Collaborative Working
Lunch and Learn with Tower Hamlets CVS: embedding community voices in research
The University of East London (UEL) recently hosted a university-wide Lunch and Learn session in collaboration with the Tower Hamlets Centre for Voluntary Services (THCVS). The session, led by Alison Robert, Partnership Manager at THCVS, focused on embedding public and community involvement at every stage of the research process.
This timely and interesting session explored strategies for building ethical, inclusive, and impactful research partnerships with the voluntary and community sector. Key topics included:
- Working effectively with the voluntary sector
- Building trust with marginalised communities
- Addressing power imbalances in co-production
- Inclusive safeguarding practices
- Culturally sensitive engagement design
Stopping consultation fatigue
Attendees brought a wealth of experience, sharing how they’ve worked to involve seldom-heard communities - including disabled residents and global majority groups - in their own projects. The session fostered honest dialogue about the challenges and opportunities involved in participatory research.
Moving past consultation: toward collaboration
A central takeaway was that research should not be an extractive process. Instead, meaningful knowledge exchange between academia and the voluntary sector can empower communities to solve their own challenges. By co-producing research agendas and outputs, universities can play a vital role in amplifying community voices and supporting grassroots innovation.
The session concluded with networking opportunities and an open invitation from THCVS for researchers to exchange knowledge and help to connect academics with community groups for more ethical, impactful partnerships.
Want to get involved?
We’re looking for contributors and hosts for future Lunch and Learn sessions. Whether you’re a researcher, practitioner, or community leader, we’d love to hear from you.
Download – Working with the Voluntary and Community Sector