From barriers to bridges: Building relational trust through collaborative research

Trust is critical to ensuring that education systems meet the needs of learners, families, schools, and communities. Yet, building deep trust and relationships takes time and intention. Communities around the world are grappling with how to manage stories of distrust in the news and in their own experiences. Where do we start in building or rebuilding trust in our communities? 

On February 27, the Center for Universal Education and members of the Knowing-Doing Network hosted a conversation on how collaborative research and practice can be a tool to not only gauge levels of trust, but also to build relational trust.

This session defined critical elements of trust in education ecosystems and research and delve into how partners in Bangladesh, Tanzania (Zanzibar), Zimbabwe, and the US are building trust through community-driven research. We discussed elements of relational trust; barriers to building relational trust in and with communities; and innovative and impactful strategies for building relational trust, particularly with marginalized communities. Panelists also shared how they are working at different levels of the education ecosystem, within classrooms, in partnership with families, and with civil society and governments.

Viewers submitted questions via email to [email protected] and via X/Twitter @BrookingsGlobal using #KnowingDoing.