Community-Based Participatory Research Partnerships: A Skill-Building Curriculum

Posted by on November 10, 2006

Developing and Sustaining Community-Based Participatory Research Partnerships: A Skill-Building Curriculum, is now available online at http://www.cbprcurriculum.info

As interest in community-based participatory research (CBPR) grows, there is a growing need and demand for educational resources that help build the knowledge and skills needed to develop and sustain effective CBPR partnerships. This evidence-based curriculum is intended as a tool for community-institutional partnerships that are using or planning to use a CBPR approach to improving health. It can be used by partnerships that are just forming as well as mature partnerships.

Those using the curriculum will:
*Develop a deeper understanding of the basic principles of CBPR and strategies for applying them
*Understand the key steps involved in developing and sustaining CBPR partnerships
*Identify common challenges faced by CBPR partnerships and suggested strategies and resources for overcoming them
*Develop and enhance skills for all partners that will enhance their capacity for supporting and sustaining authentic CBPR partnerships

Each of the 7 units in the curriculum include:
*Learning objectives
*In-depth content information about the topic(s) being presented
*Examples and interactive exercises that are designed to trigger discussion and to help better understand the concepts being presented
*Citations and suggested resources

The curriculum was developed by the Community-Institutional Partnerships for Prevention Research Group with funding from the Prevention Research Center Program Office at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through a cooperative agreement with the Association of Schools of Public Health (see list of partner organizations below). Generous funding from the Wellesley Institute enabled the curriculum to be made available online.

Partner Organizations Comprising the Community-Institutional Partnerships for Prevention Research Group:

*Community-Based Public Health Caucus of the American Public Health Association
*Community-Campus Partnerships for Health
*Community Health Scholars Program (now the Community Track of the Kellogg Health Scholars Program)
*Detroit Community-Academic Urban Research Center
*Harlem Community & Academic Partnership
*National Community Committee of the CDC Prevention Research Centers
*Seattle Partners for Healthy Communities
*Wellesley Institute
*Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center