Woven Together
“In a weaving process, people come forward as needed to provide expertise and move back at other times. In many ways it is the process of weaving that forges and forms leadership qualities in the individual and in the collective … people are not typecast into leader or follower; instead, each is simultaneously a leader and a follower ” (Spiller et al., 2020, p. 523).
We often think about our research process as weaving. Our individual ways of being, thinking, and doing can be incomplete. However, when we come together with our various cultures and ways of knowing, we engage in weaving and in unravelling too, learning and unlearning. It is the warp and weft, the back and forth, that makes us stronger.
In his book, Research is Ceremony, Shawn Wilson shares: “Relational accountability requires us to form a reciprocal and respectful relationship within the communities where we are conducting research.” Most of the people who engage in this research process already know each other well, which is why our work is grounded on a commitment to each other and a sense of being woven together.
We engaged in a participatory and arts-based process. Our work was founded on relationality to tell our experiences and stories in a good way.
The research team would like to acknowledge the Future Skills Centre for its funding of Project Connect and of the evaluation program. Our heartfelt appreciation to research participants who generously gave their time to share their experiences.
The research team appreciates the ongoing support provided by Professional and Continuing Studies (PCS) at Royal Roads University to undertake this research project. The time provided by participants for the research is invaluable, including the time and effort provided by PCS staff.