Community Advocates

What is a Community Advocate?

The purpose of community-led research is to give opportunities for everyone to ask questions, including people who may feel that they do not have the knowledge or means to partake in research. There is a misconception that research and innovation are reserved for a certain group of people and organisations. The idea behind our Community Advocate scheme is to overcome the barriers that hold people back from getting involved in research and ensure the engagement and participation of people across our small community. Perhaps you do not have an academic background, lack enough free time, or simply need someone to discuss your ideas with? Whatever the reason might be having a local advocate to work alongside you will help you to feel comfortable while navigating the research journey.

Research on Scilly needs to be relevant and useful to our local circumstances and our advocates will be there to ensure it remains on the right track.

With the advocate scheme, it means there is someone available to:

Engage with academics to promote and discuss your ideas. This includes help to write proposals and turn initial thoughts and ideas into specific research questions.
Help you with any obstacles that may be stopping you from taking part, such as lack of time, managing and writing up data, technical skills, etc. The aim is to make research accessible to all.
Work with you to develop and present your findings, which can include helping with sharing the final results in the form of articles, videos, and presentations.
Navigate the research process by helping you find resources and make connections. This can involve accessing archives, contacting people, or organising meetings and discussions.

Who are the Community Advocates?

Community-led research is not only an opportunity for people to set their own topics, but it is also a chance for locals to use skills that often go underused and overlooked. Scilly is a place that is not typically academia-focused; it is common for individuals with knowledge in specialised areas to rarely get a chance to use their expertise. A large portion of Scilly revolves around tourism and the summer season so the type of work in demand is often limiting, especially for younger generations and fresh university graduates. There are a surprising amount of highly educated people on Scilly with degrees and qualifications who are working in jobs such as hospitality, boating and farming, where these skills go entirely unused. This is particularly common with students who return home after attending University and find themselves working a wide range of jobs, usually seasonal, until further opportunities arise.

Part of our vision for the Community Advocate Scheme is to utilise these individuals who are in a unique position to help bridge the gap between locals interested in research and academics from further afield. Not only will this engage a distinctive group of people and create an opportunity for professional growth for them on Scilly, but it will also ensure the necessary help is given to those wanting to partake in community research.