Facilitators and challenges in partnership research aimed at improving social inclusion of persons with disabilities

Abstract

Purpose

To identify partnership research challenges and facilitators, as experienced by members of the Inclusive Society (IS) initiative.

Materials and methods

A case study was conducted on all partnership research projects conducted between 2017 and 2019 under the IS initiative through surveys, interviews with the IS community, logbooks, and focus group. Thematic analysis and descriptive analysis were undertaken.

Results

To work effectively with a diversity of stakeholders, winning conditions must be created for the project from the outset. These include determining the team functioning, project objectives, the expectations of each party, and agreeing on a realistic action plan. Project implementation with concern for sustained stakeholder commitment, good working relationships, and achieving project objectives requires organizational planning that favours partner involvement, shared leadership, agreed methods for communicating, conflict resolution methods, recognition of each participant’s expertise, and creating a climate of trust. Upon concluding a partnership research project, it is essential to devote time to implement project results in local environments and to ascertain their usefulness to partners.

Conclusions:

IS partnership research challenges and facilitators are similar to those identified in past research. Despite this knowledge, challenges persist. Future research could explore tools and practices from other domain to overcome partnership research challenges.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Partnership research has the potential to contribute to a more inclusive society for people with disabilities.

• Challenges and facilitators are identified for the stages of creating, implementing, and completing a partnership research project.

• Suggested solutions are offered to facilitate the conduct of a partnership research project and to increase the project’s chances of success.

• Partnership research could benefit from using tools from other fields such as community development and social innovation to successfully implement some of the facilitators and overcome specific barriers to partnership research.

Keywords:

• Partnership research
• participatory research
• disabilities
• inclusion

Acknowledgements

Supported by the Réseau provincial de recherche en adaptation-réadaptation (REPAR), the Ingénierie de technologies interactives en réadaptation (INTER) strategic cluster, the Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation du Montréal métropolitain (CRIR), and the Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en réadaptation et intégration sociale (CIRRIS), the Inclusive Society initiative is funded by the Fonds de recherche du Québec (2017–2023). François Routhier is a senior research fellow with the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé. Maëlle Corcuff expresses her gratitude to the Fonds de recherche du Québec-Société culture for the PhD scholarship she was awarded. Alexandra Tessier is supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from CRIR. Karine Latulippe is supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé. The team would like to thank Fabienne Boursiquot and Émilie Blackburn for their involvement at different stages of this research project.

Ethical approval

This research was assessed and approved by the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal (CRIR) Research Ethics Board. All participants gave their written informed consent.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Fonds de recherche du Québec.