South West, 2 December 2024: South West Race Equity Research Network (SWRERN) has secured just under £1m* funding to counteracting power imbalances in traditional research ecosystems and re-imagining the role of knowledge-production, centring Black and Minoritised people, and delivering tangible positive change.
The money has been awarded through phase two (the implementation phase) of the Community Research Networks programme, which has been funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and will be delivered by The Young Foundation, a non-profit organisation that specialises in community research and social innovation.
The funding will be used to support SWRERN to reach five key goals:
1. Building capacity in, and confidence to utilise, research and data in the racial justice community sector, and cross the South West.
2. Providing resources for SWRERN’s community partners to explore anti-racist methodologies that are appropriate for their geographic areas and communities.
3. Supporting SWRERN’s partners to develop technical research skills, and to share learnings from the new explorative approaches tested through the project.
4. Exploring digital technology and tools to enable equitable cross-sector knowledge co-production, and models for collective ownership of data.
5. Leveraging the Network’s collective power and breaking down the barriers hindering communities’ access to research, data and innovation.
SWRERN is made up of 15 partners across the South West of England: Black South West Network (BSWN), Bristol Black Carers (BBC), Bristol Somali Resource Centre (BSRC), Chinese Community Wellbeing Society (CCWS), BeOnBoard, Black Families Education Support Group (BFESG), Race Equality North Somerset (RENS), Voluntary Action North Somerset (VANS), Changing Suits, Dorset Race Equality Council (DREC), Ubuntu Counselling Services (UCS), Plymouth and Devon Racial Equality Council (PDREC), Black Voices Cornwall (BVC), Bath Spa University, University of Bristol.
Sado Jirde, Director at Black South West Network, one of the Network partners, said: “The creation of the South West Race Equity Research Network is a groundbreaking opportunity for the racial justice sector and racialised communities across the South West of England. Being funded £1m* directly from UKRI, the Network will invest in building the sector’s capacity, ownership and leadership of knowledge-production. It will unlock a new level of exploration around the meaning of research and the role that community knowledge can play in dismantling racial inequalities.”
Helen Goulden OBE, CEO at The Young Foundation, said: “We know that local communities and citizens understand local needs best, and are fundamental to tackling complex societal issues. Which is why the Community Research Networks programme is so important. The insights gained from the South West Race Equity Research Network and other local research networks will be vital if we are to work together to tackle some of the persistent and entrenched challenges we face. And at a national level, we hope to be actively contributing to a new and evolving infrastructure to support community research across the UK. This is core to The Young Foundation’s strategy, and as delivery partner we are proud to be working alongside UKRI to support this work over the next five years – and beyond.”
UKRI Chief Executive Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, said: “I am delighted to see the launch the second phase of UKRI’s Community Research Networks programme, in partnership with The Young Foundation.
“At UKRI we strongly believe that R&I should be by everyone, for everyone, everywhere. This programme offers a step-change in the way UKRI funds R&I to reflect this priority. We are putting money into the hands of communities to tackle the issues that matter most to them.
“I am excited to see how these nine networks will enhance connectivity within and between the UK’s regions, contributing to an R&I system that benefits from diverse expertise and understanding.”
The aim of the Community Research Networks programme is to put communities at the heart of research, awarding grants to organisations that are interested in supporting local people across the UK, and working with them to better understand their valuable role in research and innovation. The programme has awarded a total of £8.9m to community networks across the country in this second phase, with an additional £625k awarded in the first phase.
The South West Race Equity Network is one of nine community research projects across the UK that has received funding as part of the second phase of this project. Other grantees include a network addressing rural challenges in Durham, and a group researching economic inequality in Belfast communities.
Visit www.youngfoundation.org/community-research-networks to find out more.