20. Dr Jo Antoniades on building trust with multicultural communities
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Episode show notes
Today’s episode is a deep dive with Dr Jo Antoniades on how to conduct community engagement that builds real and authentic trust.
Jo is a Senior Research Fellow at the National Aging Research Institute in the Division of Social Gerontology, and is a colleague of Professor Bianca Narth, who featured in episode 14.
In today’s episode, we expand on that discussion by delving into the intricacies of co-designing with culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
We explore why it’s crucial to involve community members right from the start, how to build authentic relationships, and the logistical challenges researchers might face. Jo shares invaluable insights on maintaining long-term relationships, the power of using the right language, and why employing bilingual research assistants can make a significant difference.
If you’re interested in enhancing your community engagement, this episode is packed with wisdom and practical tips you can start applying today!
Our conversation covers:
The importance of involving community members from the beginning of the research process
Strategies for making the first contact with multicultural communities
Building authentic and long-lasting relationships with community partners
Practical tips for overcoming logistical challenges in community engagement
The importance of understanding the motivations of partner organisations
Ensuring mutual benefit in community-researcher collaborations
The role of language and terminology in effective communication
Ethical considerations in engaging with diverse communities
The benefits of employing bilingual research assistants to bridge cultural gaps
Approaches for maintaining trust and ongoing relationships with community partners
Best practices for co-designing research projects with culturally and linguistically diverse communities
Find Dr Jo Antoniades online:
Practical tips from this episode:
Before you engage:
Acknowledge expertise: Recognize that culturally and linguistically diverse communities are experts in their own lives. Engage with them early, especially when preparing a grant application, to ensure their voices are included from the start.
Needs analysis: Conduct a thorough needs analysis to identify the specific challenges and opportunities within the community, even though it can be a difficult balancing act.
Establishing relationships:
Start with a clear purpose: Reflect on why you’re engaging with a particular community and ensure it’s not just for ticking a box.
Understand the organizations: Take the time to understand the different organizations you might work with, including smaller groups, not just the peak bodies.
Offer mutual benefits: Clearly communicate how your research will benefit the community and make it easy for them to work with you by sharing your mission and the importance of the work.
Be genuine: Share personal stories or experiences to build rapport and trust with community members.
Make the first contact personal: Where possible, opt for phone calls or face-to-face meetings rather than emails to establish a stronger connection.
Set clear expectations: Be transparent about what you hope to achieve and what you expect from your community partners to avoid misunderstandings and build a solid foundation for collaboration.
Building and maintaining relationships:
Consistent communication: Stay in touch with community partners even when you don’t need anything from them, to keep the relationship strong.
Acknowledge contributions: Always thank community organizations and individuals for their support, and ensure they are recognized in your research outputs.
Be respectful of the community’s time and contributions, and ensure that their involvement is meaningful.
Overcoming logistical challenges:
Employ bilingual research assistants: This can help bridge cultural and language barriers and make engagement more effective.
Tailor your approach: Understand the specific needs and preferences of each community and adapt your methods accordingly.
Credits:
Host & Producer: Chris Pahlow
Edited by: Laura Carolina Corrigan
Consulting Producers: Maia Tarrell, Michelle Joy
Music by: La Boucle and Blue Steel, courtesy of Epidemic Sound
- Public engagement
- Career development
- Team alignment
- Storytelling
- Your pitch
- Listening
- Mentorship
- Collaborating with professional staff
- Communicating in different formats/mediums
- Comedy
- Failure
- Stakeholder/audience mapping
- Philanthropic funding
- Relationship management
- Community engagement
- Making your work relatable
- Feedback
- Playfulness
- Talks and presentations
- Representing your discipline
