Table 2 OPTimise platform community engagement framework, based on work by Hamilton and colleagues [59] and De Weger and colleagues [60]
Organizing themes | Guiding principles | Operationalization in OPTimise Platform |
|---|---|---|
1. Procedural requirements Procedural details involved in managing the inclusion of community members in a research project to ensure their experiences are rewarding and productive | Ensuring sufficient and diverse representation | • We worked to identify community members who can represent the perspectives and interests of the priority group |
Clarifying roles | • From the onset, we discussed options for roles and tasks with community members to elicit their preferences and ensure they were comfortable with the level of engagement • These roles included: ◦ Assisting with development of our recruitment and interview materials ◦ Promoting the project and/or recruiting participants within their community ◦ Interpreting the results of the interviews ◦ Participating in the development of recommendations for Public Health Units | |
Offering compensation | • Each community leader/resident was offered a set compensation amount for assisting with the project and compensation for additional contributions; we consulted with them to offer this compensation in a way that worked best for them (e.g., cheque, electronic or mailed gift cards) | |
Using plain language | • We made sure the documents developed for community members were in plain language and, in some cases, translated in Arabic and French | |
2. Convenience Importance of choice and accessibility, including sufficient time to engage, and the flexibility to choose how and when to contribute | Ensuring accessibility | • We scheduled meetings at times convenient to community members and offered alternative ways to contribute (e.g., email, telephone calls) • We ensured there was sufficient time for contributing during meetings • We circulated project and meeting materials (e.g., slide decks, recruitment posters) through different communication platforms (e.g., email, WhatsApp) and created a shared online folder for all materials |
Ensuring flexibility | • We offered community members the opportunity to join the meeting through different means (e.g., joining Zoom by calling on telephone) • We clarified that we understand if not all meetings can be attended and offered individual meetings or telephone calls to cover missed material • We used different approaches to receive feedback (e.g., one on one conversations for feedback on interview guides) and encouraged the use of individuals’ preferred methods of communication (e.g., text, call, voice messages, email) | |
3. Contributions Roles and tasks assumed by community members | Providing constructive feedback | • We provided regular, constructive feedback on the roles and tasks assumed by community members; we explained how their feedback was shaping the project |
4. Team interaction Importance of positive research team interaction | Identifying one person who can be contacted | • We identified one consistent “point” person on the research team whom community members could contact if they needed information or support |
Ensuring a reciprocal relationship and positive social interactions | • We engaged regularly with community members not only in a ‘research’ context, but also socially through informal conversations • We emphasized the importance of mutual respect and trust | |
5. Research environment Importance of having a positive and inclusive organizational/team culture that allows partners to feel comfortable and accepted as equal team members working together | Fostering a safe and trusting environment | • By clearly stating values of inclusiveness and respect from the onset, we fostered a safe and trusting environment enabling community members to provide input • The research team played a mediating role by encouraging honest feedback, actively listening and ensuring tensions could be openly discussed |
Acknowledging power imbalances | • We acknowledged and addressed community member experiences of power imbalances between citizens and health care professionals • We had discussions about what community members brought to the table (e.g., feedback, comments, expertise, background) | |
6. Support Financial support that covers engagement-related expenses and instructional support provided training to improve understanding of research language and processes | Reimbursing expenses related to project engagement | • In addition to compensating community members, we offered to reimburse any additional project engagement expenses (e.g., extra meetings) |
Providing skills/instructional support | • At the first meeting, we explained research language and procedures • We integrated training into our meetings based on the needs of the specific group (e.g., information about the role of research ethics boards, how this impacts recruitment and interviews) • We offered additional on-demand instructional support, including in the individual’s first language when possible | |
7. Feel valued Ensuring that community members feel equally important on the research team by demonstrating appropriate recognition and respect | Considering the community KUs’ motivations | • We explored the community members’ motivations for joining the project and considered how we can align the project with these motivations |
Acknowledging contributions | • We reviewed community member’s contributions and successes at each meeting and stressed the importance of their expertise • We demonstrated their impact on the project (e.g., “What we heard/What we did” – see Table 3) | |
Creating quick and tangible wins | • We structured each meeting with community members to provide quick and tangible wins (e.g., collecting specific input about the interview guides that would help us move forward) | |
8. Benefits Importance of community members to derive benefits from their engagement | Highlighting the benefits of engagement | • We highlighted the benefits of engagement for community members, including gaining confidence, knowledge and skills to communicate their perspective in a research team and learning about COVID-19 and vaccination • We communicated how the research team had benefitted from their engagement (e.g., personal growth, better understanding of complex issues and challenges faced by their communities) |
Investing in citizens who are less often provided with opportunities to engage with researchers | • We provided engagement and learning opportunities to community members who felt they lacked the skills and confidence to engage • We offered to make them aware of further opportunities for engagement |