Code of Practice

What is the difference between extractive research and research that benefits communities? 

Our Code of Practice explores five whanonga pono (core values) that separate the two.
We encourage researchers and groups we tautoko to practice these when carrying out their mahi.

It is important that communities take a lead role, so research is done with and for them, and not to them.

Community Research Code of Practice Community research requires good relationships. The responsibility of good relationships rests with all who are involved and good relationships function best when power imbalances are minimal. Community research requires community self- determination. Communities should be able to make decisions at all levels of the research. Accordingly, there should be meaningful opportunities for community members to make decisions throughout the research process. Community research builds capacity in the community and provides them with benefits. Community research acknowledges Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the requirement of good community research to be a tool of decolonisation, social justice and equity.
Whanaungatanga Establish, maintain relationships Free, prior, informed consent Rights, roles, responsibilities To develop, cultivate, and maintain principled relationships is integral to ethical practice. This principle recognises that research does not necessarily have a beginning and end. Communities have the key stake in research that potentially spans a timeframe beyond that of the project. The relationship with the researcher, the research organisation and the research needs to be acknowledged. To practice in a culturally competent manner, researchers should have awareness of their cultural beliefs, values, practices, and an understanding of how these influence their interaction with others. Researchers are encouraged to build their cultural knowledge through their relationships with the communities in which they work. Researchers should create safe and enabling research environments that support culturally competent practice, by: • seeking ethnic-specific and context-specific advice on culturally competent practice; and • understanding the importance of communicating information appropriately to the research communities • being clear on the risks and mitigation of cultural knowledge use and misappropriation Communities and their members have a right to participate or not participate in research throughout the process. Research should be developed and communicated to ensure that the rights, roles and responsibilities of all parties culminate in a shared and agreed understanding. They have a right to determine how, who and why their knowledge is collected and how it will be used.
Rangatiratanga Governance/Decision-making Te Tiriti o Waitangi Collective research ownership Rangatiratanga is given effect when governance and kaitiakitanga (or guardianship) for research is determined by the community rather than the researcher. This speaks to the forming of community steering groups or kaitiaki of the research. There is a responsibility to protect and use knowledge and research in a way that affirms the role of the community as leaders in the process. The role of the research in contributing to decolonising knowledge, relationships, power and privilege is critical. Communities have a right to participate in the research findings feedback and to assist with the analysis and reporting of information. Manaakitanga Values Accountability, koha Active learning Manaakitanga embraces and privileges community values. Ensuring that reciprocity is an integral part of the research process and participants and communities benefit from the research. Reciprocity may encompass gifts, koha, payment, time and service, and being open to community expertise and knowledge. Research should be undertaken in a manner consistent with accepted standards and codes of practice. This includes being respectful, acting with cultural intelligence, integrity, intellectual rigour, and respecting diverse values and communities.
Kotahitanga Sustainability Shared research benefits Collectively sharing the research and findings Kotahitanga is embodied when research helps to build the futures of the community. The community should benefit from the outcomes of research in constructive ways. Sustainability allows researchers and communities to explore the long-term growth and survival of communities. Where possible, this includes considering the long term impacts and survival of good ideas and useful knowledge, and ways to generate growth or positive progress. It involves enabling people to enhance their skills and fulfil their goals. Community research should recognise potential impacts on diverse communities, enable community led dissemination of results in with a focus on accessibility and consideration of how community interests my be impacted by the research beyond formal research conclusion. Embedded Research design Implementation, reporting Equity and social justice outcomes and impact These values and practice standards should be embedded across all stages of research. Quality community research considers ethics and values across the entire research process from pre-planning to post-project. It aims to ensure that nothing and no-one is exploited or taken for granted, and that the values of the community are understood and nurtured. Researchers recognise the diverse values that exist within communities.

Plain text:

Community Research Code of Practice

Community research requires good relationships. The responsibility of good relationships rests with all who are involved and good relationships function best when power imbalances are minimal. Community research requires community self- determination. Communities should be able to make decisions at all levels of the research. Accordingly, there should be meaningful opportunities for community members to make decisions throughout the research process. Community research builds capacity in the community and provides them with benefits. Community research acknowledges Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the requirement of good community research to be a tool of decolonisation, social justice and equity. 

 

Whanaungatanga

  • Establish, maintain relationships 
  • Free, prior, informed consent 
  • Rights, roles, responsibilities 

To develop, cultivate, and maintain principled relationships is integral to ethical practice. This principle recognises that research does not necessarily have a beginning and end. Communities have the key stake in research that potentially spans a timeframe beyond that of the project. The relationship with the researcher, the research organisation and the research needs to be acknowledged.

To practice in a culturally competent manner, researchers should have awareness of their cultural beliefs, values, practices, and an understanding of how these influence their interaction with others. Researchers are encouraged to build their cultural knowledge through their relationships with the communities in which they work. Researchers should create safe and enabling research environments that support culturally competent practice, by:

• seeking ethnic-specific and context-specific advice on culturally competent practice; and

• understanding the importance of communicating information appropriately to the research communities

• being clear on the risks and mitigation of cultural knowledge use and misappropriation

Communities and their members have a right to participate or not participate in research throughout the process. Research should be developed and communicated to ensure that the rights, roles and responsibilities of all parties culminate in a shared and agreed understanding. They have a right to determine how, who and why their knowledge is collected and how it will be used. 

 

Rangatiratanga 

  • Governance/Decision-making 
  • Te Tiriti o Waitangi 
  • Collective research ownership 

Rangatiratanga is given effect when governance and kaitiakitanga (or guardianship) for research is determined by the community rather than the researcher. This speaks to the forming of community steering groups or kaitiaki of the research. There is a responsibility to protect and use knowledge and research in a way that affirms the role of the community as leaders in the process. The role of the research in contributing to decolonising knowledge, relationships, power and privilege is critical. Communities have a right to participate in the research findings feedback and to assist with the analysis and reporting of information. 

 

Manaakitanga 

  • Values 
  • Accountability, koha 
  • Active learning 

Manaakitanga embraces and privileges community values. Ensuring that reciprocity is an integral part of the research process and participants and communities benefit from the research. Reciprocity may encompass gifts, koha, payment, time and service, and being open to community expertise and knowledge. Research should be undertaken in a manner consistent with accepted standards and codes of practice. This includes being respectful, acting with cultural intelligence, integrity, intellectual rigour, and respecting diverse values and communities. 

 

Kotahitanga 

  • Sustainability 
  • Shared research benefits 
  • Collectively sharing the research and findings 

Kotahitanga is embodied when research helps to build the futures of the community. The community should benefit from the outcomes of research in constructive ways. Sustainability allows researchers and communities to explore the long-term growth and survival of communities. Where possible, this includes considering the long term impacts and survival of good ideas and useful knowledge, and ways to generate growth or positive progress. It involves enabling people to enhance their skills and fulfil their goals. Community research should recognise potential impacts on diverse communities, enable community led dissemination of results in with a focus on accessibility and consideration of how community interests my be impacted by the research beyond formal research conclusion. 

  

Embedded 

  • Research design 
  • Implementation, reporting 
  • Equity and social justice outcomes and impact 

These values and practice standards should be embedded across all stages of research. Quality community research considers ethics and values across the entire research process from pre-planning to post-project. It aims to ensure that nothing and no-one is exploited or taken for granted, and that the values of the community are understood and nurtured. Researchers recognise the diverse values that exist within communities. 

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