Leicester IAA

Economic and Social Research Council Impact Acceleration Account

An overview of the ESRC Impact Acceleration Account (ESRC IAA) at the University of Leicester highlighting how social sciences research aims to address challenges in society and create positive change.

“The fund has helped us to forge ongoing, mutually beneficial and sustainable relationships with cultural organisations working at the leading edge of their fields”.

PROFESSOR RICHARD SANDELL, PROFESSOR OF MUSEUM STUDIES. CODIRECTOR OF THE RESEARCH CENTRE FOR MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES

“Receiving this ESRC IAA award opened up my horizons and gave me the wonderful opportunity to develop some meaningful networks and useful contacts. These are making my research have impact”.

DR ZAINAB MAI-BORNU, LECTURER IN INTERNATIONAL POLITICS, SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

At the University of Leicester, we tackle today’s global challenges together. From worldwide pandemics to the issues in our local community, our research is helping us to live healthier, fairer, more connected lives.

We are Citizens of Change.

How does the ESRC IAA work?

The University of Leicester was one of 26 UK universities that were awarded an Impact Acceleration Account by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC IAA) of £1 million over four years (2019-2023) to fund impact and knowledge exchange in the social sciences. The ESRC IAA supports our University’s mission to change lives for the better and enables us to collaborate with businesses, policy makers and communities, accelerating the real-world impact of our social sciences research.

Through the provision of flexible funding, the ESRC IAA enables us to respond quickly to new opportunities to work with partners in applying new knowledge to truly make a difference at local, national and international levels.

To date over 250 academics across the institution, including early career researchers and PhD students, have benefitted from ESRC IAA funding. We are delighted to have been awarded a further £1.25 million (2023-2028) by the ESRC to enable the University to continue to help address challenges in society and make a real world difference.

This visual summary report provides a snapshot of how the ESRC IAA at the University of Leicester works, and the world-changing research and partnerships that ESRC IAA funding has generated over the last four years.

From 2019-2023 our ESRC:

Accelerated the impact of our social science research by having greater engagement with user groups through new and existing strategic partners and our rapid response scheme.

Improved and tracked the economic and societal impact of our excellent research in social sciences, increasing engagement with other disciplines for impact.

Increased understanding of social sciences impact both outside and across the whole institution at all career levels, raising the profile of Leicester’s social science research regionally, nationally and internationally.

The funding to date has successfully achieved these aims through:

Our rapid response scheme which supports academics to build networks and undertake activities with non-academic organisations with 53 awards being funded.

Our strategic partnerships scheme to create seven longterm partnerships including public, private and third-sector organisations regionally, nationally and internationally.

A communications and events programme focusing on the ESRC Festival of Social Science taking place in October/November each year giving people the opportunity to explore topics relating to social sciences. Our academics showcased our impact to over 3400 members of the public and non-academics.

Training our PhD and ECRs to consider how their research could be applied to the needs and challenges of users with over 150 academics and professional services staff already having received training.

ESRC Festival of Social Sciences

Case Studies

Decolonizing Caribbean Criminal Justice: law, sentencing, incarceration and remand

Professor Clare Anderson & Dr Kellie Moss (University of Leicester), Dr Janeille Zorina Matthews & Appoy Robinson (University of the West Indies, Cave Hill)

Research aims

The research raises awareness of the modern day reproduction of the colonial-era pattern of incarcerating prisoners before trial, as this practice worsens prison overcrowding.

The research aims to encourage reform and the decolonization of the criminal justice system in the Caribbean.

Methodology

In the first half of the project, researchers used colonialera inspectors-general of prisons reports and postindependence prison service reports. This was to understand sentencing patterns, the use/ non-use of bail, and their impact on prison numbers, in Barbados, Belize (called Honduras during the colonial era), Dominica, and Guyana.

In the second half of the project, the research team developed events and outputs to communicate research findings to key stakeholders like members of the judiciary, prisons personnel, and the Caribbean media.

There has been a continuation of the use of colonial-era patterns of remanding pre-trial prisoners in jails. This is despite clear evidence that the unnecessary use of pre-trial detention causes economic and social harm, puts pressure on prison conditions and increases the risk of crime.

Three key findings: Impact:

BARBADOS AND DOMINICA

53% of the prison population are pre-trial detainees

Results vary across the region - currently highest in Barbados and Dominica with over 53% of the total prison population in pretrial detention.

Criminal justice practitioners understand better legacies of historical sentencing patterns.

There are lengthy trial backlogs, particularly for serious crimes such as murder. Problems include delays in police completing investigations, lack of evidence collection, court delays in preparing depositions, and adjournments in the courts.

Increased awareness that poor prison conditions date from the colonial era.

Covid in cartoons

Dr Fransiska Louwagie (now University of Aberdeen), Dr Diane Levine (University of Leicester), Dr Sarah Weidman (now Dogs Trust), Dr Kara Blackmore (now University College London)

Research aims

Many young people have had particularly challenging pandemic experiences. In this project, researchers explored how political cartooning could be used to help young people make meaning from their pandemic experience, strengthening their resilience and critical agency.

Methodology

The research included: 4 module minicourse delivered with partners ShoutOutUK, workbooks, surveys, focus groups.

A parallel project was also run with young people in South Africa, Kenya, and Cote d’Ivoire using workshop approaches.

Three key findings:

The more peer support our young people had to cope with challenges, the more likely they were to be able to be critical of the world around them and felt able to tackle problems.

Impact:

Young people picked up a wide range of interesting hobbies and activities during the pandemic. It was by no means terrible for ALL of them.

Over 90% of the young people completing the Covid in Cartoons mini-course agreed that they could read a political cartoon after the course. The percentage of young people ‘strongly agreeing’ rose from 17% to 47%.

Political cartooning (both interpretation of cartoons and drawing cartoons themselves) was an effective way of making meaning during the pandemic.

83% of teachers reported that the course helped students improve their ability to understand and think critically about political cartoons.

Everyone Welcome: Advancing inclusion with the National Trust

Professor Richard Sandell, Professor Suzanne MacLeod, Professor Corinne Fowler, Professor Anne Marie Greene, Dr Sarah Plumb, Dr Cesare Cuzzola, Dr Ceciel Brouwer (University of Leicester)

Research aims

The strategic partnership between the University and the National Trust sets out to support the Trust’s Everyone Welcome programme of inclusive and equitable organisational transformation, as well as create a sustainable partnership between the University and the Trust.

Methodology

Developing a toolkit to support more effective volunteer-management relationships by conducting surveys with pilot participants to indicate improvements in reported confidence in managing volunteers.

Developing models for addressing colonial legacies at Trust properties, by working collaboratively with school students to develop alternative and decolonised interpretations.

Researching and presenting histories of disability across the Trust, by working collaboratively with an international steering group of disability experts to identify previously untold stories and present them in ethical and inclusive ways.

Three key findings:

Nearly

havelinks to colonialism 1/3

of National Trust houses

Emotions management as a key skill in managing volunteers, with pilot participants indicating improvements in reported confidence in managing volunteers across all measures.

Nearly a third of National Trust houses have links to colonialism, this research is widely credited with leading the sector in its work to address heritage sites’ colonial histories.

Impact: Toolkit led to emotion management and affective commitment being embedded into guidance and policy for managing over 60,000 volunteers, and taken up by the Association of Volunteer Managers.

Some of the Trust’s properties and historical records presented disabled people of the past in reductive or stereotypical ways. Our research revealed that those same lives were filled with opportunity, autonomy, adventure, love and joy.

National Trust wide film showcasing 10 previously untold stories of disability with artist Chris Samuel.

Child

mental health service transformation

in South Africa and Pakistan disadvantaged communities

Honorary Professor Panos Vostanis and Associate Professor Michelle O’Reilly (University of Leicester)

Research aims

The research addresses the high level of unmet child mental health needs in children living in poverty, especially in Majority World Countries.

Methodology

Researchers developed partnerships at different levels in each country.

They provided training to two groups of NGO practitioners in the two countries, including young people as peer educators; and used a service transformation framework to develop service improvement plans on six domains.

Practitioners implemented the service plans over six months, and the process and impact were evaluated through focus groups, participatory workshops and reflective diaries by a range of stakeholders.

Three key findings:

Child mental health service provision needs to be co-produced with local stakeholders, including communities.

Impact: Establishment of interdisciplinary networks and partnerships.

This can be integrated within existing programmes and interventions.

Training of large number of practitioners and community stakeholders.

Cascade provision can reach marginalized groups with high levels of unmet mental health need.

Access to large numbers of children, youth and families without previous mental health provision.

The Environment, Peace and Conflict: Why the Voices of Women Matter

Dr Zainab Mai-Bornu (University of Leicester)

Research aims

The focus of this research is to amplify the voices of women affected by conflicts. There is a pressing need to shed new light on the stories ordinary people tell about their everyday experiences, within conflict-affected environments, in order to bring about positive change to their lives.

Methodology

The researcher used participatory and visual methodologies (participatory video and storytelling). Participatory approaches have long been promoted as processes to generate knowledge that addresses power inequalities, passing power from researcher(s) to research participants.

Three key findings:

Women’s voices are important in peace and conflict dynamics, they must be heard.

Impact:

Women are an untapped resource for their soft influence on how societies and people work to tackle conflict in a more nuanced way.

Women’s voices now more amplified on a collective platform.

Research is not only about academic outputs, focusing on impact allowed the researcher to do things that are meaningful with the participants.

New networks for continuing work developed.

Key Learnings

What next?

Through bringing together diverse forms of expertise (both lived and professional) mutually beneficial innovation is nurtured. Thinking, research and practice is disrupted and challenged through the collaborative process, generating new understandings and creative ways to address research questions and issues.

Collaboration is key Teamwork

Listening and responding sensitively to the needs of others is crucial to successful collaborative relationships.

Open and regular communication

This is important to ensuring the relationships between academics and citizen-researchers are equitable.

Flexibility and adaptability

These are a must to respond to the shifts when working with others, like Covid, staff changes and moving priorities.

The University has been awarded a further £1.25 million (April 2023-March 2028) by the ESRC to continue supporting impact and knowledge exchange activities in the social sciences. This will enable us to continue maximising the reach and significance of the impact our social sciences research; nurture new and strengthen existing partnerships; shape and influence policy; strengthen our culture of co-creation and research impact through skills development training and promote and showcase the impact and benefits our social sciences research has created.

To find out more about our ESRC IAA and how this could support your impact activities (University of Leicester staff only) visit:

https://le.ac.uk/esrciaa

For more about impact at Leicester:

https://le.ac.uk/ research/stories

For further information contact: esrciaa@leicester.ac.uk