Building Systems-Based Approaches to Equitable Community-Led Research in Rural Scotland

Last year, we shared with Diversi our learning with the Network around equitable Community-Led Research in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.

Diversci is a collective that advocates for inclusion, equity, diversity and social justice in informal science engagement. They host regular community of practices where science engagement professionals meet with peers around the world to share ideas and resources. 

Lewis Hou, Science Ceilidh director and one of our CKM network coordinators, was featured in Diversci November’s community of practice. He shared learning from the Community Knowledge Matters network and the Ideas Fund programme supporting more participatory funding which goes directly to communities to lead research in Scotland. 

The recording of the session is a valuable resource with key ideas about how to build systems to enable communities to be more equitably involved in and lead knowledge production & research, including learning of his work: 

• developing the wider processes needed to ensure the funding and capacity building can be inclusive and sustainable

• the active support needed to readdress power imbalances with institutions

• and how this can lead to direct longer-term impact for communities and structural changes which centres lived experiences. 

Watch the recording here!