Understanding Society is establishing a new Policy and Partnerships Forum of policy experts and practitioners to help get the best possible policy impact from the Study’s data and evidence. The new body will be chaired by Jo Bibby, Director of Health at The Health Foundation.
The Forum will bring representatives together from diverse organisations such as the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Frontier Economics, the Trades Union Congress, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Family Action and many others.
Members of the Forum will support Understanding Society’s Scientific Leadership Team, and give advice on subjects such as:
- maximising the Study’s reach with particular sectors
- opportunities for data and evidence use to address emerging policy challenges
- demonstration projects that could showcase creative policy applications of the data
- build longitudinal research capacity amongst policy users
- proposing topics to address unmet needs of groups or communities through research.
Jo Bibby said: “My work at The Health Foundation is focused on using evidence to create change. If we look at good health as an asset, for example, rather than poor health as a burden, we can promote policies and encourage local action that bring opportunities for a healthy life to people across the UK. Understanding Society data is one of our vital data sources in this work, and it, too, aims to influence policy and practice. It’s my hope that the new Forum will help to shape and direct research so that we can find the answers to a host of challenges we face in the 21st century.”
Raj Patel, Associate Director of Policy at Understanding Society, said: “The UK faces major challenges and uncertainties over the coming decade, not only because of COVID-19 but also an ageing society, the climate emergency, technological change, inequality and social divisions. That makes it even more important for Understanding Society to increase our reach, influence and impact on policy and practice. We’re part of UKRI’s multi-million pound investment in UK data infrastructure, and it’s vital for us to continue to innovate in the way we work. The forum will help us do exactly that.”
There is a current list of members on our website, with representatives from the fields of business and the environment still to be added.
Politics and social attitudes
