Community Partners
Philadelphia Area Research Community Coalition (PARCC)
Purpose. The Philadelphia Area Research Community Coalition (PARCC) is a community-based participatory research partnership comprised of community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, nonprofit health organizations and academic institutions. The mission of PARCC is to:
Establish, facilitate and coordinate effective long-term and sustainable health research partnerships between community organizations and institutions that have a shared vision and leadership to change and improve the health of the community in West and Southwest Philadelphia.
Ultimately, PARCC strives to encourage the development of mechanisms that will positively affect the health of the community. This outcome will be achieved by engaging in activities and piloting projects relevant to and focused on the social, economic, and cultural conditions that influence the health status of West and Southwest Philadelphia residents.
History. Conceived and organized by faculty and staff of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, a community symposium was held in July 2005 entitled "Improving the Health of the Community: Becoming Partners in Research: Why and How." With over 100 attendees representing approximately 50 organizations, the symposium explained how research affects the lives of local residents, presented ways in which community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnerships can help improve the health of people in local communities, and answered specific questions about research. As a result of the expressed interest in developing a CBPR partnership from the attendees of this community symposium, PARCC was organized in September 2005.
Guiding Principle. PARCC is built on the basic principle of "community-based participatory research (CBPR)." CBPR is a collaborative approach to research that involves community members, organizations, and investigators in all aspects of the research process—from establishing research priorities to analyzing and disseminating results. Governed by a Community Action Board of partner organizations and individual leaders, partners share leadership, responsibility and resources to ensure that each member has an equal value and an equal voice. The Community Action Board is charged with identifying and designing research, intervention and prevention projects, securing funding for PARCC, and evaluating and disseminating information.
PARCC encourages cohesiveness and inclusion by:
1. Setting roles, norms, and processes agreed upon by all partners
2. Respecting and applying equally the expertise and knowledge of all participants.
3. Building the capacity of community-based organizations to conduct community-based participatory research and to serve the community by establishing ongoing training, resource attainment, and skill development programs.
4. Building the capacity of researchers to identify, understand and respond to the community's cultural, social, and environmental dynamics, while conducting community-based participatory research that will have a sustainable benefit to the community.
Members and Process. Currently approximately 20 organizations that conduct health related programs serving the residents of West and Southwest Philadelphia comprise PARCC. These organizations represent myriad stakeholders: grassroots, school-based, faith, academic, private non-profits, and government. Partners have agreed to a common mission, principles, and process of collaboration.
Role in Research. PARCC functions as an integral component of research projects in which it is involved.By establishing health priorities based on the specific issues prevalent in West and Southwest Philadelphia, PARCC will initiate and conduct meaningful research projects using the CBPR model. PARCC is receptive to working with non-member organizations on selected projects and activities. In this manner, PARCC expects to share leadership and resources required to conduct a successful project. PARCC expects to do more than participate on advisory boards and assist in recruitment. As fundamental contributors to the research, PARCC members, at minimum, expect to be involved in the development of research aims, interpretation of results, and dissemination of results to community and academic stakeholders. For selected projects, PARCC members will also be involved in data collection and administering interventions.
