Abstract
A significant challenge to community-based participatory research (CBPR) is establishing sustainable change as research projects and funding end. Building capacity among community members is one mechanism through which CBPR interventions can be made sustainable. This paper provides a case study reflecting on the development of two Latina community groups in two distinct neighborhoods located in suburban Charlotte, North Carolina, one of the country’s emerging 21st century immigrant gateways. Analyzing our process through the lens of four community group development stages, we critically explore our efforts to build capacity and ensure sustainability. We also assess how community members may or may not become ‘empowered’ through CBPR interventions to continue the efforts once the research ends. By identifying both the successes and failures of our work, we aim to provide a series of guidelines that other CBPR teams might adopt as they work to build capacity among similarly vulnerable populations and construct sustainable interventions at the neighborhood scale.
Highlights
Community-based participatory research (CBPR) aims to equitably involve academics, health professionals, and community members in the research process while recognizing the unique strengths that each brings
We offer a case study critically reflecting on the building of two Latina community health and wellness groups
This paper reflects on the development of two Latina health groups in two suburban neighborhoods located in Charlotte, NC
Summary
Community-based participatory research (CBPR) aims to equitably involve academics, health professionals, and community members (those most impacted by the proposed projects) in the research process while recognizing the unique strengths that each brings. The intervention planned and implemented for the overall research project consisted of nine neighborhood-based community events focused on health, community wellness and social capital building that engaged community members and stakeholders (Coffman et al, 2017). A critical component of social capital development was the establishment and nurturing of community health women’s groups in two suburban neighborhoods heavily populated by Latinos (referred to as East and South in this paper; Figure 1). These neighborhoods were identified through the triangulated use of qualitative and quantitative data, and ground-truthing, including a Photovoice project with local youth (Schuch et al, 2014)
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