Public and Community Engagement Conference 2025

Join us for the Public and Community Engagement Conference 2025 on Friday 26th September, bringing together staff engaged in public and community engagement to share success stories, identify gaps in support, explore improvements, and highlight available training opportunities.

Agenda:

9:00 – 9:30 | Arrival & Refreshments

9:30 – 9:35 | Welcome & RIS Overview – Claire Hutchinson

9:35 – 9:40 | Opening Remarks - Louise Bracken PVC Research and Knowledge Exchange 

9:40 – 9:45 | CHASE Overview – Prof Monique Lhussier

9:45 – 10:15 | Roundtable Introduction & Expectations – Asoc Prof Will McGovern

10:15 – 10:30 | Break

10:30 – 11:30 | Research Culture Island Activity – Facilitated by Claire Hutchinson

11:30 – 11:45 | Break & Table Exploration

11:45 – 11:50 | Public Partnership Training Programme – Vicki Harris

11:50 – 11:55 | RIS Internal Training Offer – Emma Watson

11:55 – 12:15 | Co-producing a Regional Approach to Community Engagement in Health and Care Research - Greta Brunskill and Beth Reeves

12:15 – 12:30 | Three experts in PCE from each of the new faculties will share some success stories

12:30 – 12:50 | Open Mic: Reflections & Ways Forward – Facilitated by Asoc Prof Will McGovern

For more information about public engagement support you can access, contact claire.s.hutchinson@northumbria.ac.uk

Audience:

Northumbria University academics and professional services staff involved or interested in public and community engagement.

Additional Information:

Vicki Harris - Head of Partnerships - Newcastle Health Research Partnership (NHRP)

Opportunity: Public Partnership Training Programme

The Public Partnership Training Programme is a joint initiative between Newcastle Health Research Partnership (NHRP) and Creating Connections Vicki Harris, Head of Partnerships at Newcastle Health Research Partnership, will update on the free training programme, available for research staff, PPIE professionals, public contributors, health professionals and VCSE staff based in the North East and North Cumbria. The training is designed to support inclusive and collaborative research with sessions tailored to the stages of the research cycle, as well as research inclusion sessions. 

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/newsletters

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2025 Public Partnership Training Programme 

Our free Training Programme features a combination of online and in-person sessions. For a full breakdown, please see the attached schedule.

Registration is now open for sessions taking place from September to November 2025 through our platform. 

Note that sessions scheduled for January to March 2026 will be announced in October 2025, while those from April to June 2026 will be announced in February 2026.

Greta Brunskill (NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Diagnostic & Technology Evaluation) and Beth Reeves (Voluntary Organisations’ Network North East (VONNE)) 

Co-producing a Regional Approach to Community Engagement in Health and Care Research

The emphasis on involving the public and communities as active partners in health and care research is growing. Researchers often turn to organisations in the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector to engage diverse groups in their research activity. Our presentation will highlight some of the key challenges and considerations for these VCSE and research connections based on core principles of building meaningful, reciprocal and sustainable partnerships. Recent innovative work in the North East & North Cumbria to co-produce new, practical tools to support VCSE and research partners to work together will be shared to illustrate how these principles can look in practice. Following our presentation there will be opportunity for Q&A around barriers and facilitators to partnership working with communities and VCSE organisations.

For further information on how to access the VCSE Research Partnership support that VONNE offer including finding out how you can get involved go to:

https://www.vonne.org.uk/north-east-and-north-cumbria-vcse-research-partnerships

Public Engagement and Impact Training Programme 2025-2026

New Public Engagement Training Opportunities for Researchers

We are pleased to announce a series of upcoming training sessions designed to support researchers in developing inclusive, impactful public engagement practices. These sessions are open to all academic staff and postgraduate researchers interested in enhancing their engagement skills. To book a place email rn.impact@northumbria.ac.uk

Creative Engagement with Learning Disabled Communities

Research Abilities – Lawnmowers Theatre Company

Dates and venue TBC

Lawnmowers Theatre Company, a pioneering theatre-arts organisation led by and for people with learning difficulties, will deliver a series of creative workshops aimed at challenging perceptions and raising awareness of issues affecting learning disabled people. These sessions are suitable for researchers seeking to engage learning disabled participants in their work or wishing to broaden their approach to inclusive public engagement.

SWAT – Lawnmowers Theatre Company

Dates and venue TBC

This workshop is tailored for researchers working in or alongside Social Work, Nursing, Education, and related fields. It will explore the barriers learning disabled individuals may face when accessing services and offer practical strategies for fostering inclusive, respectful, and empowering interactions.

Innovative Research Methods and Facilitation

From Stage to Study: Using Drama to Facilitate Inclusive Focus Groups – Claire Hills-Wilson

Dates and venue TBC

Led by Claire Hills-Wilson, a drama facilitator and specialist in learning disability arts, this session introduces creative methodologies for conducting accessible and inclusive focus groups. Participants will explore how drama-based techniques can enhance engagement, deepen insights, and support ethical research practices.

Professional Development in Engagement and Communication

Networking for Researchers – Jeni Smith, NetKno

Pandon LG Melbourne: Tues 28 Oct (2–4pm), Thurs 27 Nov (10–12pm), Weds 28 Jan (10–12pm); Thurs 26 March (10–12pm, venue TBC)

Jeni Smith will deliver both introductory and advanced sessions on networking for academic professionals. These workshops will cover strategies for building meaningful connections with stakeholders, collaborators, and beneficiaries, and offer practical tools for expanding your research impact through effective engagement.

Introduction to Public Engagement – Jamie Gallagher

Online: Date TBC & Thurs 22 Jan (9:30–12:30pm)

This interactive workshop provides a comprehensive introduction to public engagement, guiding participants through the process of designing and delivering impactful engagement activities tailored to their research and audiences.

Social Media for Researchers – Jamie Gallagher

Online: Date TBC & Weds 4 Feb (1–4pm)

Explore how to effectively use social media to share your research, foster dialogue, and reach wider audiences. This session will cover platform-specific strategies, content creation, and techniques for building an online presence that supports your research goals.

Storytelling for Researchers – Duncan Yellowlees

Mon 10 Nov (10–12:30pm), Room TBC

This workshop will delve into the principles of storytelling as a tool for research communication. Participants will learn how to simplify complex ideas, connect with audiences emotionally, and craft compelling narratives that make their research resonate.

Understanding and Embedding Research Impact

Impact Integrators: Introducing Impact into Your Everyday Practice

Self-paced online course – specific cohorts; contact the Impact Team for details

This eight-week introductory course is designed for researchers new to the concept of research impact. It provides foundational knowledge and practical guidance on integrating impact into your research planning and delivery.

For further details and to explore additional internal training opportunities, please visit our intranet page: Public Engagement and Impact Training Programme 2025-2026 To book a place email rn.impact@northumbria.ac.uk