Making Research Accessible initiative

The MRAi seeks to improve access to academic research and community-generated materials with a focus on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES).

The need to access high-quality research and information was brought to the attention of the UBC Learning Exchange by people living and working in the DTES. These groups voiced their concern with research projects that extracted information and findings that were locked behind publisher paywalls. Members of community organizations also identified the need to preserve community-generated materials.

Goals

  1. Create opportunities for community organizations, community members, researchers, students, and others to share information and learn from one another. 
  2. Increase the accessibility and impact of research by facilitating a variety of activities and products to exchange knowledge and by providing easier online access to information relevant to the Downtown Eastside. 
  3. Identify community-generated materials (e.g., program reports, research and evaluation documents, organizational histories, multimedia) and increase their availability in and beyond the Downtown Eastside. 

Who we are

The Making Research Accessible initiative is led by the UBC Learning Exchange and UBC Library’s Irving K. Barber Learning Centre in collaboration with SFU CERi, SFU Library, UBC iSchool, and Vancouver Public Library.

What we do

The MRAi developed the DTES Research Access Portal (RAP), an open-access portal anyone can use to access research findings and community-generated materials related to Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (see video, below).

We also organize activities and foster environments where faculty, students, community organizations, community members, and other stakeholders can learn from and collaborate with each other. By providing more ways to share findings, we hope to broaden the positive impact of evidence-based information.

Review our Statement on Guiding Principles and Actions to learn more.

For more information about the Making Research Accessible initiative, please contact Kathleen Leahy.