Decisions about how we can best support our communities will be more effective when supported by research, data and evidence. This page includes a variety of resources for you to improve your knowledge, skills, and confidence on this topic. There are resources for all levels, from beginner to advanced, including podcasts, videos, guides, and online courses.
Coventry HDRC Webinars
The Coventry Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) team coordinates a monthly series of online talks, so-called webinars, on a range of research topics. We talk about the building blocks of a healthy Coventry, the different types of research methods, how to involve the public in research, and real-life examples of research that has been applied and has had an impact on people's life.
All previous webinar recordings are available on our YouTube Channel.
| Topic | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| Professor Sir Michael Marmot / Coventry HDRC | |
| Sinead Ouillon (Coventry University) | |
| Hesam Ghiasvand (Coventry University) | |
| Nikki Holliday (Coventry University) | |
| Lauren Bell (Coventry HDRC) | |
| Gabriela Matouskova (Hope for the Community) and Prof Andy Turner (Coventry University) | |
| Naila Dracup (University of Warwick) | |
| John Wilcox (Head of the Coventry HDRC) | |
| Dr Adeniyi Fagbamigbe (Coventry University) | |
| Structural Racism, Ethnicity and Health Inequalities in London | Dr Jessica Allen (IHE UCL) |
| Give every child the best start in life: Children and Young People's Health Equity Collaborative | Dr Jessica Allen (IHE UCL) |
| Laura Waller (Coventry City Council) | |
| Haley Beer (Warwick Business School) | |
| Chloe Ryder (Coventry City Council) | |
| How Family Hubs and Early Education Shape a Child’s Best Start in Life, Lessons from Coventry | Amanda King (Coventry City Council) |
| Niamh Mellor (Coventry City Council) | |
| Cameron Ley (Coventry HDRC) | |
| Jamie Beckett (Coventry University) | |
| Eleanor Hoverd (University of Oxford) |
Coventry HDRC's "So What?" club
Coventry HDRC host a monthly ‘So What? Club, with the first being held on Wednesday 29 January from 9.30am to 10.30am.
These interactive sessions demonstrate the importance of using academic literature and research papers to make evidence-based decisions in your area of work. They will help you build skills and confidence in evaluating academic work in the context of solving a real-life problem. We aim to keep all examples relevant to all service areas, showing how it is possible to develop solutions to issues related to the wider determinants of health.
The first session introduces the aims and structure of the meetings, with a focus on obesity prevention as the first example.
We encourage everyone to attend regardless of their experience with academic research. To register, please complete the online form, and a calendar invite will be sent to you.
Future Learn – "Starting Out In Research" online course
Future Learn host a free online, introductory course carrying out research. The topics focus on health and social care, although the learning can be applied to other topics.
The course content covers 2 hours per week for 8 weeks. People working for organisations delivering NHS or social care services (including local authorities) are eligible for a free course upgrade where you can complete the course entirely at your own pace.
Cochrane – involving the public in research
Cochrane have developed training videos about how to involve members of the public in the whole research process. Key videos include:
- Patient and public involvement in research: What, why and how?
- No choice of outcomes about us without us!
Open University
The Open University offer free, self-guided, online courses. Some examples are below, starting from introductory to advanced:
- Exploring data: graphs and numerical summaries (20-hour self-guided course, introductory level)
- Using data to aid organisational change (10-hour self-guided course, intermediate level)
- Understanding research with children and young people (16-hour self-guided course, intermediate level)
- The power of infographics in research dissemination (7-hour self-guided course, intermediate level
- Becoming an ethical researcher (18-hour self-guided course, advanced level)
- Quantitative and qualitative research in finance (10-hour self-guided course, advanced level)
National Institute of Health and Care Research
The National Institute of Health and Care Research (NHIR) are the UK's largest funder of health and care research. They have created the resources below:
- What are Health Determinants Research Collaborations? (short video)
- Introduction to cultural competence in research (10-minute video)
- Toolkit for conducting Equality Impact Assessments in Research (written guide)
National Centre for Research Methods
The National Centre for Research Methods has a range of resources to help you understand the different methods used to carry out research. There are a range of podcasts and online resources:
- Selection of short podcasts about research
- What is inclusive research? (short podcast)
- How are we influenced by the information we are exposed to? (short podcast)
The NCRM also deliver in-person and online training workshops. List of upcoming workshops. Get in touch with the HDRC if you are interested in attending.
Become a Community Researcher
We collaborate on hands-on citizen's social science courses for people looking to learn about research and become community researchers. Attendees put into practice what they have learnt by carrying out a local research project and are supported by experienced researchers at each stage. A celebration event after each course helps to share the findings with the people who need to know. Find out about the experiences of our community researchers and the research they have done. They shared insights during the Coventry HDRC's annual webinar 2025. Information on the next course will be available here soon!
Feedback
We are continually looking for training opportunities. Please do get in touch should we have missed something.
If you would like to receive any assistance to access training, please also get in touch via CoventryHDRC@coventry.gov.uk.
NIHR
The NIHR Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) Coventry is part of the NIHR and hosted by Coventry City Council.
Visit the NIHR website