Improving Ways of Working with Researchers with Lived Expertise (of Homelessness)

It has become increasingly apparent that conducting rigorous, relevant and accepted research requires including Researchers with Lived Expertise/Experience (RWLE) in the research process. Including RWLE can create new knowledge rooted in new perspectives, and support research that is more relevant to affected populations. However, the conversation has primarily focused on how involving RWLE can improve research outcomes, so that inequities are being better addressed; there is very little focus on how involvement in research can and should benefit RWLE themselves, nor of how the research process itself can demonstrate a commitment to addressing inequities. In this commentary, we reflect on the experiences of two RWLE of Homelessness, and a Senior Research Associate who all worked together on a recent study. Informed by the challenges we faced and ways we navigated these, here we discuss key issues that must be given more consideration as involving RWLE becomes a necessary part of conducting research. Research teams must consider the issues of pay equity and job security for RLWE who often work on short-term contracts; supporting the professional development of RWLE for their own career advancement; and paying attention to the language we use and how we communicate research findings so they are accessible. There is a unique opportunity for research teams to incorporate a philosophical and practical orientation towards equity during the research process. While research seeks to understand and explain a phenomenon, it must simultaneously seek to address this very phenomenon through how the research is conducted. Our aim is to further the discussion around including RWLE, and to provide tangible suggestions for research organizations and teams.