December’s Community Voices Webinar welcomes Jae Harris SYCC Manager.
SYCC is a small independent non-government funded charitable organisation at the heart of the Somerford community that aims to meet the needs of young people, their families, and the wider community. SYCC runs youth clubs, activities and other services for young people such as mentoring and mental health support. SYCC runs a community food project called The People’s Pantry – a low-cost service for families who are experiencing food poverty and there is a gym open to the community to use – and so much more.
Community voices is a collaboration between BU PIER partnership and Centre for Seldom Heard Voices to provide a platform and a voice to local community activists.
The ESRC Festival of Social Science 2024 has come to an end, successfully bringing together diverse audiences to explore, learn, and engage with BU’s research.
The 2024 festival, which included 324 nationwide events, had ‘our digital lives’ as a central theme. Many of the events examined the relationship between humans and digital technology, exploring current threats and opportunities, as well as imagining what life might be like in the future.
For the 13th year, BU took part in the festival, drawing over 250 attendees to five engaging events, two of which were also featured in the University of Southampton’s Arts and Humanities Day on Saturday 9 November. In partnership with the University of Southampton for the second consecutive year, the festival showcased a programme of events, ranging from discussions on well-being and cybersecurity to an exhibition highlighting the voices of young LGBTQ+ individuals.
Avonwood Primary School
Our festival programme began with ‘Underwater Farms – The Magic of Seaweed’ an exciting opening event for 61 year 3 students at Avonwood Primary School.
Activities with pupils at Avonwood Primary School
BU researchersAnastasia Vayona and Kirthana Pillay visited two classes, where they introduced children between the ages of 7-8 to the wonders of seaweed as a food source and highlighted how underwater farming could play a crucial role in creating a more sustainable future for agriculture. The children were particularly keen to try the seaweed scones!
“…a really informative and fun event that was perfectly pitched for the age of participants…it gave them a chance to explore food and nutrition in a fun, interactive context” feedback from a teacher at Avonwood Primary School
The next event in our programme, ‘Take a Meno(pause)’ – exploring well-being through yoga for mid-life -was an interactive session at Pavilion Dance, focusing on the benefits of yoga during the menopause years.
Yoga practice led by Dr Hecquet
Dr Juliette Hecquet’s research looks at yoga’s effectiveness in managing the physical and emotional symptoms of perimenopause, menopause, and beyond. By integrating body and mind, yoga promotes health, strength, and overall well-being during this life stage.
Yoga breathing exercises
Participants learned how yoga can enhance physical and mental health and how mindfulness can support the transition through mid-life. The session also included a guided yoga practice led by Dr Hecquet, with poses and breathing exercises designed to deepen relaxation and improve well-being throughout the menopause journey.
“…very professional and I thoroughly enjoyed it.” feedback from an attendee
Board game activities at Cybersecurity Family Fun day in Poole Dolphin Centre
BU’sCyGamBIT Team hosted a ‘Cybersecurity Family Fun Day’ at Gather, the hub for community events at the Dolphin Centre in Poole. During half term, this interactive cybersecurity day gave participants of all ages the opportunity to discover practical tools to enhance digital safety, with hands-on activities that made learning about cybersecurity both fun and accessible
Guided by BU computer science researcher Dr Jane Henriksen-Bulmer and CyGamBIT co-founder and BU PhD student Emily Rosenorn-Lanng, families left with practical takeaways to help keep their information secure and a better understanding of how digital safety affects everyone.
“…granddaughter loved how it taught her about safety online” feedback from an attendee
The ‘Communities of wellbeing: the digital lives of LGBTQ+ young people’ exhibition was displayed at the Lighthouse in Poole from 26 October – 16 November. The artwork highlighted the powerful stories of young LGBTQ+ individuals, who shared their experiences of creating inclusive online spaces where they feel safe, joyful, and have a sense of belonging.
Exhibition displayed at the Lighthouse in Poole
Dr Jayne Caudwell and Dr Francesca Gaunt hosted a series of workshops with LGBTQ+ youth. Through these group discussions, six key themes emerged, including topics like the experience of coming out as LGBTQ+ in online spaces. These conversations inspired the creation of artwork reflecting the themes explored.
The exhibition images and content from the workshops will also be used to create a digital version of the exhibition, coming soon!
“…inspiring – we all have far more in common than our differences – we all need respect and acceptance” feedback from an attendee
Our online workshop, ‘Teaching for Wellbeing: Connecting Practice with Socio-Emotional Support’, led by Dr Esther Anwuzia, covered effective teaching practices to support students’ well-being in today’s challenging environment.
Former teachers Elaine Baker-Smith and Jerry Whitton with a combined 55 years of experience also participated in the session, offering their perspectives on effective teaching practices, and promoting student well-being.
Dr Anwuzia’s research explores how heavy workloads restrict teachers’ ability to reflect beyond teaching and grading. Since the pandemic, an increasing number of students with social and emotional difficulties are absent from school. Focused teaching can help build students’ confidence and support responsible decision-making.
Teacher Zoom Event
The workshop provided an opportunity for teachers to connect, exchange insights, reflect on their experiences, and explore strategies for making a positive impact on students’ lives.
“… I remember having a teacher who explained information in lots of different ways to help with our understanding”
“…really brilliant presentation!” feedback from attendees
Watch this event
A Special Feature – Southampton Arts and Humanities Day
For the first time, BU researchers were invited to participate in the University of Southampton’s Arts and Humanities Day, which took place on Saturday 9 November in the city’s Cultural Quarter. The day offered a range of free interactive activities, workshops, talks, performances, and exhibits.
Attendees had the opportunity to engage with the Young LGBTQ+ stories exhibition, which attracted more than 90 viewers, while Dr Esther Anwuzia hosted a drop-in session on Connecting teaching with student wellbeing, making her own connections with more than 30 educators and members of the public.
Southampton Arts and Humanities Day
Thank you
A big thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to this year’s ESRC Festival of Social Science. Your involvement helped make our events a meaningful celebration of the positive impact social science has on our communities.
Applying for the ESRC Festival – what you need to know
Event leads were chosen through a competitive internal application process, with selections determined by a panel of researchers and professional services staff. BU’s Public Engagement Team provided support to help bring their creative and engaging event ideas to life.
If you’re considering participating in a future ESRC Festival of Social Science, now is an ideal time to start preparing your proposal. Begin by exploring the 2024 festival open call to gain insight into what we look for in applications for 2025.
If you would like to start discussing your ideas, please get in touch with the public engagement with research team at publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.
This month we welcome Mike Graham (Chief Executive Officer) and Tanya Bailey Education, Training & Employment Coordinator from The Lantern Trust.
The Lantern Trust is an independent registered charity that was founded in 1983 to help vulnerable and marginalised people in the Weymouth and Portland area.
The Lantern Trust aims to bring a lasting change in people’s lives through our dedicated service; meeting people’s practical, emotional, and personal aftercare needs. Their ethos is one of social inclusion, and aiming to break cycles of disadvantage and dependency.
Community voices is a collaboration between BU PIER partnership and Centre for Seldom Heard Voices to provide a platform and a voice to local community activists.
We are pleased to confirm that the deadline for submitting data for the 2023-24 HE-BCI submission has now passed.
We would like to extend our thanks to everyone who provided information on their social, community and cultural events.
This year, thanks to your valuable contributions, we appear to have successfully captured an increased number of events in comparison to previous years.
Thank you once again for your support. We look forward to sharing further insights with you soon.
Thank you to everyone who has already submitted their social, community and cultural events for 2023-24. Your contributions are greatly appreciated. If you haven’t submitted yours yet, there is still time.
Deadline: Monday 4 November
Last year, we documented over 200 events and reached a total of 18.5 million attendees (including media appearances) for the 2022-23 return. We aim to match or even exceed that success this year!
ESRC Festival of Social Science 2023 – Two Tone Towns: A Social History of Ska in Dorset
What is HE-BCI?
The HE-BCI survey is a mandatory annual return that BU makes to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). An important part of this is to capture activity in terms of social, community and cultural events intended for the external community. This data is part of the information used to determine the allocation of Higher Education and Innovation Funding (HEIF) for BU.
What activities can be included?
Please include details of any relevant events that you have been involved in which took place/will take place between 1 August 2023 – 31 July 2024
Events must have been open to the public or intended for an external (non-academic) group and have included an exchange of knowledge. Events may take place in the UK or overseas
TheSharePoint site provides details about what data is collected, including calculating attendee numbers, staff time, reporting online activities and multiple related events
Thank you to everyone who has already submitted their social, community and cultural events for 2023-24. Your contributions are greatly appreciated. If you haven’t submitted yours yet, there is still time.
Deadline: Monday 4 November
Last year, we documented over 200 events and reached a total of 18.5 million attendees (including media appearances) for the 2022-23 return. We aim to match or even exceed that success this year!
ESRC Festival of Social Science Event 2023 at RNLI
What is HE-BCI?
The HE-BCI survey is a mandatory annual return that BU makes to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). An important part of this is to capture activity in terms of social, community and cultural events intended for the external community. This data is part of the information used to determine the allocation of Higher Education and Innovation Funding (HEIF) for BU.
What activities can be included?
Please include details of any relevant events that you have been involved in which took place/will take place between 1 August 2023 – 31 July 2024
Events must have been open to the public or intended for an external (non-academic) group and have included an exchange of knowledge. Events may take place in the UK or overseas
TheSharePoint site provides details about what data is collected, including calculating attendee numbers, staff time, reporting online activities and multiple related events
We’re hosting a range of free events at locations across Bournemouth and Poole as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science – covering everything from staying safe online to the benefits of yoga during menopause and the digital lives of LGBTQ+ young people.
They will take place between 19 October and 9 November as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science, which offers an insight into some of the country’s leading social science research and how it influences our lives.
The theme for this year’s festival is ‘Our Digital Lives’, with events exploring the relationship between humans and digital technology, from threats and opportunities facing us today to what life might look like in future.
A drop-in event at the Dolphin Shopping Centre on Friday 1 November will offer families the opportunity to explore cybersecurity and staying safe online while playing games including CyGamBit, developed by researchers at BU.
An exhibition of artwork based on young LGBTQ+ people’s stories of using digital spaces to enhance wellbeing will be on display at the Lighthouse, Poole from Saturday 26 October – Saturday 16 November. The display aims to challenge the often negative coverage of LGBTQ+ lives portrayed in mainstream media.
Other events include a women’s mini-yoga retreat, exploring the benefits of yoga in midlife and beyond; an online event for teachers to help support student wellbeing and social and emotional skills; and a school assembly at Avonwood Primary School introducing children to seaweed as a potential food source.
Amanda Edwards, Impact Manager at Bournemouth University, said: “We’re looking forward to showcasing BU’s social science research through workshops, exhibitions, and interactive activities for the ESRC Festival of Social Science this year.
“It is a great opportunity to explore some of the issues that affect our lives and society and have fun learning something new. We are particularly excited to be joining colleagues from University of Southampton on the final day of the festival.”
For the second year, BU is partnering with the University of Southampton and BU researchers will also be involved in the Arts and Humanities Day on Saturday 9 November, as part of the Southampton Arts and Humanities Festival.
The ESRC Festival of Social Science is an annual celebration of the social sciences, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
Stian Westlake, ESRC Executive Chair, said: “The ESRC Festival of Social Science offers a unique insight into UK social science research and its relevance to individuals, society and the economy.
“There are hundreds of free events taking place across the UK and online, including at Bournemouth University. We hope you enjoy the events and finding out more about social scientists’ work.”
The LGBTQ+ Digital Lives project at Bournemouth University is exploring the online safety experiences of young people in the LGBTQ+ community.
Could you spare a few minutes to share your thoughts on this important issue?
The content and ideas shared from this survey will contribute to the ‘Our Digital Lives’ art exhibition, which will be on display during the ESRC Festival of Social Science (October – November 2024) with plans to also display during LGBTQ+ History Month (February 2025) and Pride Month (June 2025).
Your participation in this survey is greatly appreciated. Please be assured that all responses will remain completely anonymous with no personal identifiers collected. Your answers will be used solely to support the ‘Our Digital Lives’ art exhibition.
We need your help to ensure we submit all our social, community and cultural events for 2023-24. Deadline: Friday 15 November
ESRC Festival of Social Science event 2023
What is HE-BCI?
The HE-BCI survey is a mandatory annual return that BU makes to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). An important part of this is to capture activity in terms of social, community and cultural events intended for the external community. This data is part of the information used to determine the allocation of Higher Education and Innovation Funding (HEIF) for BU.
Last year we recorded 200+ events and a total of 18.5m attendees (which includes media appearances) for the 2022-23 return. We want to ensure we can do as well, if not better for this year!
What activities can be included?
Please include details of any relevant events that you have been involved in which took place/will take place between 1 August 2023 – 31 July 2024
Events must have been open to the public or intended for an external (non-academic) group and have included an exchange of knowledge. Events may take place in the UK or overseas
TheSharePoint site provides details about what data is collected, including calculating attendee numbers, staff time, reporting online activities and multiple related events
We are putting together the 2023-24 HE-BCI return and could use your help to make sure we include all of BU’s social, community, and cultural events
ESRC Festival of Social Science event in 2023
What is HE-BCI?
The HE-BCI survey is a mandatory annual return that BU makes to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). An important part of this is to capture activity in terms of social, community and cultural events intended for the external community. This data is part of the information used to determine the allocation of Higher Education and Innovation Funding (HEIF) for BU.
What activities can be included?
Please include details of any relevant events that you have been involved in which took place/will take place between 1 August 2023 – 31 July 2024
Events must have been open to the public or intended for an external (non-academic) group and have included an exchange of knowledge. Events may take place in the UK or overseas
The deadline for submitting your events is Friday 15 November.
TheSharePoint site provides details about what data is collected, including calculating attendee numbers, staff time, reporting online activities and multiple related events
Join us for the end of project celebration event for the NIHR funded Trans Aware Cancer Care (TACC) project. Wednesday September 25th 10.45-1.30pm Mast Studios Southampton
This will be an opportunity to see the BU PIER community researcher model in action. Hear how the community researchers captured such deep and rich insights -what worked well, the many lessons learnt, and how the project will inform service developments to reduce health inequalities for the trans+ community.
For more details about the event and to book a place is here is the link:
We are compiling the 2023-24 return and need your help to ensure we record all BU’s relevant social, community and cultural events
Dr Samuel Hills and Dr Jill Nash taking part in an ESRC Festival of Social Science event in 2023
What is HE-BCI?
The HE-BCI survey is a mandatory annual return that BU makes to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). An important part of this is to capture activity in terms of social, community and cultural events intended for the external community. This data is part of the information used to determine the allocation of Higher Education and Innovation Funding (HEIF) for BU.
What activities can be included?
Please include details of any relevant events that you have been involved in which took place/will take place between 1 August 2023 – 31 July 2024
Events must have been open to the public or intended for an external (non-academic) group and have included an exchange of knowledge. Events may take place in the UK or overseas
The deadline for submitting your events is Friday 15 November.
TheSharePoint site provides details about what data is collected, including calculating attendee numbers, staff time, reporting online activities and multiple related events
All the members of the Sonamoni team would like to congratulate Dr. Aminur Rahman, the Co-PI of our project for his award this week from HRH Prince Michael of Kent. Dr. Rahman from CIPRB (Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh) was awarded the HRH Prince Michael of Kent Certificate of Merit for services rendered to water safety. Dr. Rahman is visiting Bournemouth this week as part of a planning meeting for our project. This Sonamoni project has been made possible thanks to a grant from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) through their Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation programme. For more information, visit the NIHR website.
In Bangladesh, drowning is the leading cause of death in children between one and two years old. This low-income country has one of the highest rates of drowning, especially among children, in the world.
Grants available to support chemistry-based public and schools engagement activities
Small Grant up to £5,000
Large Grant between £5,001 and £10,000
About the Outreach Fund
The fund aims to support projects or programmes that:
Develop chemists’ public engagement and science communication skills – building capacity and opportunities for chemists and chemical scientists to engage with schools and public audiences
Engage with school students – inspiring and raising aspirations of student audiences to nurture a future generation passionate about the chemical sciences
Engage with public audiences – involving a wide range of people in relevant contemporary issues in the chemical sciences
Provide under-represented audiences, communities and places with inspiring chemistry engagement opportunities, delivered or coordinated by skilled people
This funding is subject to the same internal processes as external research funding. Before applying, interested PIs (Principle Investigators) should submit a completed e-ITB form (Intention to Bid) by at least 4 weeks before the deadline.
Application deadline: Monday 9 September 2024
Contact
If you have any questions, or would like to discuss a potential project please email: outreach@rsc.org
Alternatively, if you would like advice on developing ideas or submitting your application, please contact Public Engagement with Research: publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk
At BU we promote and celebrate the work done to engage public audiences with our research.
The Public Engagement with Research team, part of Research Development and Support, can help you reach relevant audiences through a monthly newsletters and social media channels.
To be considered for promotion, your event or activity must meet the following criteria:
Targeted at and open to non-academic audiences
Centered on BU research, either exclusively or as part of a broader programme. Events not involving BU research, such as marketing or recruitment events, will not be accepted
Submitted by the first two weeks of the month prior to the event. For instance, an event in June should be submitted by May 14
Event descriptions may be edited to align with our style guidelines
BU is compiling data for the annual Higher Education–Business & Community Interaction (HE-BCI) survey and we’d like to know about the social, cultural and community events that you have been involved in.
What is HE-BCI?
The HE-BCI survey is a mandatory annual return that BU makes to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). An important part of this is to capture activity in terms of social, community and cultural events intended for the external community. This data is part of the information used to determine the allocation of Higher Education and Innovation Funding (HEIF) for BU
What activities can be included?
Please include details of any relevant events that you have been involved in which took place/will take place between 1 August 2023 – 31 July 2024
Events must have been open to the public or intended for an external (non-academic) group and have included an exchange of knowledge. Events may take place in the UK or overseas
The deadline for submitting your events is Friday 15 November
TheSharePoint site provides details about what data is collected, including calculating attendee numbers, staff time, reporting online activities and multiple related events
Join our public lecture and debate on Wednesday 24 July, 5:30-7pm to find out about tattoos and the law
As more and more people choose to be tattooed in the UK, how tattoos and the law interact becomes increasingly important.
For tattoo artists, there are growing concerns around tattoo copying, and questions of whether tattoos are protected by copyright law. For tattooed people, there are questions about discrimination and whether employers can choose not to hire you, simply because you are tattooed.
Join our public lecture and debate, led by Bournemouth University legal expert Melanie Stockton-Brown to find out about your tattoos and the law. Discuss your own experiences and potential legal changes.
Guided by BU computer science researcher 
This year, thanks to your valuable contributions, we appear to have successfully captured an increased number of events in comparison to previous years.
They will take place between 19 October and 9 November as part of the 
Successful first session in the ADRC seminar series
Dr Julia Round awarded 2024 Comics Education Kinnard Award
The 16th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference – Thank You
MSCA Staff Exchanges 2024 Call – internal deadline
Applications are now open for 2025 ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowships!
BU Professor has been invited to a series of plenary and invited lectures.
An Interview of BU-lead EU H2020 FIRST project published in “Horizon”, the EU Research & Innovation Magazine
Update on Horizon Europe Guarantee