CAPE stories
Find out more below about CAPE’s impact from those involved through case studies on our work.
Space for community voices – how peer research contributed to a deeper understanding of social infrastructure
‘Social infrastructure’ is a phrase often used by policy makers and academics to describe places where people come together. But what does this phrase mean to local communities and how can we include them in discussions about these spaces? In 2022 the Bennett Institute for Public Policy ran a CAPE funded project with the Institute for Community Studies to explore. Owen Garling, Knowledge Transfer Facilitator at the Institute, reflects on the experience of talking about social infrastructure with community groups, how the project effectively engaged the public, and why it’s so important they are included in conversations.
Evidence: from engagement to impact
Alongside knowledge exchange roles in universities, there are specialist knowledge brokerage roles in many government departments that facilitate the use of academic evidence in policy and operational decision-making.
Ben Hepworth from the Ministry of Justice shares how civil servants working in these knowledge exchange roles have been supported by CAPE to convene a forum – the Policy Knowledge Brokering Forum (PKBF) – to discuss topics of mutual interest. This blog details one session of the PKBF that discussed evidence usage, academic engagement, and ‘impact’.
Using diversity of thought in universities to be a more inclusive leader in policy
Taking yourself out of your comfort zone, moving from a policy environment to a university one, can throw up big differences in practice but it can also have great rewards.
CAPE Policy Fellow Roshnee Patel (from the Ministry of Justice) gives an honest and thoughtful account of her year at UCL and how being exposed to the diversity of thought has influenced her own thinking about policy making. In turn, she shares how she’s used her expertise to contribute to UCL’s work on Equality and Diversity as well as helping UCL articulate how it is shaping public policy.
Six months at the heart of science in government: reflections from a knowledge mobiliser
Florence Greatrix, CAPE Policy Fellow, has been working with the Government Office for Science in their Emerging Technologies team. In sharing her reflections on her time working in policy, she explores the value of doing a policy fellowship and offers insights into what it’s like working in GO-Science.
Insights into the co-production process in understanding the role of modular homes in addressing homelessness
Gemma Burgess and Katy Karampour from the University of Cambridge reflect on their CAPE Collaboration Fund project which evaluates modular housing schemes for homelessness in Cambridge. They discuss how co-production and collaboration has worked with their partner Jimmy’s Cambridge and how this will help to inform future policy decisions by Cambridgeshire County Council.
Developments in participative democracy: engaging marginalised groups in the policy making process
In this case study, CAPE Policy Fellow Darren Sharpe, Senior Research Fellow from the University of East London, discusses his work on participative democracy with Newham Council, London. He explores how his Policy Fellowship with Newham is experimenting with different ‘demonstrator’ projects to include marginalised voices in the policy making process better.
Anthropology By Children (ABC) and Islington Council: a CAPE fellowship collaboration case study
Following a connection made through a CAPE Fellowship, anthropologist Kelly Fagan Robinson and policy officer Imogen Resnick discuss the initial findings from the Anthropology By Children (ABC) pilot in schools. They explore what they have learned together about the ways in which inclusive research can provide a rich foundation for successful collaboration between academics and policy-makers and a better future for participants.
Spending 12 months embedded in the academic world: reflections from CAPE Policy Fellow Roshnee Patel
Roshnee Patel explores why she’s taken a year out from the Ministry of Justice, the importance of taking time to reflect deeply on how she has approached policy and implementation in a central Government context, and what she’s been up to so far.
The CAPE-Ministry of Justice partnership: reflections from 12 months of activity
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) was the first major UK government department to partner with CAPE. Ben Hepworth from the MoJ Evidence and Partnerships Hub reflects on a year of collaboration and what 2022 holds.
Building Areas of Research Interest (ARI) for select committees
Rob Davies, CAPE fellow, has been supporting the House of Commons Scrutiny Unit in trialling Select Committee Areas of Research Interest (ARIs) as a pilot exercise to increase diversity in researchers who engage with Parliament.
Strengthening regional academic policy engagement: the case of West Yorkshire
Dr Richard Whittle, CAPE Fellow, reflects on his work so far with Yorkshire Universities, the Place Based Economic Recovery Network (PERN), and West Yorkshire Combined Authority.