Navigating and Reimagining Community Engagement amidst COVID-19
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Authors
Louw, Seneca
Taliep, Naiema
Ismail, Ghouwa
Bulbulia, Samed
Issue Date
2020
Type
Article
Language
en
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
Community engagement is a critical manifestation of a humanising approach on how to
respond to various psychosocial and structural violence challenges in the context of a
pandemic. Community engagement within the context of the current global coronavirus
pandemic (COVID-19) requires creative and innovative responses. Institutions have had to
reconfigure their community engagement due to restrictive measures instituted by governments
to curb the spread of the virus. This paper aims to reflect on the conversations and experiences
of community activist researchers in implementing creative ways of engagement to address
pertinent psychosocial and structural violence issues affecting communities during COVID-19.
Through a qualitative reflexive approach, we identified the following themes: (1) Challenges
in community-engaged research during a pandemic; (2) Structural violence and psychosocial
issues; and (3) Innovative opportunities to bridge gaps and confront community realities. The
pandemic has produced challenges but has also allowed for opportunities to reimagine
community engagement. It has created opportunities and novel ways of collaborating with
multisectoral social actors to address the psychosocial challenges during the pandemic and to
remain actively engaged with communities.
Description
Citation
Louw. S.. Taliep. N.. Ismail. G.. & Bulbulia. S. (2020). Navigating and Reimagining Community EngageÂment amidst COVID-1 9. Social and Health SciÂences, 18(2). 48- 69.