VOICE RESEARCH
Voice Research 2006-2015
VOICE is the Campus Health longitudinal research project that informs a majority of our work! We research the root causes of what it is about our campus that helps or hinders us to thrive and flourish.
The goal of VOICE research is to improve the way our campus is designed so that it’s healthier for all of us! The VOICE research project started in 2006 with each study lasting about 3 years. The results of VOICE 1-3 are summarized below.
Information about VOICE 4 which was completed in 2018 can be found here. Currently we are active in VOICE 5
VOICE 3 (2012-2015)
Revisiting Healthy Campus Development
The video below was produced by Simon Fraser University and highlights the benefits of healthy campus communities:
Description
VOICE 3 is a community action research study that replicates and extends previous healthy campus research. Its purpose is:
- Translate knowledge from previous healthy campus research.
- Increase knowledge about taking into account diverse perspectives when students and non-students work together to create, renew, and sustain health-promoting campus change (non-students include faculty, administrators, staff and campus business people).
Objectives
- Build and maintain student and non-student partnerships to create, renew, and sustain relevant health-promoting change, taking into account diverse perspectives.
- Identify health-related campus experiences of specific student population sub-groups (i.e. Aboriginal, Student Athletes, International, LGBTQ [Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgendered and Queer], Graduate).
- Assess factors which support or jeopardize health-promoting change.
- Recommend strategies for enhancing health-promoting change in other campus environments and communities.
Significance
Healthy community development on post-secondary campuses is an emerging field of research because young adults often engage in high risk behavior that can be prevented by interventions aimed at changing health determinants (e.g. social, physical, environmental). This study will contribute new knowledge to the healthy campus development literature. Also, the extensive involvement of students working with non-students to improve the campus is anticipated to have an immediate impact on the study campus (e.g. increasing students’ research capacity).
Methods
The VOICE framework combines community action research methods, setting-based health promotion strategies and youth-adult partnership theory. Research, education, and action are cyclical activities. The design evolves through negotiation and dialogue between the community and researchers with community members functioning as co-researchers, in an egalitarian research team (see figure).
Team and Community Participation
The team comprises a rich mix of multidisciplinary faculty, students, senior administrators, managers of university departments, and campus business people. Large numbers of undergraduate students become co-researchers (e.g. 70-80), often receiving course credit. The research team and consultant structure is designed to engage all sectors of the campus community as well as the local community. Everyone on campus is welcome to participate.
VOICE 2 (2009-2011)
Creating a Healthier Campus Community
Students and Organizational Leaders as Co-Researchers
Description
Building from the findings of VOICE 2006-2009, the purpose of this next study, VOICE 2009-2011, was to increase knowledge about sustaining and renewing healthy campus development given diverse and sometimes competing interests.
Campus Health team members within the Health and Wellness unit decided to use the VOICE framework as a guide for their day-to-day community health practice on campus. In this way they could test the practicality and effectiveness of the framework longitudinally, in particular when external research funding was no longer bolstering the work. All Campus Health team members now also had roles as VOICE researchers.
As needed, previously identified campus health interests (e.g. food, water, trails etc) were followed up by ongoing action groups and networks, some issues were resolved (e.g. night lighting), and new campus health issues of interest were brought forward by members of the community (e.g. skateboarding, alcohol misuse in residences and across faculties). Those who brought issues forward were invited to participate in the work to increase understanding and resolve issues.
Methods
The 2009-2011 study continued to use the VOICE framework, combining community action research methods, setting-based health promotion strategies and youth-adult partnership theory. Research, education, and action are cyclical activities. The design evolves through negotiation and dialogue between the community and researchers with community members functioning as co-researchers, in an egalitarian research team (see above figure).
Outcomes
The Old Pond Trail area covers several acres of land near the south-east entrance to the campus, and includes campus features such as the Learning Garden, the pond, trails and the First Nations Fire Pit.
A questionnaire titled “Old Pond Trail Area: Land, People, Sustainability” was developed and distributed at booths in high traffic locations on campus to elicit diverse community views. The questionnaire had five open-ended questions followed by several demographic questions. Anyone interested was given a questionnaire to complete.
For results download the PDF Report
Community Dialogue on the Old Pond Trail Area: Land, People & Sustainability: VOICE 2 Report (Dec 2010)
Projects
VOICE students and their non-student partners worked on projects that focused on the following interests:
- Alcohol & Drugs
- Trails & Natural Environment
- Smoking
- Campus Food
- Fitness & Social Activity
- Recycling & Sustainability
- Student Space
- Water
- Spirit – Spirituality – Multi-Faith
VOICE 1 (2006-2009)
Creating a Healthier Campus Community
Students and Organizational Leaders as Co-Researchers
Description
The VOICE Study began with a pilot phase 2006 – 2007, followed by a two year phase to investigate the feasibility of using settings-based community development approaches in a campus community. The study was funded by BC Medical Services Foundation and Canadian Nurses Foundation. This first VOICE study explored campus community health interests from the perspective of community members and provided opportunities for students, staff, faculty and administrators to partner in creating health-promoting and sustainable campus change.
The purposes of the study were to increase knowledge about enabling students to voice their health interests and questions, establish partnerships with university leaders, and jointly design and evaluate actions to create health promoting change for individuals and the campus community. To fill a knowledge gap in the field of healthy community/campus development, this study set out to explore contextualized experiences of students and organizational leaders, and to use mixed research methods such as ecological assessments of the campus including environmental and organizational practices and policies relevant to health determinants (e.g., physical, social and economic). Thus, experiences, processes and changes at both individual and community levels were explored. Further, by engaging large numbers of undergraduate students throughout the research process we hoped to increase their interest and skillfulness in research. Overall the study aimed to contribute to the literature on young adult health, student-organizational leader partnerships, and student participation (youth voice) in healthy campus development.
Objectives
- Increase knowledge about student experience and participation (youth voice) in healthy campus development when working with organizational leaders to jointly design and evaluate actions to create health promoting change for individuals and the campus community.
- Increase student capacity in health promotion/healthy community development and research.
- Assess change (process, outcome/individual and community) relevant to student identified health priorities and actions.
Methods
The VOICE framework combines community action research methods, setting-based health promotion strategies and youth-adult partnership theory. Research, education, and action are cyclical activities. The design evolves through negotiation and dialogue between the community and researchers with community members functioning as co-researchers, in an egalitarian research team (see above figure).
Outcomes
Once we find the report we can fill in a brief summary here.
For results download the PDF Report
VOICE 2007-2009 Final Research Report
Phase 3 (June 2009) Spirit Spirituality & Multi Faith Mini Report