘acquired” physical cognitive and language impairment
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N Activities that work best are... • Face to face within existing groups where members feel comfortable. • Familiar environment and people enables better conversations. • Technology – access to devices is varied and online information / questionnaires can be challenging for those with aphasia and/or reading and writing difficulties. • Written information should be in an accessible format. • Some people benefit from 1:1 interaction depending on communication need/ability and confidence. • Small groups work better for those with aphasia. • Larger groups divided into smaller groups who feed back at the end, can be effective in generating opinion. What do you need to consider? • Scheduling meetings ahead of time. • Using the organised group sessions rather setting up additional meetings, though not taking out too much time from the regular activities they enjoy. • Choosing accessible locations with minimal cost or concerns re transport or parking. • Limit length of meetings to maintain concentration, avoid fatigue and prevent overloading with information. • Be clear about aims of research and members involvement. • Supporting written/visual information which can be read at a later date and shared with others who can explain further if needed. • Offer 1:1 meetings or home visits if information is more sensitive or an in depth discussion is appropriate.
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N Does the researcher need to describe their research and the purpose of engagement simply and accessibly? • Yes. • All English speaking but communication difficulties do exist with aphasic stroke survivors. • Verbal and written information needs to be simple and clear. • Be prepared to repeat information given verbally as memory may be an issue. • Written information needs to follow the easy read formats with use of bullet points and diagrams/pictures when possible. • Fonts should be Arial size 12 with double spacing where possible. • Information being given out can always be checked with Speech and Language Therapists on the team at SAS who can advise on any adaptations. Skills and resources needed from researchers, to successfully deliver research opportunities to our community... • Research will be best delivered and more successful if researchers collaborate with the Speech and Language Therapists or other staff who are familiar with the needs of the members and have the skills to communicate with them effectively. • Members are more likely to engage if they feel their challenges are understood and it is important for researchers to take time to understand their needs.
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N WHAT IS COVID-19? A Resource for People with Aphasia tactustherapy.com/covid-19 What's happening? What are the symptoms? Who is affected? Examples of graphic solutions... Communication Access UK Find out more: http://www.communication-access.co.uk Communication Accessible Remember: Time Ask what helps Listen Keep trying Any particular barriers that our community might face that need to be considered... • Every stroke presents differently so materials may need to be presented in several different ways. • Members may have physical limitations alone, language challenges alone or solely cognitive difficulties. Many have a combination of all so be prepared! • Most members lack confidence in their abilities to engage in research and will need reassurance and support of familiar people and would be best carried out in environments they are familiar and comfortable with. • They have ‘good days ‘ and ‘bad days’ so some flexibility is needed. Usually working to short deadlines is challenging as they need extra time to assimilate information. We would like to express our gratitude to Success After Stroke for their collaboration with their communities in the development of this research guidance leaflet. www.successafterstroke.org.uk
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N The best way to engage with our community is... • We have a preference for face to face groups or 1-1 support • Word of mouth. Through an organisation that is already working with us and that we trust. Researchers Guidance Refugees Activities that work best are... • Face to face groups – many of us have been placed in this area and we don’t know anyone. Face to face groups/support allows us to meet new people and be more engaged in the community. The best times/days to reach us are... • Monday to Friday – school hours.
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N Skills and resources needed from researchers, to successfully deliver research opportunities to our community... • Printed resources in different languages would be helpful. Large print, simple/easy to read. Any particular barriers that our community might face that need to be considered... • The cost of transport. Sometimes we are placed in areas that are isolated (by transport, broadband). • We must care for our children. • Language and cultural differences. Anything else researchers need to be made aware of about engaging with our community? • Please remember that many of us had long and dangerous journey to arrive in UK. We might not want to engage with researchers, due to past trauma related to assault, poor medical conditions. We would like to express our gratitude to Home Start In Suffolk for their collaboration with their communities in the development of this research guidance leaflet. www.homestartinsuffolk.org The best way to communicate with us is... • Please avoid using medical terms/jargon/slangs and too many idioms. • Try using “simple” terms that can be more recognised by people from other countries. • Eg: use “can” instead of could/would/might.
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N The best way to engage with our community is... • Build trust through relationships – Take time to know the community. Show respect, patience and presence - don’t rush. • Use language people understand – Speak in Bangla or Sylheti if needed. Use visual tools, simple words and technical terms. • Respect religion and culture – Be aware of prayer times, Ramadan, gender roles modesty, and halal food. Female-only spaces. Modesty and halal food. Female only spaces may be important. • Work with community connectors – Partner with respected local peopleimams, women, leaders or local homes. • Appreciate their time – Offer small thank you gifts, refreshments or vouchers. A simple thank you goes a long way. • Make it a two-way process – Show how their voice matters. Share results back to the community in Bangla or through community events. • Explain confidentially clearly – Many may be unsure about data privacy. Be honest and explain what will happen with their information. • Be gender-sensitive – Some women may only feel comfortable with female facilitators or in women only sessions. • Use trusted communication channels – Use WhatsApp, local community radio, leaflets in shops or mosques, or in person word of mouth. Researchers Guidance South Asian Muslim communities
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N Activities that work best are... • Focus groups – Small group discussions with guided questions. Culturally familiar, allows participants to express ideas in their own way. Best when groups are gender specific or language specific. • Story telling/lived experience sharing – Invite people to share personal stories instead of answering formal questions. Can be done in groups or one to one. Helps build emotional connection and deep insights. • Creative workshops – Drawing, mapping, or photo based activities. Great for expressing ideas without needing strong literature or language skills. Helps participants feel relaxed and engaged. • Co-design and idea building session – Make them feel like active contributors, not just research subjects. • Short survey (with support) – Simple visual and ideally done with a helper present. Good for collecting clear data, but best used after trust is built. • Women only or culturally sensitive drop in sessions – Safe space for honest feedback. Works well in faith or community venue mosque Women centres. • Informal conversations over food or tea – Builds trust and comfort. Natural way to talk, especially in Bangladeshi or South Asian communities. • Recorded interviews – Can be in Bangla or Sylheti. Deeper personal insights, but need clear explanation of how recording will be used. • Role play or scenario activities – Participants act out or imagine situations (health appointment, family decision making). Helps reveal cultural behaviours and emotional response. • Feedback boards comments cards – Let people leave anonymous opinions or ideas. Useful at events or drop ins.
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N What do you need to consider? • Avoid prayer times – Daily prayer times (especially Jummah on Fridays around 1 - 2 pm) are sacred. Leave a buffer around prayer times, especially when using mosque or faith spaces. • Consider Ramadan and Religious Festivals – During Ramadan, people may fast and feel tired during the day. Avoid late afternoon activities. Be mindful of Eid Ashura, or other holidays many people travel or are busy with family. • Respect School schedules – Avoid School pick-up and drop-off times 8:30am - 9:30am and 2:30pm - 4pm. Many women in the community have childcare responsibilities. • Late mornings or early afternoons work best – 10:30am - 1pm is often idle after morning routine but before school runs. Avoid very early or very late sessions. • Separate times for Women only sessions – Women may feel more comfortable with dedicated women only time and spaces. Midweek may work for families or younger people but harder for women with housework or extended family visits. • Avoid busy days – Fridays: Religious commitments for many special men. Weekends: May work for families or younger people, but harder for women with housework or extended family visits. • Use Flexible, drop options – If commitment is a barrier often short informal drop in sessions with flexible times.
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N Does the researcher need to describe their research and the purpose of engagement simply and accessibly? • Clearly explain the purpose of the research – Say what the project is about. Why you’re doing it. How it will help or benefit the community. • Avoid jargon and academic terms – Say: We want to understand your experiences with local health services. Not: We are conducting a qualitative study on patient engagement and access pathways. • Use everyday, familiar language – Keep sentences short and clear. Use real examples and simple questions. • Translate where possible – Offer materials in Bangla or Sylheti. Use interpreters in conversations facilitators. • Check understanding – Don’t just ask do you understand? Ask them to repeat back or give an example. • Be transparent – Explain who is doing the research who will see the results, and how information will be kept private.
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N Skills and resources needed from researchers, to successfully deliver research opportunities to our community... • Cultural awareness – Understanding religious language, gender and family norms. Be sensitive to faith-based values and community dynamics. • Clear and accessible communication – Use simple and jargon free language. Provide translations into relevant community languages (e.g. Bangla). Offer easy-read versions with visuals for better understanding. • Cultural sensitivity and understanding – Be aware of and respect cultural and religious practices (e.g. prayer times, Ramadan, gender roles). Build trust through ongoing relationships not just one-off engagements. • Printed and visual resources – Share leaflets, flyers and posters in multiple formats and languages. • Capacity building support – Train community champions or ambassadors to explain research to others. Offer small incentives or thank you gifts for time and involvement. • Consistent feedback and updates – Share how the community’s input has made a difference. Provide follow up updates in an accessible format.
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N Any particular barriers that our community might face that need to be considered... • Language barriers – Many community members may not speak or read English confidently. Need for translated materials (e.g. Bangla, sylhati). Interpreters during sessions. • Low Literacy or education levels – Some individuals may struggle with written information, even in their own language. Easy read materials, visuals and verbal explanations are essential. • Lack of trust and awareness about research – People may not understand what research is or may feel it’s not for them. Past negative experiences may cause suspicion or reluctance to take part. • Cultural and religious sensitivities – Gender roles, modesty, prayer times and religious events (e.g. Ramadan, Eid) must be respected. • Digital exclusion – Limited access to or confidence using technology (smartphones, emails, Zoom). Needs for in person support, printed materials and non digital engagement methods. • Time and family responsibilities – Many people have caring duties, shifts work or busy households. Flexible in timing and location of sessions is important. • Fear of impact on benefits or immigration status – Worries that joining research might affect benefits, housing or immigration situations. Need for clear reassurance and confidentiality.
RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT • N E T W O R K • R . E . N Anything else researchers need to be made aware of about engaging with our community? • Relationship matter – Building trust takes time, don’t expect immediate participation. Be present and consistent, not just for a one off project. Work with community leaders, ambassadors or trusted organisations who can help bridge the gap. • Respect community knowledge – Many community members have lived experience that is valuable, even if they don’t use academic language. Treat them as partners not just participants. • Acknowledge and appreciate time – Show appreciation with thank you notes, small gifts, or appropriate incentives. Recognise that people are giving their limited time and energy. • Be transparent – Clearly explain what the research is about, why their involvement matters what will happen with the findings. Avoid vague promises or over complicated explanations. • Use community spaces – Hold sessions in familiar, safe and accessible spaces (e.g. local centre, mosque, schools). Avoid asking people to travel far or go to unfamiliar university/research buildings. • Provide follow up – Share what you learned from the community and how their voices made a difference. Don’t disappear after data collected. Stay in touch. We would like to express our gratitude to Bangladeshi Women’s Association Essex - BWAE CIC for their collaboration with their communities in the development of this research guidance leaflet. www.bwae.co.uk
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