Pushing Boundaries
A conference of community-driven research and innovation
** UPDATE**
Due to high demand, ticket sales are currently closed. Please do join our waitlist while we work through ticket requests and try to ensure that as many people as possible get a place. Please note the waitlist will close on Wednesday 21 May 2025.
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Join UKRI and The Young Foundation, on 10 June 2025, as we bring together the pioneers who are transforming research and innovation through community-driven approaches.
The conference will explore how communities are reshaping what research and innovation can be. You’ll discover inspiring stories and real-world learnings from UKRI-funded projects and beyond, spanning different fields, sectors, and ways of working. Together, we’ll explore how to push boundaries to create better opportunities for everyone to participate in research and innovation, and spark ideas for future collaboration.
The event itself is designed to include hands-on experiences – attendees will have the opportunity to contribute to a collaborative research inquiry, as we work together to break down barriers and create meaningful change.
Join the waitlistMeet the speakers
Stian Westlake
Stian Westlake is Executive Chair of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the UK’s largest funder of economic, social, behavioural and human data science.
Helen Goulden OBE
As Chief Executive Officer of The Young Foundation, Helen leads our multi-disciplinary team of researchers and innovators to support stronger communities across the UK.
Sado Jirde
Sado Jirde is Director of the Black South West Network (BSWN), which finds alternative solutions to systemic racial and socio-economic inequalities.
Professor Alison Park
Professor Alison Park is Deputy Executive Chair of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the UK’s largest funder of economic, social, behavioural and human data science.
Dr Alice Mpofu-Coles
Dr Alice Mpofu-Coles is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Reading, working on community research projects and sits on the Race Equality and the University of Sanctuary strategy team.
Hannah Yu-Pearson
Hannah works across multiple programme streams at Centric Lab and facilitates the Community Health Impact Assessment Programme.
Sioned Williams
Sioned is a Principal Curator of Modern History at Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales. She works with communities to increase representation within the collection, making them accessible to all, and to use collections in creative and inspiring ways.
Community voice
We are working with community researchers and members to help steer the event experience, guide decision-making, and hold organisers and speakers accountable to centring community voice. Meet the accountability group:
Deborah Alero Nwaloko King
Deborah’s experience of participatory research is broad, embracing various qualitative research methodologies, and using the findings from peer research to address challenges in society. She has more than five years’ experience as a community researcher, making long-lasting impact in the education, health and wellbeing sectors and in faith organisations.
She says, “To be a ‘voice for the voiceless’ is a passionate purpose in my life, to make positive changes in our world today – from family to groups, to communities, to society and globally.”
Jon Dolby
Jon previously participated in HOMEs under the microscope, a UKRI-funded citizen science project with the University of West England.
“My family and I really enjoyed participating in citizen science. We felt valued and able to contribute to something we were genuinely interested in. But more than that, we changed our behaviour as a family after learning the findings from our participatory sample and the study’s results. It made us think differently about what we buy and how we consume, particularly when it comes to clothing.”
Julian Harrison
Julian has used his lived experience of mental illness and autism to help design and operate research and practical work at King’s College London and the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Nottingham, Leicester, De Montfort University and Westminster. This includes the UKRI-funded Citizen Science to Achieve Co-production at Scale (C-STACS) project. He is also an Equality and Diversity consultant.
He says, “I would like to use my extensive experience of participatory research and equality, diversity and inclusion to help shape best practice. I believe in combining these two areas, and would like to see research making a real difference on the ground.”
Lorna Bartley
Lorna has participated as a peer researcher in research on ‘community voices’, with the London Borough of Haringey, and retrofitting homes, with The Young Foundation.
“Being a part of this accountability will be interesting and a step forward from the previous projects I have been involved with, like an onward progression of the two.”
Sabah Hussain
Sabah was previously a peer researcher at The Young Foundation, working with local residents and Hounslow Council to make the area greener and improve quality of life, both now and for the future.
She says, “I am passionate about these sort of projects. I want to carry on from the community research I was involved with, which was great and gave an insight to how people want to be involved in projects that have an impact on them. I believe inclusion for all is important in such a diverse world.”
Annette Andrew
Last year, Annette participated in a peer research project in the London borough of Hounslow, encouraging residents to share their experiences and ideas on different aspects of living in a greener borough.
They say, “I believe we all have a part to contribute to the places in which we live on a day to day basis. I believe it is very important that everyone has a say and should be given an opportunity to do so. It is their right. The best way to find out how to do this is to ask the participants themselves what worked, what didn’t, and truly listen to what is being shared, taking on board recommendations.”
Mariam Zorba
Mariam was involved in the UKRI-funded Ancient History, Contemporary Belong project with Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester Museum and Sheba Arts.
She says, “I am a strong supporter of the statement ‘nothing about us, without us’. I am interested changing participatory research so that that it constructs new communities and relationships, rather than constructing barriers between who is being researched and who is researching. I hope that, by joining the Accountability Group, I can reflect on the success of that project so future research can be conducted more effectively.”
FAQs
Who is the event for?
Anyone who is curious about or involved in community-driven research and innovation, including (but not limited to):
- Funders and commissioners of community-driven research and innovation
- Community members who have experience of community research or would like to be involved in community research, including community researchers, peer researchers, youth researchers and citizen scientists
- Community organisations, trusts and foundations
- People who work in policymaking, central and local government
- Practitioners of community-driven research and innovation – including academics, researchers, public engagement professionals and knowledge brokers
Across these perspectives, we hope to bring together people who share an understanding of the value of community-driven research and innovation – and want to explore barriers and enablers for change.
What can I expect?
An inspiring and thought-provoking day of discussions and workshops – with opportunities to learn, share and collaborate with a varied group of people across the R&I sector and UK communities. Speakers and sessions will start to be announced shortly.
Registration will begin at 9.30am to start at 10am. The main programme will end at 4pm with optional networking until 4.45pm. Refreshments and a light lunch will be provided. The venue will endeavour to accommodate any dietary requirements shared at registration.
Is it free to attend?
The event is free to attend, but we would welcome a small donation to cover contingency plans, for example if attendees drop out on the day. We suggest an optional £5 donation. A small number of bursaries are available.
Are there bursaries available?
We are committed to ensuring the event is accessible to as many people as possible from across research and innovation. However, we recognise that participating in an in-person event can incur further expenses for attendees – and not everyone will have access to funding to cover these costs. We are therefore pleased to be able to offer a limited number of bursaries to support the attendance of up to 20 community members, freelancers and representatives of community-based organisations. To be considered for a bursary, you must register before 8am on Thursday 1 May 2025. Please read the bursary policy to check your eligibility, before filling out the short form.
Is the venue accessible?
When you register, please let us know about any adjustments we can make to help with accessibility. If we can make your experience more comfortable by arranging wheelchair spaces, induction loops, a BSL interpreter or by making any other adjustment that will allow you to enjoy the event please let us know when you complete your registration. Further information about the venue is below.
Blue Badge Parking: Parking bays for Blue Badge holders can be found on Ossulston Street. The Ossulston Street entrance is fully ramped and is approximately 100 metres from the main entrance. There are also public metered bays in this area.
Step-free access and seating: Across the British Library, all floors have step-free access and seating is available for visitors around the building. Entrances to the Knowledge Centre have button-assisted opening.
Accessible toilets: Accessible toilets can be found on all floors. Gender neutral toilets are available in the main library. The nearest Changing Places toilet is at King’s Cross station.
Wheelchairs: Manual wheelchairs can be borrowed free of charge, subject to availability. Please ask a member of staff on arrival. Please note that assistance cannot be provided in the use of these wheelchairs.
Guide and assistance dogs: We welcome guide dogs and assistance dogs. Dog bowls are available at the Information Desk, Reading Rooms and all cafés at the British Library.
Hearing support systems: Hearing induction loops are installed in the Knowledge Centre breakout rooms (set up on request) and the Piggott Theatre, which also operates the Sennheiser MobileConnect system. The Sennheiser MobileConnect system is a digital hearing system that gives users individual control over their feed by broadcasting to an app. The app is available on both Android and iOS devices. To use the system, download the app to your device. If you don’t have a smartphone, you can borrow one of three pre-loaded devices on arrival at the Knowledge Centre. Just speak to a member of staff.
Prayer and quiet space: A Multi-Faith Prayer and Contemplation Space is available in the main library. Please speak to a member of staff is you would also like access to a quiet space within the Knowledge Centre.
Related work, news, opinion, and content
An equitable future for research and innovation
Publication 20 July 2022This report focuses on how the research and innovation (R&I) system can more equitably involve community groups and organisations with less power or representation.
‘Research and innovation are about hope and empowerment’
Blog 18 December 2024At our Community Research Networks Away Days, Dame Ottoline Leyser DBE FRS, Chief Executive of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), shared a vision for a more ‘open and inclusive’ future.
‘Challenging a disconnect between communities and research’
Blog 16 December 2024Supporting community-led networks can challenge a ‘dysfunctional relationship’ in research, say UKRI’s Tom Saunders and David Chapman, and The Young Foundation’s Helen Goulden.
Community Research Networks
2 December 2024Community Research Networks programme is a two-phase funding opportunity, putting communities at the heart of research.
Experiences of ‘citizen science’
Publication 9 October 2023This is the first in a series of short discussion papers produced by the Institute for Community Studies to share learnings and reflections from the UKRI-funded Citizen Science Collaboration Grants.
Local knowledge, national potential
Publication 16 April 2024Activity, emerging insights and lessons learned through the first six months of the UKRI-funded Community Knowledge Fund programme.
Ethics in ‘citizen science’
Publication 17 October 2024This is the second in a series of short discussion papers produced by the Institute for Community Studies to share learnings and reflections from the UKRI-funded Citizen Science Collaboration Grants.
Telling the whole story: why we must be open about the complexities of citizen science research
Blog 31 October 2022Dr Helena Hollis says support structures can be developed to build participatory research capacities for the future.