BU Research Blog

“It is important to remember that impact is not always a moment in the sun, then yesterday’s news”.

 Bournemouth University colleagues Kip Jones and Lee-Ann Fenge discuss the “long tail” of meaningful community impact and the outputs needed to get there, featured from today in the LSE Impact of Social Science Blog.

“The ’long tail’ of research impact is engendered by innovative dissemination tools and meaningful community engagement”, an article reported in the LSE Impact Blog, discusses the involvement of Jones and Fenge in almost a decade-and-a-half of research at Bournemouth University on older LGBT citizens in Britain. In addition to in-depth research, their efforts included producing creative outputs alongside traditional publications. Using these tools, they have engaged community partners not only through workshops and trainings, but also as participant researchers and members of an Advisory Committee.

BU produced tools for diversity: Method Deck and the film, RUFUS STONE

For example, the blog highlights the particular relationship formed with Camilla Gibson, Strategic Equality and Inclusion Manager at Hampshire County Council’s Adult Services. She organised staff trainings with the help of the LGBT tools produced at Bournemouth University—a Method Deck to Diversity set of cards, and the research-based short film RUFUS STONE. In this way, Gibson was able to “change hearts and minds” about diversity and equality issues with over 4,000 staff in Hampshire.

Gibson’s story and more are outlined in the LSE Impact Blog, which refers to Fenge & Jones’ longer output published in the Qualitative Research Journal. A draft of that journal article, “Meaningful dissemination produces the ‘long tail’ that engenders community impact” can be downloaded here.

The LSE Impact Blog article is available here.