{"id":2717,"date":"2026-03-03T12:44:49","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T12:44:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/engagement-and-impact\/?page_id=2717"},"modified":"2026-03-09T17:05:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T17:05:35","slug":"putting-communities-in-the-driving-seat","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/engagement-and-impact\/putting-communities-in-the-driving-seat\/","title":{"rendered":"Putting communities in the driving seat"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

By putting communities in the driving seat, our researchers work in genuine partnership to generate insights, build trust and create meaningful, lasting impact. Here, we showcase collaborative projects where communities steer the research agenda, helping to produce evidence that is grounded, equitable and transformative.<\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Community Led Research Pilot (CLRP)<\/h2>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We\u2019re helping communities explore the questions that matter most to them through research. The CLRP was a three-year partnership between the University of Reading and the British Science Association<\/a>, funded by UK Research and Innovation<\/a>. It supported six community organisations in Reading and Slough to design and run their own research on issues such as environmental action, identity and wellbeing. Through close collaboration with groups often under-represented in research, the pilot showed how local knowledge can shape more relevant, accessible and impactful science.[\/vc_column_text][vc_cta h2=”” css=”.vc_custom_1772639159163{background-color: #124e72 !important;}”]<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis pilot showed us what\u2019s possible when we start from trust and share power. When communities are supported to lead research on their own terms, the work becomes richer, more ethical and far more likely to create real change. The challenge now is for institutions and funders to adapt, so community-led research isn\u2019t the exception, but the norm.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Dr Sally Lloyd-Evans, Public Engagement with Community Research Fellow at the University of Reading<\/span>[\/vc_cta][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”2764″ img_size=”large” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” link=”https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/engagement-and-impact\/community-led-research-pilot-clrp\/” title=”About the pilot”][vc_column_text]What happens when communities don\u2019t just \u201ctake part\u201d in research but lead it? The CLRP showed<\/a>\u00a0that when communities are trusted to shape research on their own terms, the results are more relevant, more ethical and more likely to deliver real-world impact.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_video link=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=P3sPbT73K78″ title=”Film”][vc_column_text]Watch the project film<\/a> to learn <\/span>more about the impact of the CLRP and why community led research is so important.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”2774″ img_size=”large” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” link=”https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/research-blog\/2026\/02\/12\/what-community-led-research-has-taught-us-about-ethics-power-and-change\/” title=”Reflections and lessons learned”][vc_column_text]In this blog, Dr Alice Mpofu-Coles and Dr Sally Lloyd-Evans reflect on ethics, power and lessons learned<\/a> \u2013 not as a checklist of \u201cbest practice\u201d, but as an honest account of what community-led research asks of institutions, researchers and funders.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”2775″ img_size=”large” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” link=”https:\/\/www.britishscienceassociation.org\/the-community-led-research-pilot-evaluation” title=”Evaluation resources”][vc_column_text]Each community group co-produced a range of resources \u2013 including videos, case studies, research findings and practical tools. To explore the evaluation resources and community project outputs, read more about the CLRP Evaluation<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Explore more of our engaged research<\/h2>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

From defining research questions to guiding outcomes, these projects demonstrate what\u2019s possible when communities and researchers work side by side.<\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_basic_grid post_type=”post” max_items=”10″ order=”ASC” item=”2026″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1772819968801-759adda0-27d6-4″ taxonomies=”43″ exclude=”2747″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”2816″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https:\/\/showyourstripes.info\/”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] By putting communities in the driving seat, our researchers work in genuine partnership to generate insights, build trust and create meaningful, lasting impact. 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