We are working in partnership with the West Midlands Combined Authority, Lodestone Communications, and Birmingham Voluntary Service Council to develop an ecosystem of policy and community involvement in research through training, development and concrete engagement opportunities for CUWb members and partner organisations.
The overall aim is to combine research, policy and community expertise to develop new thinking on addressing health and wellbeing inequalities in the region.
Activities include:
1. UoB and WMCA Masterclasses on 4 highlight topic areas of:
- Workplace health, good work and wellbeing
- Investing in mental health and wellbeing
- Digital health technologies
- Heathy Environments
2. Training for UoB academics on policy impact and community involvement.
3. Co-design of community discussion groups to identify existing capacity of community and voluntary sector organisations, overcoming obstacles to implementation and listening effectively to lived experience.
4. Recruit and develop lived experience forum for CUWb.
We are working with Susie Drummond at Rebel Kindly to help us navigate, analyse and support the processes required to create these new ways of working.
Planned outcomes include:
- Community groups and members are involved in shaping regional strategies for addressing urban wellbeing inequalities
- UoB academics are better prepared to engage with policy makers, community organisations and conduct impactful research
- WMCA have input on their policy strategies from both community experts and research experts
- Project partners increase their own capacity to conduct community engaged research and partner with universities
Register for upcoming events
Attendance at the masterclasses is open to University of Birmingham, WMCA staff and our community partners. To register, please use the following links:
- 26 April 2023: Workplace Health, Good Work and Wellbeing - Dr Laura Kudrna, Jenny Duggan (Coventry City Council), and BVSC at Birmingham Library, City Centre
- 24 May 2023: Investing in Mental Health and Wellbeing - Professor Hareth Al-Janabi, at WMCA, Birmingham
- 21 June 2023: Digital Health Technologies - Dr Ian Litchfield, at WMCA, Birmingham (registration not yet open).
- 25 July: Healthy Environments and Places - Professor Emma Frew, at University of Birmingham Exchange, City Centre (registration not yet open).