ESRC IAA 2014 - UEF - Citizens UK: Birmingham

Through a series of co-productive impact sandpit events, this project provided a platform which initiated a research transfer relationship between the College of Social Sciences (CoSS) and Citizens UK: Birmingham (CUK: Bham), further consolidating the link between the two organisations. The sandpits were conducted in community venues, each focusing on a local or national CUK campaign (social care, city safety, good jobs / living wage, refugee resettlement) where CoSS had the capacity to provide research with a potential for enhancing campaign activities.

The workshops were then followed-up through the development of research, organising and learning resources, as a means to further the identified actions, deepen relationships between CoSS and CUK: Bham and provide opportunities for impact. These follow-up activities provided learning opportunities and capacity-building for post-graduate researchers in CoSS and young leaders from CUK: Bham.

Learning from the sandpits was shared at the Delegates Assembly on July 13th at Carrs Lane Methodist Church in Birmingham city centre. The Assembly brought together a delegation of key leaders and activists from across member institutions (including CoSS) and provided an opportunity to share and discuss outcomes from the sandpits with a wider audience.

The workshops generated wider impact ideas that the College could advance in the future. Most recently, John Bryson (Business School) provided CUK: Bham with a briefing on directly elected mayoral powers and the future West Midlands Combined Authority. It is anticipated that future events will follow.

A series of workshops initiated to consolidate the CoSS - CUK: Bham relationship and specifically identify research taking place in CoSS that can be used to further CUK: Bham action priorities.

Key outcomes:
• Identification of key research areas in CoSS which will be able to inform CUK: Bham and its action priorities – specifically: Research Network on Informal and Formal Caregiving, the Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship and the Institute for Research into Superdivesity which hosts the Syrian Refugee Toolkit (resources for front-line workers who are involved with resettling refugees).
• Provision of research projects provided by CoSS PhD students that will be used to inform CUK: Bham Action Teams.
• Development of young leaders from CUK: Bham’s youth leadership team and member institutions (employed as trainee organisers to undertake a series of 1-2-1s in their institutions to identify a number of ‘testimonies’ for underpinning, informing and focusing CUK: Bham campaigns and direct impact opportunities.
• Development of innovative multi-media learning resources to provide an accessible means of engaging and mobilising colleagues in CoSS and wider constituencies in organising and CUK: Bham.
• Generation of wider impact ideas that the College which could advance in the future.
• Heightened awareness of CUK: Bham across CoSS.
• Consolidation and development of CUK: Bham and CoSS linkage, specifically the development of a knowledge sharing relationship.