getting started in public engagement/file/... · 2019-08-23 · communicating with non-specialist...

Getting Started in Public Engagement .

23/08/2019 © The University of Sheffield

Professor Vanessa Toulmin, Director of City and Culture.

Fran Marshall, Regional Engagement and Partnerships.

Aim of the session.

• To explain what public engagement is and why it is important.


Learning outcomes.

• By the end of the session, you will be able to:• Plan a public engagement activity.

• Establish the most appropriate method of engaging the public with your research.



Contents.

• What is Public Engagement?

• Role of the Public Engagement team

• How to develop a public engagement event

• Case studies

• Dr Afua Twum-Danso Imoh and KwekuSackey.

What is Public Engagement?

• “Public engagement describes the myriad of ways in which the activity and benefits of higher education and research can be shared with the public. Engagement is by definition a two-way process, involving interaction and listening, with the goal of generating mutual benefit.”

National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement

Wellcome Trust film.


That the university shares its research with artists and designers as well as the general public (not just industry!)Audience feedback


Aisha’s letter.


Regional Engagement and Partnerships.

• Support academics to take their research out to the public

• Work to enhance the cultural offer in Sheffield in line with the University’s core strategy

• Deliver events to add to city centre vibrancy.



https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/pre/public-engagement/resources/toolkits/index

Masterclasses.Subject Date

Getting started with public engagement 26 February 2019

Communicating with non-specialist audiences 28 March 2019

Evidencing public engagement for impact 30 April 2019

Grant writing for public engagement. 21 May 2019

Kaltura - Creating digital media for the public 22 May 2019


Professor Vanessa Toulmin.

• RCUK Public Engagement with Research Catalyst 2012-15

• Public engagement now part of the University’s strategic plan

• Public engagement as part of knowledge exchange is recognised through reward and recognition and HR processes

• REF

• Working to develop impact case studies.


Public engagement at the University of Sheffield.

Public engagement – why bother?

• to disseminate the results of your research

• to involve the public in helping formulate a research question or project

• to consult the public on their views about your work

• to encourage people to help you do your research

• to collaborate with the public in developing and running a project or activity

• to influence future teaching and future students.


Festival of the Mind 2018.

• 333 events

• Over 52,000 visitors

• 19 venues

• Over 160 staff and students volunteers


• 98% of respondents enjoyed the event

• 79% rated the festival as ‘great’

• 96% of respondents said the festival make them think more positively about the University of Sheffield's research

• 99% of respondents felt that festival helps make Sheffield a vibrant place.


• 145 researchers were involved in festival projects.

• 68 different creative partners collaborated with our academics.

• A total of 107 volunteers, made up of professional services staff, academic staff, postgraduate students and undergraduate students supported the festival.

• Staff volunteers came from 21 different departments.


Partners.


• Most respondents said that they though further work would be undertaken as a result of festival of the mind.

• ‘A good opportunity to collaborate with an academic and The University of Sheffield. Having seen former collaborations, it struck me as something with rich possibilities.’

Good practice examples Blackpool Winter Gardens.


Show of Shows.


Pitfalls of public engagement.


23/08/2019 © The University of Sheffield23

Things to think about

• Reasons for holding a public engagement event

• Why will the audience come to your event?

• Most effective way of getting your message across

• What do you want to get out of it?

• How will you engage with the public?

Getting started.


• Who will be in the audience? General public or specialist group

• Specialist groups may be approached through a network or forum and may need a targeted approach

• Think about a hook to get the audience interested in your research. Why will they want to come?

Sensitivity around audiences.

• Child protection issues/ Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks (previously CRB checks)

• You will need to seek permission before photographing and recording the event

• You will need to consider the cultural sensitivities of your audience to ensure widest possible appeal

• Consider barriers to attendance e.g. transport, childcare, time of the event

• Ethics


Different kinds of events.


Types of events.

• Lecture

• ‘In conversation with…’ format

• Panel debate

• Participatory dialogue event (e.g. focus group, workshop)

• Demonstration

• ‘Hands-on’ event (e.g. museum workshop)

• Film screening

• Theatre performance

• Exhibition etc

Need to consider the pros and cons of each to promote your message in the best way.


What will a successful event look like?

• Success – how will you measure it?

• Impact – what message do you want the audience to take home? In some cases, just taking part can be a success, in other cases you may want to stimulate thinking or a debate

• Communication – you will probably need to adapt the language of your research to appeal to the audience.


• Consider involving an external organisation to generate interest in your event or to promote your message in a different way

• Tell your story in a way that is likely to appeal to a wide audience – consider using artists, street theatre, interactive events etc.

Event promotion.

• How are you going to get people to come to your event?

• Where is the venue?

• Internal support: events can be promoted using email, events listings, What’s On etc.


Event promotion.

• The Public Engagement Team can help you with advice about producing leaflets, social media (twitter and facebook etc) and general promotion

• Media, Marketing and Digital Engagement Teams

• Filming facilities are available in most teaching rooms in the University and support is available from CiCS


Location of the event.

• Is the university the best location or should you take your research out to the public?

• What is the room like? Does it work for your event?

• Think creatively about location and format –local parks, neighbourhoods, community centres, supermarkets

• Venue accessibility – Consider the availability of public transport, accessibility, cost to get there, etc.


Timing of the event.

• Make sure the event does not clash with another event your target audience is likely to attend

• Can you piggy back your event onto something else?

• Activities may have to be run at unsociable times to attract the audience – e.g. weekends or evenings


Practicalities.

• Staff/ student volunteers• Contingency planning for bad weather or last

minute cancellations • Risk Assessment and Health and Safety• Non-university outside spaces will need

permission • You may also want to think about audience

reaction – what if you are heckled?• Appoint volunteers to manage audience

numbers, deal with queries etc

Budgets and costings.

• Cost is public engagement and evaluation at the start of the research planning or application

• Venue: External venue might charge but it could make the difference between getting the right audience and not

• Refreshments

• Recording your event: photographer or filming

• Security

• External advertising and promotion –posters/leaflets etc

Evaluation and Feedback.

• Short films, pod casts and video clips are becoming very common.

• What did you want to achieve from the event and can you measure it?

• What difference did the event have on the audience?

• How was the event received?• Could you do it better next time?

Evaluation and Feedback.

• Evaluation methods: Response comment cards, interviews, focus groups, graffiti walls, observation, drawings, video, photos, images, filming etc

• Think creatively about engaging the audience to tell you what they thought

• Some methods: before and after evaluation, video clips on exit, voting using tokens.

Opportunities for engagement – what is coming up?

• Pint of Science - annually in May

• Festival of Debate – April - June

• Off the Shelf - annually in October

• Festival of Social Science - annually in November

• Festival of the Mind – September 2020

• Mobile University – September 2019


For further information contact:

[email protected]

@UniShefEngage


ToDiscoverAndUnderstand.

getting started in public engagement/file/... · 2019-08-23 · communicating with non-specialist...

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