Challenges in Partnered Research: The Power of Storytelling in Collaborative Research

Biz Nijdam: Storytelling and partner research in my work in Comics Studies is also partnered storytelling in research. The partnership operates on multiple levels. We partner with organizations to depict various narratives about lived experiences or scholarly outputs. In this sense, we partner with community organizations or faculty members. Moreover, the act of comic storytelling itself is a form of partnership, involving collaboration between the artist and the individual with the story to share. 

There are many layers to how partnership functions in comics, and I believe this is one of the strengths of the medium. It allows for multiple contributors to shape a story, akin to larger cultural productions without the documentary or cinematic films that require significant budgets, or the isolated work of producing a novel. 

Partnership is foundational to the work I do. The stories that emerge from these collaborations resonate with diverse audiences and utilize various tools to convey their narratives. They are highly individual, both in terms of artistic format and the stories themselves, which may depict lived experiences or connect scholarly research with personal narratives through the storytelling format. 

Embracing partnered storytelling or storytelling in research partnerships is authentic to working in comics. It’s a concept that I hadn’t explicitly considered until prompted to discuss it here, as it’s already deeply embedded in the work we do in comics. 

Gabriele Dumpys Woolever: For me, in working with the podcast and engaging in partnered research with storytelling, it truly embodies a practice of ethical research that holds significant importance to me, regardless of the medium. Storytelling, as an approach, both demands and facilitates partnership and ethical collaboration in a manner that traditional research methods may overlook. 

One aspect I particularly value about podcasting is the intimacy conveyed through the human voice. This intimacy is evident in both the conversations I have with interviewees or researchers and in what the audience experiences. We’ve witnessed a cultural surge in audio storytelling and podcasts, although they vary in commercialization. However, the profound value lies in the intimacy of the voice and the act of listening, both physically and socially. 

Socially, listening to sound stories creates a different experience compared to reading or viewing images, through what I call sonic knowing. If you read the sentence, ‘the baby is crying,’ or see a picture of a baby crying compared to if you hear it, it is different. The impact of storytelling through sound is unique, evoking emotions. In terms of research, partnership is crucial because we collaborate directly with research partners that were engaged in existing projects. Those existing relationships ensured ethical and reciprocal engagement with them. 

We prioritize involving participants in the storytelling process at every step, including final listens and approvals. They are our first and last audience, in terms of producing these stories. This is one way a true partnership avoids the reproduction of hierarchical structures within sound narratives. 

Patricia Janssen: We chose texting as our medium because a text simply arrives on your phone without the need for searching through web pages or navigating layers of an app. It’s immediate and accessible. You accept the text as it arrives, whether you know it or not. We deliver three text messages every week, tailored to the due date of the pregnancy or the baby’s birthday, providing timely information for decision-making. 

Each text includes a link to online resources, typically videos, pictures, or websites. The aim is to facilitate behavior change, crucial for improving pregnancy outcomes. We approach this by modeling it in affirming behavior and using encouraging, strength-based language to empower individuals to make positive changes. 

In terms of partnering, we conducted focus groups across the province, engaging with people of diverse ages, cultural backgrounds, and ethnicities. These interactions helped shape our messaging. Additionally, we collaborated with health authorities to address their information delivery challenges. Through these partnerships, we received technical and design support, allowing us to refine our content to meet the real needs of our audience. 

Gabriele Dumpys Woolever: The premise behind incorporating audio stories into our research projects was to amplify the voices of individuals with lived experiences, rather than solely relying on academic perspectives. We aimed to bring these voices to the forefront of our research representation. This involved more than just reaching out to researchers or community partners; we sought individuals directly involved in the research projects and seeing if there were people who they had worked with who would be willing to talk about their role in the project. 

For example, we collaborated with a migrant worker center (a community partner) to explore the experiences of temporary foreign workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. These workers, as members of the center, with whom we had an established relationship with, offered firsthand insights into their lived experiences. Instead of merely discussing research findings, their stories became the essence of our research findings. 

Ensuring diverse voices are represented involves allowing individuals to speak in their own words. However, providing a space for sharing doesn’t guarantee that they will be heard and more importantly, heard well. Constructing a narrative and contextualizing experiences within the broader narrative framework are crucial because they can impact how an experience is perceived. It’s about presenting their stories in a manner that preserves authenticity and ensures they are heard. 

Prior to sharing their stories, we engage in discussions with participants, ensuring consent and addressing any concerns they may have. Participants retain the power to withdraw their consent at any point in the process. They have the opportunity to review the story in progress and provide final approval before it’s shared with the public. This approach empowers them to shape how their stories are represented, ensuring their voices are accurately and respectfully portrayed. 

Patricia Janssen: We drew inspiration for our storytelling approach from the individuals who would receive our text messages. Through focus groups across the province, we learned that people wanted tailored information that aligned with their needs. They expressed a preference for not receiving irrelevant information. In response, we developed various opt-in streams to cater to different needs. 

These streams cover a range of topics, such as supporting those who have experienced pregnancy loss, new immigrants, individuals seeking to reduce alcohol or tobacco intake, and those facing domestic violence. A key feature of these streams is privacy. We understand that some individuals may need help but are hesitant to seek it locally. Our message links them to resources in nearby towns or provincial helplines, ensuring access to support while maintaining privacy. 

This approach promotes inclusivity, allowing people from diverse backgrounds to benefit from the program. We are actively working on translating the content to further enhance accessibility. Additionally, we have a comprehensive advisory committee that includes representatives from the First Nations Health Authority. They review our wording to ensure sensitivity and accuracy, particularly regarding Indigenous health. 

Our advisory committee encompasses diverse perspectives, including representation from neurodiverse groups and individuals from all regions of the province, including rural and remote areas. We recognize the challenges faced by those in such areas in accessing reliable pregnancy-related information. Therefore, we strive to provide information in various formats to meet the diverse needs of individuals in different situations. 

Biz Nijdam: In ensuring ethical storytelling in our projects, I prioritize establishing partnerships and begin all these relationships with a conversation about how my partner would like to see me in a leadership role, or not, when it comes to a particular project, because each project has had different needs. Each project requires a tailored approach. Currently, I’m collaborating with a pediatrician in Vancouver on a project focusing on the experiences of Neurodiverse children in the B.C. healthcare system. 

In another project, I’m partnering with the Homalco First Nations to share stories rooted in their traditional knowledge. The third project I am working on is in partnership with several members of the community around immigration detention. The requirements for privacy, anonymity of individuals involved, and my involvement vary across these partnerships. For instance, with the pediatrician’s project, in which the pediatrician wanted to tell the results of her study via comics and have cartoonists engage with this work, I assumed a more hands-on role as a project lead. 

However, in the project with the Homalco First Nation, as a settler, it’s crucial for me to take on a facilitator role rather than leading the project. My expertise in comics serves to support storytelling traditions without overshadowing Indigenous voices. Thus, I participate as a consultant, contributing to meetings and connections while respecting their leadership. 

Similarly, the third project I’m involved in demands strict anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject matter related to immigration detention. My role is discreet, focusing on facilitating storytelling without drawing or providing narratives. It’s essential for me that individuals feel empowered to dictate my involvement, as I aim to amplify their voices to diverse audiences through comics. 

Gabriele Dumpys Woolever: You’ve highlighted two crucial aspects: the consultation process, which relates to one’s role, and the issue of anonymity, both of which are fundamental in our projects as well, particularly when dealing with precarious migrants who could face vulnerabilities if their identities were revealed. 

Storytelling approaches have a unique ability to navigate this delicate balance, allowing for the sharing of experiences while safeguarding identities. This approach holds space for truths that aren’t fully revealed, ensuring that individuals’ identities remain protected while still effectively conveying their experiences. In many cases, this method of storytelling can be even more compelling than traditional forms of representation. 

Biz Nijdam: Comics offer a unique platform for sharing complex experiences because they embody stories in a way that centers on individual narratives without easily revealing identities. This approach mitigates risks to individuals seeking asylum, protecting their asylum-seeking process from potential jeopardy. Consequently, these stories can be shared more widely, shedding light on the challenges faced by individuals in migration without compromising their safety. 

Unlike photojournalism, comics and podcasts provide opportunities to offer nuanced perspectives on migration, diverging from the often-oversimplified narratives found in mainstream media. This holds true when portraying the stories of First Nations, Inuit, and Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island. By leveraging the comics medium, we aim to honour storytelling traditions while collaborating with indigenous cartoonists to ensure authenticity and ethical representation. 

In these collaborations, it’s essential to be mindful of pairing cartoonists with appropriate storytellers and supporting local indigenous artists. This approach not only fosters storytelling partnerships but also upholds ethical standards in the portrayal of these narratives. It’s about being mindful of who can tell these stories, what role I play in telling these stories, and how we can ethically ensure that they’re told in a good way. By navigating these considerations thoughtfully, we can ensure that these stories are told in a respectful and meaningful manner. 

Gabriele Dumpys Woolever: Engaging in a consultative process is an ongoing dialogue, especially with creative or nontraditional approaches. This ongoing consultation allows for multiple intersections where input can be sought, and positions can be revisited. As a researcher, I recognize the privilege inherent in storytelling endeavors, particularly when working with marginalized communities. Instead of simply aiming to share their stories, I strive to leverage my positionality to support their needs and preferences, ensuring that any sharing is done in a manner that serves their interests first and foremost. Rather than treating consultation as a checkbox exercise, I approach it as a relational and ongoing process. 

Biz Nijdam: Working in comics has had a profound impact on me, my research, and the perceptions of comics within my community. Typically, partnerships in the community start with me discussing the potential of comics in storytelling. Often, individuals approach me with their ideas for comics, expressing a desire to share stories they’ve always wanted to tell. In these discussions, I highlight how comics excel in communicating marginalized experiences and traumatic, complex historical events through their unique format, the juxtaposition of image and text. 

I’ve observed a pattern where my partners become increasingly enthusiastic about working in comics after our conversations, often bringing others into the fold. These partnerships evolve over time, fostering excitement and collaboration. Within academia, particularly at UBC, there’s a growing recognition of the value of popular media like comics in representing complex issues and engaging new audiences. 

For example, the Center for Migration Studies (CMS) hosted a workshop pairing migration scholars with local cartoonists to explore stories of migration and identity. Additionally, I’m involved in a SSHRC partnership grant project that uses comics as witness testimony to human rights atrocities—a global project that has received significant funding. The public Humanities Hub approached me and asked me to establish a comics studies cluster. Recently, largely due to the activity of the comics studies cluster, a few colleagues, myself included, were awarded one of the grants for catalyzed research clusters on popular media for social change. That’s really exciting because we ae stating to see how the university is starting to recognize the value of popular media in sharing stories.  

It’s inspiring to witness how storytelling through comics can shape perceptions and drive social change, especially in comparison to traditional academic publications. This recognition highlights the power of comics in reaching diverse demographics and fostering empathy and understanding. 

Gabriele Dumpys Woolever: Similarly, audio storytelling and podcasting have started to gain recognition within academia, not merely as supplementary to research but as valid research methods in their own right. This acknowledgment stems from the unique capabilities of audio storytelling, such as its intimacy and its ability to access different forms of knowledge compared to traditional academic articles. 

Moreover, the portability of audio storytelling has made it a powerful tool for advocacy and education. For instance, an episode on immigration detention in Canada, based on research by Allard Law and CMS affiliate scholars, was utilized in advocacy campaigns at government levels due to its portability. Similarly, a policy practitioner from the School of Public Policy used a podcast created during their visitorship to present analog examples from other non-Canadian contexts, informing discussions on gender mainstreaming in Canadian immigration policies. 

The reach of audio stories extends beyond academic circles. Temporary foreign workers featured in these stories have shared them with friends, families, and organizations they are associated with, contributing to fundraising and educational efforts. These stories also find utility in classrooms, serving as valuable educational resources. 

Those are the kinds of things we dream about when we envision doing podcast episodes on stories of research. 

Patricia Janssen: In the process of developing our program, a significant shift occurred due to a story shared by a nurse in Northern BC. She recounted instances where women with RH Negative blood type in the North were not receiving a critical injection during pregnancy to prevent complications. This was a life-or-death situation. This oversight wasn’t due to inadequate care but rather because many women weren’t showing up to prenatal care at all. Factors like inclement weather, limited transportation, and financial constraints led some to delay seeking care until later in their pregnancies. 

Recognizing the urgency of this issue, we devised an offline app that could be downloaded once and used without the need for cellular coverage or the internet. A key feature of this app is a timeline, ensuring individuals know when they must visit the clinic for essential tests and assessments to ensure a safe pregnancy. 

We’ve begun offering this app to remote communities, hoping it will lead to improved outcomes. Through this experience, we’ve come to appreciate the power of mutual storytelling in product development. It’s through these narratives that unique ideas and critical issues emerge, ones that might not surface through standard questionnaires or surveys. By engaging with those in need and frontline providers and listening to their stories, we can truly understand the pressing needs and develop solutions to address them. 

Biz Nijdam: Your insight during our preparation struck a chord with me. You mentioned the importance of ensuring that the recipients of the text messages see their own story reflected in the information being shared. This notion resonates deeply, especially considering the streams you’ve developed, and the emphasis placed on listening to and understanding the stories of the clients you aim to support. 

The idea that genuine connection can only occur when individuals see themselves represented in the stories being crafted or shared is incredibly profound. It speaks to the essence of storytelling and how it fosters connections with various audiences.   

Patricia Janssen: It’s crucial for digital health programs to resonate with individuals, to make them feel that the program is designed specifically for them and can be tailored to their needs. That’s why we’ve incorporated individualized streams into our program, based on what we’ve learned from people. Another key insight we’ve gained is that people want to connect with each other. 

So, we’ve implemented a forum where participants can engage in real-time conversations. This forum serves as a platform for problem-solving, allowing individuals to discuss how they’ve addressed their needs, where they’ve found necessary resources like food or vitamins, and share their experiences with one another. It’s not just about providing information; it’s about fostering a community where people can collaborate and find solutions through storytelling. 

Gabriele Dumpys Woolever: It’s remarkable how your research objectives related to health expanded to encompass a broader community capacity-building effort. Rather than solely aiming to address specific problems or answer questions, your approach evolved through ongoing consultation and listening to the community involved. This process allowed for the identification and fulfillment of needs articulated by the community itself, resulting in a beautiful expansion of capacity within the community. 

Biz Nijdam: Absolutely, it’s truly enriching to engage in this dialogue. Storytelling isn’t just about telling stories; it’s equally about actively listening to the stories of others. The essence lies in the relationship that forms through this mutual exchange. “Relationship,” “relational,” “listening,” “storytelling” – they’re all intertwined elements of a holistic methodology that underpins the work we’re striving to accomplish. 

Gabriele Dumpys Woolever: Indeed, the medium we choose for storytelling significantly impacts what we can effectively convey. For instance, in comics, there are considerations about what body parts can or cannot be shown, which affects how stories are portrayed. These nuances highlight the unique characteristics and limitations of each medium.  

Patricia Janssen: Absolutely, cultural sensitivities play a crucial role in storytelling, especially regarding sensitive topics like childbirth. In some cultures, displaying a woman’s bare skin, including her belly, can be considered offensive. When discussing aspects of childbirth like perineal health and the process of pushing the baby out, visual representation becomes challenging. However, using cartoons can bridge this gap effectively. Cartoons, especially when animated, are not only acceptable but also enjoyable and easy to understand, even for those with limited literacy. They can vividly illustrate complex concepts with just a few words, making information more accessible. In our texting program, we incorporate cartoons and videos on perineum health, evaluating their effectiveness based on people’s feedback. 

Biz Nijdam: Absolutely, medical illustration is a fascinating field that remains essential despite advances in technology. It requires a subjective attention to detail, especially when representing certain parts of the human anatomy. There are limitations on what can be physically photographed and what is appropriate to capture visually. This balance between accuracy and appropriateness is crucial in medical illustration, highlighting its unique role in conveying complex medical information.  

Gabriele Dumpys Woolever: Yes, it’s fascinating to consider the various approaches to accessibility in conveying knowledge about complex subjects like the perineum. Finding ways to make such information accessible is crucial, but it’s equally important to ensure that the method of access is culturally and socially acceptable to the audience. 

Biz Nijdam: And not alienating? Not that that’s the kind of material that you’d be confronted with. 

Gabriele Dumpys Woolever: Indeed, these storytelling mediums excel in finding creative ways to engage with sensitive or complex subjects while maintaining accessibility and avoiding alienation. They offer avenues for conveying information in ways that resonate with diverse audiences and foster understanding and connection. 

Biz Nijdam: Absolutely, these storytelling mediums offer profound ways to convey information that resonate with different aspects of our being. Whether through sound, which can evoke emotions and memories, or through images, which transcend language barriers and offer universal understanding, they provide avenues for diverse audiences to engage with the material. This inclusivity is particularly powerful as it ensures that individuals who may otherwise feel excluded or marginalized from certain spheres of knowledge can participate and find relevance in the narrative. 

Gabriele Dumpys Woolever: Absolutely, it’s crucial to recognize that the emphasis on reading and writing as the primary forms of knowledge dissemination is just one perspective among many. Other modes of communication and literacy, such as oral traditions, visual storytelling, and auditory narratives, have existed since ancient times and continue to be vital ways of sharing knowledge and understanding the world. Expanding our notion of literacy to encompass these diverse forms of communication enriches our understanding and ensures that a broader range of voices and experiences are valued within academic and intellectual spheres. 

Biz Nijdam: Understanding the historical significance of storytelling as evidentiary proof among Indigenous communities on Turtle Island has been eye-opening for me. Working closely with Indigenous partners has allowed me to appreciate how storytelling is validated and valued differently in various communities. It’s been a profound learning experience, one that has led me to embrace storytelling as a legitimate form of scholarship. This journey of learning and understanding has been possible through collaborative partnerships, for which I am deeply grateful. 

Patricia Janssen: What I’ve come to understand is that you can’t simply develop a product or program in your field and then expect people to adopt it willingly. It must be a collaborative effort from the start. For instance, when we were approached by the Northern Health Authority to create a texting program for rural and remote communities, we realized the importance of involving stakeholders from the beginning. Subsequently, we engaged with the Ministry of Health, who recognized the need for mobile health solutions but lacked the resources to develop them. Although they didn’t provide financial support, they offered invaluable resources such as their design team, color palette, and technical expertise. This collaborative approach allowed us to not only develop the program but also to promote it effectively among frontline workers and patients. Ultimately, it reinforced the importance of working in partnership from the ground up to address common needs and achieve shared goals. 

Biz Nijdam: Working in partnership is when research truly shines. I’ve come to realize that it’s not just the research itself that changes and improves; it’s also me. Each time I engage in collaborative work, I undergo a transformation. It’s a process of growth and evolution that I believe is often missed in the isolated learning environments of higher education. By partnering with individuals who have been marginalized or overlooked in traditional academic settings, I’ve learned to value their perspectives and contributions, which have profoundly shaped the discourses I’m involved in. The biggest lesson I’ve gleaned from these partnerships is the extent to which they change me. Even when the growth is challenging, I’ve learned to appreciate its value. 

Gabriele Dumpys Woolever: Partnered research has a way of humbling us, pushing us into a deeper humility than we might have anticipated. Despite our best intentions, each experience reveals new lessons about whose priorities should guide the project, how it should progress, and how it should be envisioned. In my growing experience with partnered research, I always find it pushes me into a deeper humility than I came into it with. It’s a continual process of realizing where we might have inadvertently centered ourselves or imposed university assumptions onto the partnership dynamics. 

Every time, despite my good intentions or even good practices, there’s still another way that I realize that I’ve been either inserting myself or making a priority of certain kinds of university assumptions or timeframes or things like that. Relationality is really what’s meant to be the bedrock of the partnership and that’s not bound by the same kind of timeframes that grant deadlines and project deadlines that we make up have. 

A certain kind of reflexivity and patience and humility is something that I continue to learn and encounter the need for as we pursue more partnered research projects, whether in storytelling approaches or in others. It’s always a slowing down, paying attention, and seeing how we can adapt the resources that we have and whatever desire to help build capacity that we have to the actual desires of the partner that we’re working with.