The Partnership for Community Development is committed to using modern-day tools in our research and community-building work. In particular, we use the following tools in our work.
1) Catalytic storytelling
Our reports are not meant to simply report what is happening in a community, but they seek to aid the community in continuing to ask questions about their community to facilitate positive change. For an example of this method, please see our Balsz Community Scan project. We also have a paper forthcoming in Community Development: Journal of the Community Development Society.
2) Online questionnaires
We utilize the program Qualtrics to gather data from communities when a survey questionnaire is the best method.
3) Video conference and phone interviews
At times where a face-to-face interview or focus group is unavailable, we reach out to communities and their members via Google Hangouts, Skype, FaceTime, or over the telephone.
4) Videography
When possible, we take advantage of video recordings in our analyses of community events. We want to get the full picture of what is happening in the communities we work for and with.
