How our pioneering Engage programme is helping build capacity for engagement
The NCCPE and Liverpool John Moores University have successfully completed a pioneering five-month-long ‘Engage’ programme. As stage one comes to a close, Jackie Winchester, programme lead and NCCPE Senior Project Officer, reflects on the process.
At the start of 2024, The NCCPE and Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) embarked on a brand new partnership with the aim of building capacity to embed engagement and place-based work at the university.
Along with several NCCPE colleagues, including our Co-director, Sophie Duncan, and one of our valued associates, Lisa Jamieson, I led a training programme for 21 participants from a range of Faculties, including PhD students and professors,
We wanted to build on the recently developed LJMU Place and Partnership Strategy, to help create more connected activity and leadership. The participants included LJMU researchers with an interest in civic or public engagement with research. LJMU were keen to build a bridge between existing public engagement development activities and external programmes such as Engage Academy, to facilitate progression onto more in-depth activities in the longer term and build greater infrastructure internally.
Together, NCCPE and LJMU developed a bespoke professional development programme that would enable participants to: develop their understanding of high-quality engagement and put it into practice, engage with colleagues similarly committed to public engagement, and share and develop engagement approaches relevant to their research.
The Engage programme provided a mix of face-to-face and online workshops delivered by the NCCPE team, which focused on audiences, partnerships, funding and evaluation and brought in expert speakers on particular topics. The final workshop was practically focussed on next steps and how the cohort may work together to form a ‘community of practice’ for mutual discussion and support in the future to continue to develop support for and sharing of good practice around engagement.
Mid programme, we ran a short survey to see how participants were finding it, here's what they said:
As engagement continues to grow in significance - this is a way to learn and grow in confidence and be 'ahead' of the game with likeminded people
It is an investment in you as a researcher in this paradigm which has often not been appreciated before
At the final workshop in June, one participant described the programme as ‘transformational and life-changing’. In the Autumn, a field trip to the Eureka Science and Discovery Centre (ESDC) will see participants demonstrating their skills by ‘pitching’ a campaign or installation to ESDC staff to be explored further.
This is the first of a three-year collaborative programme between NCCPE and LJMU and following an evaluation of the first year, we'll be developing the 2024/25 programme. There are also plans afoot to bring Alumi back to support new learners' journeys and establish a dedicated CPD fund for 2024-25, including mentoring and attendance at key events.
I've found bringing together researchers from a range of backgrounds - from forest schools to criminal justice! - and getting to see participants grow in confidence and skills incredibly rewarding. I'm looking forward to seeing what the alumni go on to do next.
