Institute for Community Research

The Institute for Community Research (ICR) uses the tools of research to build community capacity and foster collaborative community-based partnerships. By gathering information in partnership with residents, we are helping communities locally and globally to ask better questions and get better answers about the complex problems they face. We believe this process is the best way to support personal growth, broaden community leadership and foster robust democratic institutions.

Youth Action Research Institute training session

At ICR we:

	Establish partnerships that make research accessible to broad audiences
	Train youth, adolescents and adults to conduct and use research for community change
	Develop new models of public health prevention and test new ideas for effectiveness
	Promote cultural expression and community cultural resources
	Use research to advocate for positive change
	Share results, models and information through conferences, workshops, publications and other public forums

Located in Hartford, CT, our work is based upon the following cornerstone principles:

	Collaboration and partnership
	Action research
	Recognizing the value of culture
	Intervention, health promotion and prevention.

With these principles as guideposts, our projects employ a combined framework of social science and collaborative action research methodologies, helping communities and organized groups of any age determine and guide their social, cultural, economic and political futures.

Background

ICR was founded in 1987 as a non-profit research institute to develop research partnerships and conduct applied and action research with communities and organizations in New England and beyond. Its Executive Director, Jean J. Schensul, Ph.D., an anthropologist, came to ICR with the vision of creating an organization that stresses collaborative research for change, critical thinking, and cultural enhancement and development. That vision has grown with the addition of an interdisciplinary and diverse staff, to become a thriving local, national and international research institute. ICR's 80 full and part-time staff includes:

	youth researchers
	research professionals (anthropologists, psychologists, social workers, sociologists)
	artists and administrators
	community health advocates
	health educators
	communications and community professionals.

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