SEMINAR: 'Prepare for Impact: knowledge exchange, equality work and austerity'

When?

Wednesday 5 December 2012, 16.00 to 17.00

Where?

08 AC 03

Open to:

Public, Staff, Students

Speaker:

Andy King

Prepare for Impact: knowledge exchange, equality work and austerity

In this presentation I reflect on the experience of undertaking a knowledge exchange project called, ‘Putting Policy into Practice: Improving Services for older LGBT Adults in Tower Hamlets, London and Beyond’ (PPIP) in a time of funding cuts and austerity measures. I begin by outlining the project, which built on the findings of existing qualitative research examining the experiences of older lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) adults who lived and/or worked in East London. The PPIP knowledge exchange project was designed to maximise the impact of this original research. Throughout, the aim was to empower service providers to understand how their services could be made more accessible for older LGBT service users. Whilst the project achieved its aims, a number of challenges presented themselves. This presentation reflects on those challenges and considers how they were resolved, left in doubt and have eventually provoked new ideas. The presentation concludes with recommendations about undertaking knowledge exchange projects and making an impact in times of austerity.