Susan Davidson PhD Research Adviser Age UK Mission to improve the lives of older people Social enterprise and charity 7 areas of activity 170 local Age UKs 3000 employees 50000 volunteers ID: 376053
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Collaborations with the Third Sector: Achieving Impact from Research
Susan Davidson, PhD
Research Adviser
Age UKSlide2
Mission – to improve the lives of older people
Social enterprise and charity
7 areas of activity 170 local Age UKs 3000 employees50,000 volunteersThere are over 200,000 charities in the UK and some much bigger than us!
Introduction to Age UKSlide3
We aim to underpin everything we do with
evidence
Ways we use research:ServicesPolicy-making and influencingCampaignsPublic educationFund-raisingEnterprises – products and marketingSlide4
Research for Later Life
(Age UK Research)
Overall aim - to produce research solutions for an ageing society by:Funding and commissioning ‘Research into Ageing’ (Health & Well-being)
Social research
Services and evaluation research
Translating research findings to produce an evidence base for policy, practice, products and services (including market research)
Developing mutually beneficial research relationships at all levels Slide5
Example: Care in Crisis Campaign
Problem: many older people contacted Age UK about their issues and challenges with social care.
Age UK realised this was a systemic problem, and a priority for us to action.Campaigns Team: gathered research – evidence about problems, needs, what does and does not work. Planned and carried out a campaignResearch Team: in addition to helping gather research, worked with Dr Julien Forder, a Principal Research Fellow at PSSRU at the London School of Economics, and his model to estimate future costs of social care; modified model and make predictions and recommendations for Government in a report.
Media Team
: helped get the issue and Age UK’s efforts publicised.
Policy Team
: met MPs and other key people, gave interviews, blogs.
Local partners and shops: gathered 130,000 signatures on petitions from around the country to give the Government, met local MPs
The report and petition were read by key decision-makers in Government; these helped shape a White Paper on this issue and a new bill. Slide6
Development of the exercise programmes in the NSF falls services (2001)
Development of the DWP ageing strategy in ‘Opportunity Age’ (2005)
Development of the Social Exclusion Units strategy in ‘A Sure Start to Later Life’ (2006)Development of treatment for reducing post-event inflammation in thrombotic stroke (2009) Changes to the diagnosis and treatment of urinary incontinence (2010)
Removal of the default retirement age (2011)
More examples of Age UK Research ImpactSlide7
Challenges that charities have with research
Small amounts of money to spend
Limited access to published researchInformation overloadDifferent prioritiesAcademic research not easy to engage withMessages – ‘so what’?Slide8
Overcoming these
We need researchers to work with us!
‘Stakeholder’ input from the beginning, not just a letter of supportHelp us understand findings and their implications, how they could fit in with or update existing resources, possible ways of using themSlide9
What researchers get out of this
Impact!
Getting findings known, disseminated, used – services, influence policy-makers/politicians, practitioners, people and their families, the public…Slide10
What is research impact ?
Impact is defined as an effect on, change or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment or quality of life, beyond academia
Impact includes but is not limited to:• the activity, attitude, awareness, behaviour, capacity, opportunity, performance, policy, practice, process or understanding • of an audience, beneficiary, community, constituency, organisation or individuals • in any geographic location whether locally, regionally, nationally or internationallySlide11
While changing behaviour and practice are the golden ideal, these things are difficult to do
and to prove
Why should I change? What’s in it for me?People need to see what the benefit is to them. Specifically for practitioners and managers:Improving efficiency/help make job easierReduce cost (or at least be cost-neutral)Increase incomeWhat do I need to do?People need easy to understand and follow steps, not a reportSlide12
Our Research Team can get messages out to many audiences within our scope through:
monthly
presentations to staff and invited othersmonthly bulletin to a professional audiencesblogsarticles on our website pod casts – short interview with you Age UK Radio for interviews
Campaigns, Media, Policy, Services, and Fundraising Teams, local partners & shops, our relationships with key people…
See our web pages for example of our communication products
http://www.ageuk.org.uk/professional-resources-home/knowledge-hub-evidence-statistics/
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Things to consider
Which organisation/s could use your findings? How?
Who to approach within an organisation?Everyone is busy and overworkedCommunication throughout organisationCommunicating to/engaging with a lay audience Differing time scalesGeneral lack of money (best for you to build impact and dissemination costs into your grant proposals)Best to get in before you start…Slide18
Thank you!
Please feel free to contact me:
Susan Davidson, PhDResearch AdviserAge UK
susan.davidson@ageuk.org.uk