LeedsACTS! is pleased to announce that four joint third sector and academic research projects have been funded through the recent seedcorn funding round.

LeedsACTS! aims to bring together expertise and skills of the local community, academia and third sector across Leeds to better make sense of local societal challenges and develop innovative solutions to address them.

The seedcorn funding provides an opportunity for third sector and academic partners to come together and collaborate on a research idea. These small pots of funding create space and opportunity to test out how collaboration on a bigger research proposal might work. In past projects partners have shared how important it was to have the time and opportunity to better understand how each other work, the difference in language and communication styles and the impact that working together can potentially have on influencing societal challenges.

LeedsACTS! takes a thematic approach and currently addresses the following thematic areas: housing; health and wellbeing; the Leeds£; climate and environment; sustainable food; and skills and training.  The seedcorn projects are required to address at least one of thematic areas.

Below are the four collaborative projects that received funding:

“Healthy Eating Resources for People of Black Ethnicity Living in Leeds” is a collaboration between Feel Good Factor, Leeds Beckett and Leeds University. The project will co-produce a series of recipe cards and video clips of modified traditional dishes, snacks and beverages.

“Developing a Social Action pathway for young people” is a collaboration between CATCH and Leeds Trinity University. This project will connect young people to employment opportunities in the public and third sectors.

“Promoting Unorthobox in Leeds: Evidencing impact through research” is a collaboration between Unorthobox CIC and Leeds University. This project will develop an evidence base around the impacts of Unorthobox and Mixed Ability boxing, on participants, coaches, clubs and other key stakeholders in order to grow the organisation in Leeds and to attract new participants and funding.

“Veg in the Community: Measuring Impact” is a collaboration between Incredible Edible Garforth and Leeds Beckett. They will combine research skills together with Incredible Edible’s community activities to better understand and demonstrate the impact of community vegetable beds.

The seedcorn projects will be delivered over the next couple of months and findings from the projects will be shared. 

Leeds ACTS!