As communities across Alberta recognize Child Abuse Prevention Month in October, the work of Lisa Armstrong MSc., Research Chair, Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP), highlights the important role that applied research, collaboration and community-driven solutions play in helping keep children safe.
Through Social Innovation, one of RDP's four areas of focus, Armstrong is helping advance applied research that addresses social challenges and strengthens well-being across the region. In partnership with organizations such as the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre (CACAC), her work supports prevention, education and advocacy efforts for children and youth.
Armstrong brings extensive experience in social research and facilitation to her role at RDP. Before joining the Polytechnic, she served as a Senior Consultant with bassa Social Innovations Inc., conducting research and facilitating initiatives for municipal and non-profit organizations across the province.
An RDP alum (and top academic student) of the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology program, Armstrong returned to the Polytechnic with a desire to strengthen the community that helped shape her career.
"Many people believed in me while I was a student at RDP," says Armstrong. "Coming back gives me the opportunity to foster the same belief in those I lead."
Armstrong is currently leading applied research focused on child advocacy and protection. One project examines whether behavioural changes occur among Grade 7 students after participating in counter-exploitation and online safety presentations delivered in schools throughout Red Deer and surrounding communities.
The research will help community partners better understand how these initiatives influence student awareness, decision-making and online safety behaviours, while identifying opportunities to further protect children from exploitation and harm.
For Armstrong, this work reflects a broader commitment to strengthening communities through evidence-based research.
"I am excited to lead research alongside community partners that drives innovation while protecting the strengths our region already has," she says. "We can fuel insights that help make our communities even stronger and more resilient, especially for our children."
As one example, the partnership between RDP and CACAC demonstrates how collaboration between post-secondary institutions and community organizations can help inform programs, policies and practices that improve outcomes for children and families across the province and beyond. From this collaboration, RDP students receive additional opportunities to participate in applied research and work-integrated learning opportunities centered on child advocacy services and education.
A Red Deer resident for the past 17 years, Armstrong grew up on a farm near Elnora, Alberta, and remains deeply connected to the region. Her local roots and passion for community-driven solutions continue to shape research that creates meaningful impact for children, families, and communities.
During Child Abuse Prevention Month, recognized across Canada, Armstrong and her colleagues are helping build the knowledge needed to support safer, stronger and more resilient communities where children can thrive.
