StudioDH

Our Values

Reciprocity

Working together for mutual benefit. Ensuring all partners get something valuable from the experience.

What Does it Look Like? Alignment with community-identified needs.

Shared Authority

Valuing community knowledge and expertise. Building with rather than for.

What Does it Look Like? Sharing power depending on the expertise needed at any given phase.

Collaborative Decision Making

Taking joint ownership of key decisions.

What Does it Look Like? Involving the partner at every stage of decision-making.

Relationship Building

Understanding relationships are a process that happens over time and through frequent interaction.

What Does it Look Like? Developing trust between partners, students, and the university.

Ongoing Dialogue

Continuous communication throughout the project as plans, methods, and outcomes evolve.

What Does it Look Like? Providing opportunities for collaborative reflection.

Digital Storytelling and Community Engaged Research

Community Engaged Research (sometimes called Participatory Action Research or PAR) is a way of learning with people, not about them. It brings together community members and researchers to explore issues that matter to the community — like social connection, aging in place, or neighbourhood accessibility. And it is rooted in co-creation, or the idea that everyone’s experience and knowledge count. Instead of research being something “done to” people, it becomes something we do together to spark change.

Why Story-Based Methods Matter

Stories help us make sense of our lives and communities. They capture things that statistics can’t — how people feel about their experiences, what matters to them, and what gives them hope or makes life challenging. In participatory projects, stories allow people who are often unheard or underrepresented — for example caregivers, or newcomers — to share their perspectives in their own words. Listening to each other’s stories builds empathy and understanding, which are the foundation of civic engagement and social change. Stories also make research findings more accessible and relatable to others — city planners, policymakers, or neighbours.

Building Equitable and Inclusive Cities Through Stories and PAR Methods

Story-based methods reveal everyday barriers and opportunities that quantitative data alone might miss. Insights from participatory action research can shape better urban design and programs as they reflect lived experience, not just expert opinion. Ultimately, these methods strengthen community bonds, build mutual respect, and foster a sense of shared ownership over local futures.

Current Projects: Seniors Social Connection Project

Our inaugural StudioDH partnership is with Senior Watch Old Ottawa South (SWOOS). SWOOS was interested in learning more about social isolation and lonlinness (SIL) among older adults in Old Ottawa South. Together we developed a research project to explore experiences of social connection and social isolation in the neighbourhood. The first StudioDH student cohort came on board in Fall 2025.