‘A true tool for empowerment’

Across the UK, community-driven research and innovation is increasingly recognised as a valid and important way of building evidence. Major funders such as UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), are actively working to increase community participation, hearing from those who are both the most impacted, and will have the most to gain, from exploring a specific topic or issue. It’s clear that more people are beginning to see that when communities help shape research, the results are more meaningful and impactful. 

The Kickstart Programme

My own journey into community-driven research started when I became a peer researcher on the Kickstart programme at The Young Foundation. This was where I first encountered the idea that research didn’t have to be a purely academic pursuit but could start within communities and serve as a true tool for empowerment. As a peer researcher, I was able to use my own lived experience to guide the research towards topics that directly impacted me and see the way it could support change.  

Every step since then has deepened my belief in the incredible value of community-driven research, not just for those who are conducting the work, but for the communities involved. It rebalances power by inviting people are often left out of research to speak for themselves, ask their own questions, and say what matters most to them.  

Accountability Group

A recent example of this in practice was the Accountability Group that I supported to design the experience of the Pushing Boundaries conference in June, which we jointly ran with UKRI. The Accountability Group brought together researchers who had previously worked on various projects The Young Foundation led or supported. They came from diverse backgrounds, bringing with them a wide range of experiences and insights 

The choice of the word ‘accountability’ in the name of this group emphasises the powershift away from traditional research structures, where funders hold the most influence, and towards the communities that research and innovation are meant to directly serve. Those attending and leading Pushing Boundaries are accountable to such communities, and we wanted to both reflect this clearly and ‘walk the walk’. 

To reach that goal, from start to finish, the Accountability Group helped shape the conference. Perhaps most influentially, they co-designed a set of principles, which was shared with speakers and attendees in advance of the conference, with the aim of creating a space that felt inclusive for everyone, regardless of experience level. It followed the idea of ‘nothing about us without us’. In this way and many others, the presence of the Accountability Group clearly was foundational to the experience of the conference. 

Community-driven research

During the event itself, some Accountability Group members took part in a panel that I chaired. This space was entirely designed by the Accountability Group members, with support from myself and other colleagues at The Young Foundation, and from members who did not wish to speak or were not able to be present. This highlighted the importance of involving communities from the very beginning. The panel focused on Accountability Group members’ own experiences of research and access, and on what it truly means for communities to be embedded in research.  

What came through clearly was that community-driven research isn’t just about hearing from communities. It is also about sharing power and creating opportunities for people to build the skills and experience to carry on this work. And it showed the importance of sharing this impact widely, highlighting that community-driven research does not end when the research concludes, but continues to have a ripple effect in the community. 

The Young Foundation continues to embed community accountability in our work and events, including in shaping the upcoming CivicCon25. Get in touch to learn more about how the Pushing Boundaries Accountability Group worked in practice, and how the principles were developed.

Watch videos from Pushing Boundaries, and explore our hub.

Images by Unique Media

Community needs and priorities Inequality Methods and measurement Peer research Social action conference Pushing Boundaries UKRI Posted on: 30 June 2025