SPEaR Good Practice Guidelines 2008: Research and evaluation involving Pacific Peoples
Applying the Principle of Respect to research and evaluation involving Pacific Peoples
To ensure the research process and relationships involving Pacific Peoples is respectful, officials should:
- Recognise the need to involve a whole process of engagement to ensure the research process and research relationships with Pacific Peoples are respectful.
The HRC Guidelines on Pacific Health Research state that respect and humility are attitudes that need to be brought by researchers to any interaction with Pacific peoples, and indeed any interaction between a person/group with more resources than another. It is important to understand that expression of respect is dependent on the specific context of the interaction, and the stage of the relationship itself. The more distant the relationship, the more formally respectful the interaction needs to be.
- Ensure appropriate preparations for encounter are carried out by research leaders including consideration of appropriate languages, protocols, reciprocating exchanges of knowledge, participation and hospitality. Seek specialist advice as part of the preparations.
- Consider establishing a Pacific Peoples Advisory Group or a Pacific Research Reference Group for the duration of the research project (which includes publication and dissemination).
Larger government agencies may have specialist Pacific Advisors who will have networks they can tap to assist. The Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs staff can also advise. The HRC Pacific Health Research Guidelines (pg 24-25) provides an excellent summary of the roles and functions for a Pacific Peoples Advisory Group. Advisory Group members should: have a deep understanding of the research; be familiar with the subject matter; have credibility within the community; have a consumer understanding; and be targeted carefully recognising the need for: - ethnic specific balance/representation, awareness of cultural/political factors that may influence group dynamics, and regional representation/balance across NZ.
- At the planning and design stages of the research project, involve Pacific Peoples as advisors. These advisors can be drawn from community elders, community providers, participant community representatives, or community nominees. The advisors contribute context specific experience and knowledge, cultural competence and may have experience in conducting research or evaluation with Pacific peoples.
- Use the consultation and planning phases to identify what actions are required to address intellectual and cultural property issues or concerns. The actions required should be developed in consultation with the Pacific Peoples advisors and participants involved in the project.
General population surveys are less likely to require discussion and resolution than projects where there is a particular community or grouping focus.
- Engaging Pacific Peoples in the project as partners from the planning and design stages through to publication and dissemination of the findings is more likely to increase safety for the participants as individuals and communities.
Safety in this context is primarily 'cultural safety' which includes safety dimensions such as physical, mental, spiritual etc. Relationships and community accountability for some will extend long after the research project is completed. Cultural safety is also termed cultural competency.
The HRC Pacific Health Research Guidelines (pg 19) state that conducting research with an attitude of respect is essential to culturally competent practice. Even when a person has limited cultural knowledge, if they work with an attitude of respect, they are often able to operate in a culturally safe manner. Research environments, teams, organisations, departments, institutions, should facilitate and encourage culturally competent practice and behaviour. Researchers should endeavour to create spaces and environments that are culturally safe.
