Solutions for Change

Solutions for Change is an immersive community-researcher partnership programme that tackles societal challenges felt by local community groups. It supports teams of researchers to work with third sector, non-profit, and community organisations over a two-month period to explore and co-create solutions to these challenges. Teams have access to a fund whic is used to pay community partners for their time and facilitate wider stakeholder participation.

Topics in the 2024 programme have spanned food waste, technology for young carers, the role of artifical intelligence in the charitable sector and the future of one of Glasgow’s key cultural assets, the Winter Gardens at Glasgow Green.

Following the period of co-working, teams present their outcomes at a showcase event attended by University and external guests including senior representatives from the City. Key findings and outcomes of the projects are made openly available.

Solutions for Change is a partnership of the Talent Lab Programme for Researcher Development and the Glasgow Open Lab supported by the CIVIS European University Alliance. It brings together two priorities of the University’s research strategy: the importance of researcher leadership and career development and the support of meaningful and reciprocal community engagement. 

Reports & Recommendations

 

Previous community projects supported by the Glasgow OpenLab

Find out more about two community projects - Boomerang Woodworking CIC and Repair Café - which were supported by a community sustainability grant scheme, organised through our Glasgow OpenLab programme.