We are part of the Stories of Us project, convened by the University of Plymouth, funded by AHRC, and bringing together community partners in Plymouth and Hastings with participatory data organisations, like ourselves.
Stories of Us is an interdisciplinary cross-sector research network that connects community power networks with academics and policy stakeholders. Together, we will work collaboratively to design and put into practice new ways of actively engaging local communities in decision-making. While a lot of data about communities is collected, there is often a gap between gathering that information and having the shared tools, knowledge, and resources needed for communities to use it to influence real change.
Social Life will be running Everyday Explorers sessions in Hastings and Plymouth, to map young people's best social hubs and the hidden barriers young people face using their towns to spend time and socialise.
Our work will focus on helping communities turn data into stories about their places – stories that highlight inequalities, capture everyday experiences, and show what matters to the people who live there. By doing this, we aim to explore new ways data can make a meaningful difference in local decision-making.
We will work with communities using participatory approaches that involve people directly in how data is collected, interpreted, and cared for.
