Members of Cohort 3 participated in an event at Northwood’s Bedford Campus on June 27, 2019. Northwood is the largest non-profit for continuing care in Atlantic Canada and provides services, programs, and housing to thousands of individuals throughout the province. The fellows of cohort 3 had the opportunity to engage in immersion research and observe the events of the West Bedford Multiculturalism Day which took place at Northwood’s Bedford campus.
Engaging and exploring is a central step in our processes here at NS GovLab and participating in events like this allow fellows to gather information so they can make sense of the complexities that exist around our central design questions of:
How might we create a province where people can age at home and stay connected to their community?
How might we foster connections across generations and cultures to create resilient communities in Nova Scotia that can adapt to their changing demographics?
The event at Northwood brought together community members, organizations, and staff & residents. There were many performances, an array of food trucks, and a really wonderful diverse mix of intergenerational individuals. The weather was as complex as the factors influencing our work, but the event still brought together many from within and outside of the Northwood community.
For some of our fellows this was their first opportunity in immersive research. They found the experience to be engaging and interesting, with one noting, “It was easy to approach and talk to people. Even though we had specific questions, conversation happened and it seemed easier to gather more information through conversation.” In gathering information and conducting qualitative research, we aim to build relationships and rapport as much as we aim to gather information.
Engaging in immersion research does sometimes provide additional challenges. Public events can have many activities, which help to gather people, but sometimes can provide barriers to gathering information. The amazing music and entertainment provided at events can sometimes make it difficult to ask questions, especially when engaging with folks with varying levels of ability.
Conducting research can sometimes lead to surprising moments which can challenges our values, assumptions, and beliefs. It can also lead to a little bit of fun. While conducting an interview with residents in the lounge of the campus, Tyler Colbourne, staff member with Inspiring Communities, noticed a guitar in the room and took some time to lightly strum while fellows were speaking with residents. While strumming, one of the residents asked if he would play some songs. What began as an opportunity to ask residents questions about aging well, became an opportunity to share in some music.
Conducting research has been traditionally viewed as something strict, rigid, and structured. There is emphasis on research which is empirical and quantitative, however in our work we also greatly value research which is fluid, dynamic, and qualitative. Immersion research allows for people to see and sense the environment, take note of body language, and share in experiences with people at the point of impact allowing for a distinct understanding of the nuances and complexities which exist within a context.
