A Practical Guide to Getting Started With Community-Engaged Research
Publish Date: 2025
Media Type: Online Toolkits Publication
Strategy: Community Engagement Leadership Development
Category: Evidence & Research
By combining insights from research and real-world practice, this guide provides practical strategies to help researchers integrate CEnR into their work, foster meaningful collaboration, and produce research that is both rigorous and responsive to community needs.
Community-engaged research (CEnR) is a collaborative approach in which researchers and community members partner to develop and implement a line of research that is motivated by and responsive to the needs, interests, and values of a community. CEnR leverages the knowledge and skills held by youth, families, communities, and researchers by engaging them in the research process, thereby ensuring that research is relevant, ethical, and beneficial to a community.
This guide provides practical insights and strategies for researchers who are new to CEnR. CEnR offers a powerful way to collaborate with communities, ensuring that research is relevant, impactful, and mutually beneficial. However, successfully engaging in CEnR requires thoughtful planning, an understanding of its opportunities and challenges, and the use of effective strategies. This guide is designed to help you, as a new CEnR researcher, navigate key aspects of CEnR, providing practical insights and tools to support your research journey.