Engaged research in action : informing sexual and domestic violence practice and prevention

The counselling staff at Phoenix House understand research to mean ‘finding out’ and therefore use research in their everyday practice. The work is guided by robust rationales and is based on using practice experiences to inform research, and research to improve practice, policy and service delivery. This chapter explores the ten-year partnership between practitioners in a sexual violence intervention/prevention program in rural Queensland and academics of CQUniversity. It describes how engaged research has been an integral part of an action learning cycle, which ensures innovative services are delivered within an evidence-based framework, to achieve the best possible outcomes for service users. It concludes that engaged research contributes to community resilience by ensuring services are effective.