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What is a Research Engagement Network (REN)?

The NHS England funded Research Engagement Network Development (REND) programme was launched in October 2022 to develop local partnerships between Integrated Care Systems (ICS), NIHR research infrastructure and Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) organisations to better enable diverse communities to get involved in research, and to embed this within ICS governance structures. The programme aims to increase the diversity of those who take part in research to be more representative of the local population; support engagement with communities who are typically underrepresented in research and support ICSs to develop and grow local Research Engagement Network activity.

Goal:

  • Focus on the development of local partnerships between VCSE organisations, NIHR, and ICSs to better enable diverse communities to get involved in research;
  • Embed this within ICS governance structures.

Cornwall's REN

Four Aims

  1. Deepen our understanding of the current reach of research in Cornwall
  2. Use food as a relatable object to initiate conversations about research, inequalities and inclusion.
  3. Co-produce language and resources for promoting research with and by people currently underserved by research
  4. Use the learning and resources to inform work in other ICS priority areas

Three Phases

1. Mapping

VCSE-based researchers will conduct in-depth mapping of the existing state of research across Cornwall, establishing:

  • Where and how much research is being conducted
  • What is being researched and which populations are involved
  • Where this information is held, and who has access to it

The learning will be used to create an accessible and updateable resource for use and further development by stakeholders.

2. Learning from Research Conversations

Working with and through the VCSE we will introduce research to conversations already taking place in diverse communities across Cornwall. We will use food as a relatable object to facilitate inclusive discussion and to develop understanding of:

  • How research is currently understood by people and communities.
  • How we can best create, improve or tailor access to and participation in research for different communities.
  • The roles of stakeholders in promoting and facilitating access to research.
  • The most important research priorities for communities and stakeholders.

We will coproduce a resource pack and guidance for researchers and stakeholders about the most effective framing and language for communicating research and research opportunities.

3. Mobilising the Knowledge Generated

Integrating with the ambitions for knowledge mobilisation across and beyond the Southwest Peninsula, this stage will embed, share and grow the learning, resources and networks developed through the project by:

  • Evaluating the impact of the programme
  • Exploring ways to embed the learning in future projects/partnerships.
  • How the approach can be adapted for different conditions, groups and communities.
  • Exploring opportunities to grow the network beyond the funding lifespan.
a community sharing food

Why Cornwall chose to focus on food

Hypothesis; If people are underserved by access to food then they are more than likely to be underserved by research as well.

Food is a cornerstone of good health and provides a reciprocal, relational, human aspect to working together to improve healthcare. Ian Summers shared the importance in his family culture of breaking bread together. We wanted to replicate this where possible in our research interactions.

Cornwall REN September 2023 - April 2024

Phase 1 Mapping

A difficult process to map the complexity of the research happening in Cornwall both within and outside of the Health Care institutions.

View the full size image here

System Complexity of Research

Current research connections between Food and Health

Phase 2 Learning from Research Conversations

Working with The Autistic Community Cornwall, Youth Arts Connect, Community Makers at Volunteer Cornwall, Rice and Peas and CN4C. Four different approaches culminating in a full day workshop in Redruth.

Findings from the Community Groups in report style

Findings from the Community Groups in presentation style

Please schedule some time and watch the first hour of this event to gather the richness of the findings from the REN project.

Output from the workshop

3. Mobilising the Knowledge Generated

Goal was to embed these findings into work practices. We didn’t want this to be a six month standalone project that could not integrate with the wider system. Reality is this takes time. We have done some things but there is more to do.

  1. Voices of Cornwall shaping research event was attended by all parts of the system from Public Health to PPIE leaders. Over 60 people attended however, we know there is far more in Cornwall working within this field that may will benefit from the learnings
  2. A guide for researchers was developed exploring the best approaches to engaging and including those who are taking part in the research from the perspective of the community groups
  3. Evaluation report, using 7 semi structured interviews to capture and asses the outcomes of the project against its defined objectives (awaiting final output)