PaCSIA recently decided to adopt the principles for ethical community-based research practice developed by the Centre for Social Justice and Community Action at Durham University and the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement in the United Kingdom as principles that guide our research, dialogue and community engagement practice. A copy of the guide is available at the following URL: http://www.publicengagement.ac.uk/sites/default/files/publication/cbpr_ethics_guide_web_november_2012.pdf
The ethical principles outlined in the guide are the following:
1. Mutual respect
2. Equality and inclusion
3. Democratic participation
4. Active learning
5. Making a difference
6. Collective action
7. Personal integrity
We find that the principles and guidelines for conducting ethical research in partnership with communities and organisations express very well the dialogical partnership approach that PaCSIA adheres to when conducting research, facilitating community engagement and guiding dialogue and training processes. The principles and guidelines serve as benchmarks for development of new project relationships, design of engagement processes and monitoring of ongoing work. We encourage our current and prospective project partners and clients to access the document and to review these principles.
These principles do not replace ethical review processes through universities, service providers or other stakeholders that we work with and which we submit applications to where required. They simply express our attitude towards research and community-based participatory work and provide a further internal reflection and quality assurance process.
