Heightened by the cost-of-living crisis, we as engagement practitioners and researchers have to be thinking and talking about poverty when designing engagement activities to as far as possible remove barriers to participation and not exasperate inequalities. I have been working with Kait Laughlin, College of Social Sciences Knowledge Exchange Lead (Communities) on this issue. Kait joined us for Hub Monday on 12th February to open up this conversation about poverty awareness for research and engagement activities.

As part of a new knowledge exchange and impact working group at the university, we have been sharing our own experiences and those of colleagues of working with individuals and groups beyond academia. The groups aim of exploring and developing guidance around ethics, safeguarding, and awareness of power dynamics (especially financial) in partnerships with external organisations and individuals in knowledge exchange activities. Kait and I would be happy to speak to any researchers who want to share their experience of university processes and procedures to support ethical knowledge exchange so please do get in touch.

Also in this aim, Kait has developed a researcher development programme ‘Community Matters’ for CoSS researchers and she has extended an invitation to SHW researchers to join her and Professor Les Back on the next session in Clarice Pears on 18th April entitled ‘Working Together (the Elephants in the Room) to talk ‘Poverty’ and ‘Social Class’. I contributed to the previous session around meaningful engagement and partnerships and I recommend getting involved to reflect on your own practice and share some ideas and learn from other participants. See this link for more information and to register for the in-person session in April or the online session in May.

Thursday 18th April, 1-2.30, Room 146, Clarice Pears Building, Main Campus More information and register here 

Friday 3rd May, 11-12.30, Zoom More information and register here

First published: 27 March 2024

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