INCLUsive Digital Economy Network+: INCLUDE+
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: School of Media & Communication
Abstract
The uneven ways that civil liberties, work, labour and health have all been impacted over the last 18 months as we have all turned to digital technologies to sustain previous ways of life, has not only shown us the extent of inequalities across all societies as they are cut through with gender, ethnicity, age, opportunities, class, geolocation; it has also led many organisations and businesses across all three sectors to question those values they previously supported. Capitalising on this moment of reflection across industry, the public and third sectors; we explore the possibility of imagining and building a future that takes different core values and practices as central, and works in very different ways. As the roles of organisations and businesses across all industry, the public and third sectors changes, what is now taken up as core values and ethos will be crucial in defining the future.
INCLUDE+ will build a knowledge community around in/equalities in digital society that will comprise industry, academia, the public and third sectors. Responding to the Equitable Digital Society theme, we ask how we can design, co-create and realise digital services and infrastructures to support inclusion and equality in ways that enable all people to thrive. Focusing on the three connected strands of wellbeing, precarity, and civic culture; we address structural inequalities as they emerge through our research, investigating them through whole system approaches that includes the generation of outputs that comprise of new systems, services and practices to be taken up by organisations. More than this, our knowledge community will be underpinned by empirical, co-curation and participatory led research that will produce real interventions into those structural inequalities. These interventions will be taken up by organisations, responded to and considered, enabling the wider knowledge community to critically assess them in relation to the values they purport to promote. Fed by secondments and supported through smaller exploratory and escalator funds, our knowledge community will not only grow through traditional networking activities such as workshops, annual conferences, academic outputs and further funding; it will also grow through the development of interdisciplinary methods, knowledge exchange practices, and mentorship, which the secondment package will promote. In so doing, we structure our N+ around participatory research practices, people development and knowledge exchange, aiming to grow our network through the development and growth of people and good practice.
INCLUDE+ is led by a highly experienced cross-disciplinary team incorporating Management and Business Studies, Computing, Social Sciences, Media and Communication and Legal Studies. Each Investigator brings vibrant international networks; active research projects feeding the Network+; and long experience of impact generation across policy and research. With support from organisations like the International Labour Organisation, Law Commission, Cabinet Office, and Equality and Human Rights Commission as well as the existing DE community, we will develop from and with existing research, extend this work and impact beyond it. Our partner organisations cut across industry, the public and third sectors and include (for example) Lego; NHS AI Lab; Space2; mHabitat; Leeds, Cambridgeshire and Swansea Councils; PeopleDotCom; Ditchley; 5Rights; EAMA; DataKind and IBM. We have designed the Network+ to enable a whole system approach that is genuinely exciting and innovative not just because of scalability, transference and scope, but also because of the commitment to people development, knowledge exchange and interdisciplinary practice that will also shape future research
INCLUDE+ will build a knowledge community around in/equalities in digital society that will comprise industry, academia, the public and third sectors. Responding to the Equitable Digital Society theme, we ask how we can design, co-create and realise digital services and infrastructures to support inclusion and equality in ways that enable all people to thrive. Focusing on the three connected strands of wellbeing, precarity, and civic culture; we address structural inequalities as they emerge through our research, investigating them through whole system approaches that includes the generation of outputs that comprise of new systems, services and practices to be taken up by organisations. More than this, our knowledge community will be underpinned by empirical, co-curation and participatory led research that will produce real interventions into those structural inequalities. These interventions will be taken up by organisations, responded to and considered, enabling the wider knowledge community to critically assess them in relation to the values they purport to promote. Fed by secondments and supported through smaller exploratory and escalator funds, our knowledge community will not only grow through traditional networking activities such as workshops, annual conferences, academic outputs and further funding; it will also grow through the development of interdisciplinary methods, knowledge exchange practices, and mentorship, which the secondment package will promote. In so doing, we structure our N+ around participatory research practices, people development and knowledge exchange, aiming to grow our network through the development and growth of people and good practice.
INCLUDE+ is led by a highly experienced cross-disciplinary team incorporating Management and Business Studies, Computing, Social Sciences, Media and Communication and Legal Studies. Each Investigator brings vibrant international networks; active research projects feeding the Network+; and long experience of impact generation across policy and research. With support from organisations like the International Labour Organisation, Law Commission, Cabinet Office, and Equality and Human Rights Commission as well as the existing DE community, we will develop from and with existing research, extend this work and impact beyond it. Our partner organisations cut across industry, the public and third sectors and include (for example) Lego; NHS AI Lab; Space2; mHabitat; Leeds, Cambridgeshire and Swansea Councils; PeopleDotCom; Ditchley; 5Rights; EAMA; DataKind and IBM. We have designed the Network+ to enable a whole system approach that is genuinely exciting and innovative not just because of scalability, transference and scope, but also because of the commitment to people development, knowledge exchange and interdisciplinary practice that will also shape future research
Organisations
- University of Leeds (Lead Research Organisation)
- IBM (Collaboration)
- Leeds City Council (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Cardiff University (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Methods Analytics (Collaboration)
- British Standards Institute (BSI Group) (Collaboration)
- International Labour Organization (ILO) (Collaboration)
- SWANSEA COUNCIL (Collaboration)
- National Health Service (Collaboration)
- National Health Service Wales (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Space2 (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Aviva (Collaboration)
- Ada Lovelace Institute (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Cambridgeshire County Council (Collaboration)
- IBM (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- NHSx (Project Partner)
- John Radcliffe Hospital (Project Partner)
- EAMA (Engineering & Machinery Alliance) (Project Partner)
- International Labour Organisation (ILO) (Project Partner)
- Methods Analytics Ltd (Project Partner)
- The Ditchley Foundation (Project Partner)
- peopledotcom (Project Partner)
- Aviva Plc (Project Partner)
- Government of the United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- Swansea Council (Project Partner)
- 5Rights (Project Partner)
- Swansea Bay City Deal (Project Partner)
- British Standards Institution (Project Partner)
- Cambridgeshire County Council (Project Partner)
- mHabitat (Project Partner)
- Curium Solutions (Project Partner)
- Data Kind UK (Project Partner)
Title | Exhibition exploring the relations between bodies and technologies, and the relationships between health organisations and indiviudals |
Description | ENDO[F] ME is multi-sensory exhibition that simulates a visit to a surreal space of a gynaecologist's office, where candy-like and kitsch elements of the exposition are intertwined with afterimages of pain, exclusion, and fear. |
Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Impact | Networking and public knowledge exchange activities with health practitioners, organisations and patients and carers. |
URL | https://www.hystera.online/endometriosis-our-hysteria |
Title | Exhibition that explored the relationship between art, territory and the body at the Centro Cultural de la Memoria Haroldo Conti (Buenos Aires, Argentina) |
Description | The objects displayed as part of the exhibition by our collaborators Espacio Nixso showcased our collaborative work around sustainable digital making as part of our follow on funding. |
Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Impact | Public engagement, knowledge exchange, dissemination, networking and further research activities following the outputs of the exhibition relating to the intellectual goals of the project. |
URL | http://conti.derhuman.jus.gov.ar/2022/11/arte-en-territorio.php |
Description | GNCA: GNCF and Newton Consolidation Account |
Amount | £49,775 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Leeds |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 10/2022 |
End | 04/2023 |
Description | Research England. This is a joint programme between the University of Leeds and Leeds City Council. |
Amount | £35,215 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Leeds |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2023 |
End | 07/2023 |
Description | Ada Lovelace |
Organisation | Ada Lovelace Institute |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Access to INCLUDE+ network. |
Collaborator Contribution | Hosting workshops |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Aviva |
Organisation | Aviva |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Connection to INCLUDE+ network. |
Collaborator Contribution | Industry expertise; access to funding. |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Aviva PLC |
Organisation | Aviva |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | intellectual, policy, organisational |
Collaborator Contribution | a. Access to industry experts from across the Aviva Group b. Support in identifying research priorities for industry c. Access to financial support for research activities through our existing Aviva-Cambridge partnership fund |
Impact | ongoing |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | BSI |
Organisation | British Standards Institute (BSI Group) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Access to INCLUDE+ network. |
Collaborator Contribution | Staff time. |
Impact | None yet. |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Cambridgeshire County Council |
Organisation | Cambridgeshire County Council |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Access to INCLUDE+ network |
Collaborator Contribution | 15-20 days staff time. |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Data Justice Lab |
Organisation | Cardiff University |
Department | School of Journalism, Media & Cultural Studies |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Access to INCLUDE+ network |
Collaborator Contribution | Use of facilities for 3 workshops; hosting placements and providing mentoring. |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | IBM |
Organisation | IBM |
Department | IBM UK Ltd |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Access to INCLUDE+ network |
Collaborator Contribution | Expertise; mentorship; access to technologies. |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | International Labour Organization |
Organisation | International Labour Organization (ILO) |
Country | Switzerland |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Connection to INCLUDE+ network |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to ILO network; expertise in digital precarity and platform working provided through Uma Rani's membership of the INCLUDE+ Advisory Board. |
Impact | None yet. |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Leeds City Council |
Organisation | Leeds City Council |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Connections to the INCLUDE+ network. |
Collaborator Contribution | Staff time and expertise |
Impact | Development of Leeds City Council's Areas of Research Interest (ARI) for Culture, Digital, Food, and Inclusive Growth, within the 'Digital' strand. This is helping researchers to direct their research expertise towards addressing critical policy knowledge needs, and so improve the lives of the people of Leeds. Discussions took place within the context of Leeds City Council's Best City Ambition, which sets out their mission to tackle poverty and inequality, and improve quality of life, by improving outcomes across health and wellbeing, inclusive growth, and zero carbon. A new Digital Strategy was recently launched, produced in collaboration with the now West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board. |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Methods Analytics |
Organisation | Methods Analytics |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Access to INCLUDE+ network. |
Collaborator Contribution | Expertise in data science |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | NHS Transformation Directorate |
Organisation | NHS England |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Access to INCLUDE+ network. |
Collaborator Contribution | Staff time |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | NHS Wales |
Organisation | National Health Service Wales |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Hospitals |
PI Contribution | Access to INCLUDE+ network. |
Collaborator Contribution | Use of facilties; staff time; access to contexts. |
Impact | None yet. |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Space2 |
Organisation | Space2 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Connection to INCLUDE+ network; organising horizon scanning workshops. |
Collaborator Contribution | Expertise and staff time. |
Impact | None yet. |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Swansea Council |
Organisation | Swansea Council |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Access to INCLUDE+ network |
Collaborator Contribution | Staff time |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Industry engagement British standards Institute January 4 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Industry engagement British standards Institute January 4 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | International Workshop Activity with Espacio Nixso |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | 15 representatives from Charities and NGOs across Argentina met with a consortium from the UK, which prompted further research activitites and events, and consolidated existing relations |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | International Workshop in Mexico with MediaLabMX |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Workshop activities with MediaLabMX including roundtable discussions with representatives form public and third sectors from Mexico and the UK |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://medialabmx.org/ |
Description | Meeting British standards Institute |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Lead to involvement of BSI in include research grant |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Meeting of circular economy trade utility |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Workshop focusing on digital economy and organisational improvement |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Meeting with the University of Aston |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Research bid on 'circular economy-critical mass' |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | ThriveByDesign Day |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | Day activity to discuss future issues and questions around civic participation |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Workshop Discussion with PeopleDotCom |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Activities to undertake research agenda around shared practice |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Workshop with Quorn |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Industry workshop to work on engagement strategies, promotion, and organisational structure improvement |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |