Towards a Healthier Research Engagement System

Equitable relationships between voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations and research institutions are a foundation for inclusive research. New ways of working are needed to support collaborations that tackle problems such as short-term funding and complex contracting processes.

We’re working with Action Together to bring Oldham-based community groups, health partners and local universities together to develop relationships and mutual understanding.

Supported by The Ideas Fund, this partnership will connect local people more easily and more often to health research so that we can achieve real-world impact for the lives of local people.

Together, we’re designing new ways of working to:

• Build relational spaces where people are valued, respected and listened to

• Create intentional, collaborative spaces where conversations and ideas can come together and develop

• Explore approaches for people to listen and learn from each other and through which shared knowledge and understanding can be created

• Create understanding of the different ways that we’re already working together, explore future opportunities and ensure more people in Oldham find about them

We’ll be coming together as a Network over the coming months. Our first priorities are to:

• Connect with each other,

• Define how we’ll work together,

• Co-design priorities and activities that support the Network’s aims, including, for example, thinking about issues such as governance and contracting.

If you’d like to stay connected, find more about future opportunities and the work of the Network as it develops, please get in touch with Paolo on vocal@mft.nhs.uk to be included in future communications.

You can also follow updates on Facebook (@letsgetvocal, @weactogether), Twitter (X) (@letsgetvocal, @WeActTogether) and LinkedIn (Vocal, Action Together).