Sharing What Inclusive Research Engagement Really Looks Like

On 18 June 2026, we joined NHS England’s Learn & Share online event to present the outcomes of a series of communityrooted workshops delivered with the Academy of Primary Care (Hull York Medical School), Flash Company Arts, and our partners in the Humber and North Yorkshire Research Engagement Network (REN).

Across very different communities, we explored what genuinely inclusive research engagement looks like when VCSE organisations are trusted as equal partners. Our sessions surfaced practical insights: how people experience research, what helps them feel safe and respected, and how creative, culturally aware approaches open doors that traditional methods often close.

We shared a model of inclusive engagement built on trust, continuity, and communityled design, showing how research becomes more meaningful when it is shaped with, not just for, the people it aims to serve.

If you want to build research engagement that reaches real communities, and not just the usual voices – connect with us. THG supports organisations to design research involvement that is culturally grounded, relational, and genuinely inclusive.