Jennifer Carson (PhD Candidate, University of Waterloo) presented two workshops about her Participatory Action Research (PAR) with Schlegel Villages. During the first workshop, participants reflected on the culture change movement and their own experiences through the lens of ‘participation’. They also explored the use of PAR as an inclusive, engaging and effective change strategy and learned about the successful applications of PAR within the culture change movement.
In the second workshop, participants learned how Schlegel Villages, embarked on a strengths-based, collaborative approach to culture change guided by PAR and Appreciative Inquiry. Through engagement in activities, participants learned how residents, family members, and team members worked collaboratively to discover their strengths, share their dreams for a more ideal future, design aspiration statements, and develop goals and action steps to turn their aspirations into operational realities. Participants gained tools and strategies to help their organization embark on a collaborative and rewarding culture change journey.