Research is a key part of any organisation's work, especially at Coventry City Council. Coventry HDRC is providing Council colleagues with the opportunity to become Research Ambassadors and make a real difference to some of our services. We spoke to Service Leads Laura Waller and Stephen Weir to gain insight into the programme.
Laura Waller, Digital Services and Inclusion Lead for Customer and Business Services, shared:
"Digital inclusion is one of the foundational building blocks for the Coventry HDRC, and since its launch, our collaboration with the programme has deepened our understanding of how digital inclusion impacts health and wellbeing. From my perspective, I’ve seen firsthand how the Research Ambassadors, especially Catherine Partridge (Digital Inclusion Coordinator), have made a practical and meaningful difference.
What stands out most is the way Research Ambassadors have identified new opportunities for research, working closely with universities to address gaps in our evidence base. They haven’t just contributed at a strategic level; they’ve also taken practical steps, such as embedding evaluation within our programmes, successfully accessed a range of funding opportunities, supporting student placements, and encouraging the team to reflect more deeply on how we use research, evidence our work, and evaluate our outcomes. This has been crucial in helping us move toward more evidence-informed decision making, particularly in digital inclusion, where robust evidence is often limited.
Personally, it’s been fantastic to see Catherine Partridge develop new skills, connect with others, and build strong relationships; especially with our research colleagues at universities and within the Coventry HDRC team. The flexibility and support from the HDRC have made it possible for Catherine to balance both roles effectively.
Looking ahead, while the programme is still evolving, the early signs are promising. The Ambassadors are not only growing in their roles but are also helping the organisation grow, opening up opportunities, building stronger networks, and demonstrating how research can drive real change for Coventry."
Stephen Weir, Strategic Lead for Economic Development Service, added:
"About year ago, I was asked to get involved with Coventry HDRC as one of the Pillar Leads. My role in HDRC is finding ways to change the way the Council approaches its work and try to help “build-in” thinking based on research into the way we deliver our services.
One of the ways that we’ve done this is to appoint Research Ambassadors. This is a part time role that people take on in addition to their day job which gives them the opportunity to have training about research techniques and looks for ways that this can be applied in their service areas. They are also developing new skills in evaluation, project design, and preparing funding applications.
Not only is this a great development opportunity for the individuals – Research Ambassadors get extra hours on top of their existing role paid at a senior grade – it provides an excellent link between the HDRC and the people who are delivering our services.
We are lucky enough to have two Research Ambassadors in Economic Development, and I’ve been really pleased by what they’ve been able to achieve. The role has given them the time and space to meet with academics at both our universities and work with them to find research and funding opportunities for our service and for the wider Council.
With the next round of recruitment, I am looking forward to seeing Research Ambassadors working in new areas of the Council and showing us all how powerful research and can be in increasing the impact of what we can do for Coventry people."
Get to know our current Coventry HDRC Research Ambassadors Catherine, David, and Giuliana at Coventry City Council.