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Ecological Citizens: Tools, technologies and means to enable sustainable digital citizens

Lead Research Organisation: Royal College of Art
Department Name: School of Design

Abstract

To realise the transformational impact of digital technologies on aspects of community life, cultural experiences, future society, and the economy, the RCA proposes to host a DE Network+ focused on digital interventions that would create 'the conditions to make change' towards a sustainable post-industrial society - where the 'product' is the experience, where experiences promote human wellbeing and personal resilience, where the digital interventions are sustainable and promote societal resilience.

To achieve a sustainable society, citizens require agency to control the impact they have on the natural environment. Therefore, an Ecological Citizens (EC) Network+ sustainable digital society would use digital technology to: Decouple the use of materials resources from economic development; add value to products through experiences and services; give citizens agency to take care of their environment (relating to waste reduction and reuse, energy generation); give citizens agency to design their own experiences involving products, which promote wellbeing, learning, self-advancement; enable experiences that empower citizens to do, to make, to repair, to learn, to create, to connect, to communicate, to interact, to understand, to share, to enjoy.

This Network+ foresees the next move in technological interventions is in creating and implementing "the conditions to make change", i.e. the experiences and interactions, and digitally networked societal actors that enable sustainable transitions for societies and communities. To enact this vision, this proposal focuses on a model of 'distributed everything' - knowledge and know-how, design, materials flows, fabrication and hacking, energy generation - as the fundamental societal transformations that are needed to achieve sustainability require a re-examination of how knowledge is produced and used. Co-production of research is a key mechanism for improving the knowledge required for the fundamental societal transformations needed to achieve sustainability [1], and is central to the approach of the EC Network+.

With leading partners, we will inform a truly sustainable 'digital society', built within communities, ensuring legacies through ambassadors, and setting agendas for future transdisciplinary research teams. The EC Network+ will provide a scaffolding to spawn new projects about sustainability at a range of scales (Village, Town, City). This collaborative trans-disciplinary approach is essential for tackling our unprecedented environmental challenges. The network will be built through activities including pump priming, collaborative residentials, learning webinars, strategic roundtables, media and communications, reports, podcasts, and a micro funding scheme. The academic consortium covers the core areas of computer science, sustainable engineering, human-centred design and citizen science. Led by the Royal College of Art (RCA), this proposal builds on Dr Phillips' My Naturewatch, a DIY wildlife camera project that engaged 3 million+ people with UK based wildlife, the circular economy work of the RCA's Materials Science Centre (Prof Baurley), the sustainable engineering and physical computing expertise of the Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology at Wrexham Glyndwr University (Prof Shepley), and expertise in citizen science and policy of the Stockholm Environment Institute at The University of York (Dr West).
 
Title 'A day in the life of an ecological citizen', comic strip / illustrations 
Description Following a round table discussion involving professional practitioners from across core industries that explored 'What could a day in the life on an ecological citizen look like?', the discussions, thoughts and future visions of what the day-to-day activities were turned into a series of 8 annotated comic strips that illustrate what a day in the life of an ecological citizen might look like in a preferable future. The illustrations were drawn by Amber Anderson (who was contracted by the project to turn written descriptions into visuals) 
Type Of Art Image 
Year Produced 2023 
Impact These comic strips / illustrations have been key assets for describing the project (and its breadth of possibilities) to wider audiences. They were used printed out extra-large for the launch of the EC project, have been used throughout presentations and talks about the EC project and feature on the project website. 
 
Title AI-Fixer Tool is a AI-powered digital platform designed to support consumer electronics maintenance and repair. 
Description Ai-Fixer tool has been co-designed with participants to test and improve its usability. Through an iterative development process, we refined the tool's usability based on participant feedback and designed a user interface to enhance the overall user experience. This artefact was created by the AI Fixer project team whose work is being funded as part of the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ first funding call. 
Type Of Art Artefact (including digital) 
Year Produced 2025 
Impact By providing structured guidance for Fairphone repairs, participants stated that it has enhanced their confidence in performing self-repairs. Through testing and feedback, the tool has demonstrated how interactive guidance can empower non-expert users, leading to a shift in perception, ie, repairing a device seemed a feasible task. Additionally, insights from this work, we informed future design improvements of the Fairphone devices, they will integrate more repair-friendly features more into their products. 
 
Title Cholera Drag Performance: Flow. Walk. Drag. (13/02/2025) 
Description The debut cholera drag performance at the H2O LHU/TATE Liverpool Symposium featured artist Brandan Curtis in a choreographed response to Liverpool's historical cholera outbreak. Through costume elements representing the cholera bacterium, the performance blended humour with education, making microbiology concepts accessible while prompting audience reflection on social justice issues surrounding water transmission. This performance was created by the Flow. Walk. Drag. project team whose work is being funded as part of the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ first funding call. 
Type Of Art Performance (Music, Dance, Drama, etc) 
Year Produced 2025 
Impact The cholera drag performance at the LHU/TATE Liverpool Symposium effectively bridged scientific concepts with social justice issues by embodying waterborne disease through artistic expression. Through innovative costume design and choreography representing the cholera bacterium, the performance transformed complex microbiology into an accessible narrative that highlighted historical parallels between 19th-century outbreaks and contemporary water pollution challenges. Audience feedback revealed immediate impact, with attendees expressing newfound understanding of connections between water access, public health, and social inequity. The performance sparked conversations about environmental justice that traditional science communication often fails to generate, demonstrating how drag performance can serve as a powerful medium for translating scientific knowledge into emotional engagement and community action around water issues. 
URL https://fwdrag.art/2025/02/20/h20-symposium-review/
 
Title Prototype wearable air-quality measuring device 
Description Prototype wearable air-quality measuring device for runners to wear in order to collectively gather data about the air quality of their running routes. This artefact was created by the Open Air project team whose work is being funded as part of the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ first funding call. 
Type Of Art Artefact (including digital) 
Year Produced 2025 
Impact The device is being used to collect air quality data with the intention of influencing behaviours and change attitudes. It is currently being tested and iterated with running communities across Scotland. 
 
Title Qualities and Characteristics of an Ecological Citizen. Illustrations by Amber Anderson 
Description We have created the EC Preferable Futures Deck as a tool to help facilitate accessible and open conversations and further explore diverse understandings and interpretations of Ecological Citizenship. To help audiences and players relate more to their own role as Ecological Citizens, we created a set of 8 qualities or characters that we called 'EC Archetypes' that were beautifully illustrated by Amber Anderson. These include short descriptions and illustrations of characters such as: - Lifelong Learner - Responsible Materialist - Community Convener - Restorative Naturalist - System Connector - Creative Activist - Nurturing Caretaker - Community Economist 
Type Of Art Artwork 
Year Produced 2024 
Impact Through testing workshops and sessions with the latest iteration of the Preferable Futures card deck that features these cards, we have had very positive feedback from a diverse mix of groups and testers who enjoyed finding themselves in one of several of the characters and wanted to add more qualities and characters to the collection that better aligned with how they see themselves as Ecological Citizens. These cards have, so far, been the most engaging set in the card-deck and have enabled far deeper reflective conversation and discussion. Samia Dumbaya wrote an article after engaging with the card-deck at a testing workshop as part of London Design Festival: ' Which one do you resonate most with? Do you feel seen? Do you think there is a missing role? Have you come across these roles before? As we transition towards a new economy, the traditional roles we're used to may start to fade away or become more nuanced, complex and holistic. I always use the example in my Futures workshops "Who knew getting paid to be a YouTuber would be a thing?". As technology rapidly develops and various forms of communication and producing content increase, we are going to see emerging markets beyond our current understanding of what a "job" is. Maybe we will see more environmental stewards become the mainstream - fingers crossed.' 
URL https://samiadumbuya.medium.com/unlocking-new-possibilities-a-card-deck-exploring-a-viable-future-fo...
 
Description As the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ (ECN+) project enters its 3rd year, we are starting to see the beginnings of impact that has come about from the different activities we have organised, hosted or enabled through our explorations of Ecological Citizenship for a Sustainable Digital Society. These can be broadly categorised into the following typologies of activity: The research we conduct in collaboration with core partners. The network we grow: new collaborative partnerships, connections and the things that are co-facilitated or hosted with these groups. The research projects we are funding through the Ecological Citizen(s) funding calls. The projects, funding or schemes that have spun-out from the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+. With two years left to go for the ECN+ project, now (in March 2025) we are already noticing the following emerging impacts for each of these typologies of activity: The research we conduct in collaboration with core partners. We are continuously working closely with established and new partners from across the UK beyond the world of academia and the team's core disciplines. Some of the non-academic groups we are currently working with include: London National Park City / Slow Ways, the Permaculture Association, Black Girls Hike, Priestman Goode, Ty Pawb arts centre, The Derby Museum of Making, the V&A, Company Drinks CIC, The British Ecological Society, Pint of Science and Down to Earth Derby CIC as well as various local councils, boroughs and authorities from across the UK. We are making good progress with various non-academic publications that will improve knowledge exchange and wider dissemination - bringing focus to this area of research, including a book with Thames & Hudson. The network we grow: new collaborative partnerships, connections and the things that are co-facilitated or hosted with these groups. We are growing an ever evolving, dynamic and engaged network of professional practitioners, organisations, charities and community groups through our network building work. Our focus on celebrating local and place-based organisations whenever we host events or discussions has meant that we have supported many nonprofits and community-led organisations enabling them to disseminate their work to broader audiences and utilising existing expertise and spaces that have multiple benefits beyond just the original event. One example of this is by choosing the People's Museum in Somer's Town to host on for the project's all-hand strategy days. This small, locally run museum (and charity) celebrates oral histories of working class communities in the past and present in a rapidly changing area of London. By choosing to host our team day here, we were able to bring more focus to this research area with a new community and also learn huge amounts from their expertise about hyper-local examples of Ecological Citizenship. We have engaged over 400 individuals from non-academic communities across the UK in many events (not including academic conferences or presentations), workshops and conversations we have hosted, or co-hosted, bringing focus to this research area and improving knowledge exchange and discussion across communities and disciplines. The research we are funding through the Ecological Citizen(s) funding calls. In our first year of funding, we received 96 applications from 46 different eligible institutions from across the UK. From this we are currently funding 7 research projects spanning a diverse mix of disciplines, geographical locations and thematic focuses. This first cohort of funded projects have spoken very highly about the way we, as funders, have engaged, supported and catalysed the work they are doing by providing and enabling opportunities like public dissemination, co-authored papers and participation in events that were not included in the original proposals. In our second year of funding, we received 86 applications from 53 different eligible institutions from across the UK. We are currently reviewing and allocating funding for this funding round but have noticed a considerable increase in the quality and originality of applications received this year. For this second year, we have enabled new collaborations to be made between academic and nonacademic groups through our Q&A and matchmaking sessions which were well received. These groups would not have connected without these sessions. The projects, funding or schemes that have spun-out from the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+. We have built some brilliant collaborative partnerships with other organisations and groups over the past few years. Many of these are turning into plans for future collaborative bids, further funding or long-term plans which will have a considerable impact on growing this area of research for the benefit of the UK beyond the life of the Ecologica Citizen(s) Network+ project.
First Year Of Impact 2023
Sector Communities and Social Services/Policy,Creative Economy,Education,Energy,Environment
Impact Types Cultural

Societal
 
Description Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ 1st Funding Call: 'AI Fixer' Project with the Royal College of Art 
Organisation Royal College of Art
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution 'AI-Fixer: Empowering Ecological Citizenship towards a sustainable digital society through AI-assisted consumer electronics repair', lead by the Royal College of Art, is a project that is being funded through the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ 1st round of funding. We are contributing 80% of the fEC of this project as per our position as a network+ funder. As a research team, as well as financial support, we have been providing ongoing academic and practical support. This is coming from our PDRA team, technologist in Residence and the PI and Co-Is. This support includes connecting up to other groups, organisations, businesses or individuals that are project partners but also those that are more widely part of the EC Network. The ECN+ team has also supported this years projects with cowriting and publishing for academic conferences, enabling additional events and dissemination of research and looking for additional funding, We have hosted Impact Capture training (hosted by the RCA's impact manager) for all the projects we are funding in this first year which was well attended by the ECRs across the different projects. Regular communications, via a newsletter and site visits, have maintained a close relationship between he ECN+ team and the projects we are funding and the funded cohort are well connected and involved with various activities and events that are planned for the future.
Collaborator Contribution As an institution, the Royal College of Art are contributing 20% of the fEC of this costs of the AI Fixer project as per their role as the institutional lead. The research team who are based at the RCA, In collaboration with their project partners at Fairphone are delivering the project entitled 'AI-Fixer: Empowering Ecological Citizenship towards a sustainable digital society through AI-assisted consumer electronics repair' over 6months as per the proposal they submitted to the first Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ call for funding proposals. The project team are contributing to a Work-In-Progress event in March and, as part of their offer-agreement, the project team will also be completed a final project report that will be evaluated by the ECN+ team as a core aspect of our explorations into Ecological Citizenship for a Sustainable Digital Society. Individual activities and publications that have come out of this project have been inputted separately.
Impact This is a multidisciplinary project that spans Industrial Design, Product Design and Innovative Technologies, in particular AI. Outcomes form this collaborative project in progress include: - Talk at the RCA Sustainability Lunch & Learn session - Ai-fixer was shared on RCA's social media channels - Knowledge exchange talk given to Fairphone - Multiple co-creation workshops in order to build and test the AI Fixer tool
Start Year 2024
 
Description Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ 1st Funding Call: 'Ag. Lab' Project with the University of Exeter 
Organisation University of Exeter
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution 'Ag. Lab.: Off-Season Farm Production of Building Materials' led by the University of Exeter is a project that is being funded through the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ 1st round of funding. We are contributing 80% of the fEC of this project as per our position as a network+ funder. As a research team, as well as financial support, we have been providing ongoing academic and practical support. This is coming from our PDRA team, technologist in Residence and the PI and Co-Is. This support includes connecting up to other groups, organisations, businesses or individuals that are project partners but also those that are more widely part of the EC Network. The ECN+ team has also supported this years projects with cowriting and publishing for academic conferences, enabling additional events and dissemination of research and looking for additional funding, We have hosted Impact Capture training (hosted by the RCA's impact manager) for all the projects we are funding in this first year which was well attended by the ECRs across the different projects. Regular communications, via a newsletter and site visits, have maintained a close relationship between the ECN+ team and the projects we are funding and the funded cohort are well connected and involved with various activities and events that are planned for the future.
Collaborator Contribution As an institution. the University of Exeter are contributing 20% of the fEC to the cost of this project as per their role as the institutional lead. The research team who are based at the University of Exeter in collaboration with their project partners Local Works Studio are delivering the project entitled 'Ag. Lab.: Off-Season Farm Production of Building Materials' over 12 months as per the proposal they submitted to the first Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ call for funding proposals. The project team are contributing to a Work-In-Progress event in March and, as part of their offer-agreement, the project team will also be completed a final project report that will be evaluated by the ECN+ team as a core aspect of our explorations into Ecological Citizenship for a Sustainable Digital Society. Individual activities and publications that have come out of this project have been inputted separately.
Impact This is a multidisciplinary project that spans themes that include Biomaterials, Agricultural waste streams, sustainable construction and community co-creation The research team on the project is made up of Rural Policy researchers, anthropologists and materials scientists and makers. Outcomes form this collaborative project include: - Co-Design workshops with Trial farm - Creation of podcasts to communicate farm-worker experiences - Invitation to speak at the V&As annual Make Good symposium - Practical material prototyping, experimentation an iteration - Quarterly progress reports that outline the activities and findings of the project
Start Year 2024
 
Description Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ 1st Funding Call: 'EcoLandS' Project with Loughborough University 
Organisation Loughborough University
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution 'EcoLandS: A Tool Demonstrator for Enabling New Models of Citizen-led Ecological Land Stewardship' led by Loughborough University is a project that is being funded through the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ 1st round of funding. We are contributing 80% of the fEC of this project as per our position as a network+ funder. As a research team, as well as financial support, we have been providing ongoing academic and practical support. This is coming from our PDRA team, technologist in Residence and the PI and Co-Is. This support includes connecting up to other groups, organisations, businesses or individuals that are project partners but also those that are more widely part of the EC Network. The ECN+ team has also supported this years projects with cowriting and publishing for academic conferences, enabling additional events and dissemination of research and looking for additional funding, We have hosted Impact Capture training (hosted by the RCA's impact manager) for all the projects we are funding in this first year which was well attended by the ECRs across the different projects. Regular communications, via a newsletter and site visits, have maintained a close relationship between the ECN+ team and the projects we are funding and the funded cohort are well connected and involved with various activities and events that are planned for the future.
Collaborator Contribution As an institution, Loughborough University are contributing 20% of the fEC to the cost of this project as per their role as the institutional lead. The research team who are based at Loughborough University in collaboration with their project partners Shared Assets, Thames21, The Greater London Authority and Dark Matter Labs, are delivering the project entitled 'EcoLandS: A Tool Demonstrator for Enabling New Models of Citizen-led Ecological Land Stewardship' over 12 months as per the proposal they submitted to the first Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ call for funding proposals. The project team are contributing to a Work-In-Progress event in March and, as part of their offer-agreement, the project team will also be completed a final project report that will be evaluated by the ECN+ team as a core aspect of our explorations into Ecological Citizenship for a Sustainable Digital Society. Individual activities and publications that have come out of this project have been inputted separately.
Impact This is a multidisciplinary project that spans themes that include democratisation of lan, community ownership, increasing biodiversity and grassroots innovation The research team on the project is made up of Eco-Social designers and International Business lecturers. Outcomes form this collaborative project include: - Multiple workshops exploring: Co-Designing Tools for Community Land Access - Invited talk: More-than-human Land Governance in Urban Decision-Making - Article discussing Co-Designing Tools for Community Land Access
Start Year 2024
 
Description Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ 1st Funding Call: 'Flow. Walk. Drag' Project with Liverpool Hope University 
Organisation Liverpool Hope University
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution 'Flow. Walk. Drag' led by Liverpool Hope University is a project that is being funded through the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ 1st round of funding. We are contributing 80% of the fEC of this project as per our position as a network+ funder. As a research team, as well as financial support, we have been providing ongoing academic and practical support. This is coming from our PDRA team, technologist in Residence and the PI and Co-Is. This support includes connecting up to other groups, organisations, businesses or individuals that are project partners but also those that are more widely part of the EC Network. The ECN+ team has also supported this years projects with cowriting and publishing for academic conferences, enabling additional events and dissemination of research and looking for additional funding, We have hosted Impact Capture training (hosted by the RCA's impact manager) for all the projects we are funding in this first year which was well attended by the ECRs across the different projects. Regular communications, via a newsletter and site visits, have maintained a close relationship between the ECN+ team and the projects we are funding and the funded cohort are well connected and involved with various activities and events that are planned for the future.
Collaborator Contribution As an institution, Liverpool Hope University are contributing 20% of the fEC to the cost of this project as per their role as the institutional lead. The research team who are based at Liverpool Hope and in collaboration with the project partners: Granby Winter Garden / Granby4streets CLT (Liverpool) and +People Dem Collective (Margate) are delivering the project entitled 'Flow. Walk. Drag.' over 12 months as per the proposal they submitted to the first Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ call for funding proposals. The project team are contributing to a Work-In-Progress event in March and, as part of their offer-agreement, the project team will also be completed a final project report that will be evaluated by the ECN+ team as a core aspect of our explorations into Ecological Citizenship for a Sustainable Digital Society. Individual activities and publications that have come out of this project have been inputted separately.
Impact This is a multidisciplinary project that spans themes that include community co-creation and innovation, nonhuman perspectives, drag performance, participatory design and microbiology. The research team on the project is made up of Performance artists, Visual artists Biomedical researchers and Microbiologists. Outcomes form this collaborative project include: - A publication entitles 'Drag Performance as a Methodology for Exploring Human-Microbe Relations: A Case Study of Vibrio cholerae and Escherichia coli.' - A poster presentation at the The Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2025 - Various co-production workshops in Liverpool and Margate - A public symposium in collaboration with Tate Liverpool entitled 'H2O Symposium' - A drag performance of 'Cholera'
Start Year 2024
 
Description Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ 1st Funding Call: 'Open Air' Project with Glasgow School of Art 
Organisation Glasgow School of Art
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution 'Open Air' led by the Glasgow School of Art, is a project that is being funded through the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ 1st round of funding. We are contributing 80% of the fEC of this project as per our position as a network+ funder. As a research team, as well as financial support, we have been providing ongoing academic and practical support. This is coming from our PDRA team, technologist in Residence and the PI and Co-Is. This support includes connecting up to other groups, organisations, businesses or individuals that are project partners but also those that are more widely part of the EC Network. The ECN+ team has also supported this years projects with cowriting and publishing for academic conferences, enabling additional events and dissemination of research and looking for additional funding, We have hosted Impact Capture training (hosted by the RCA's impact manager) for all the projects we are funding in this first year which was well attended by the ECRs across the different projects. Regular communications, via a newsletter and site visits, have maintained a close relationship between the ECN+ team and the projects we are funding and the funded cohort are well connected and involved with various activities and events that are planned for the future.
Collaborator Contribution As an institution, the Glasgow School of Art are contributing 20% of the fEC to the cost of this project as per their role as the institutional lead. The research team who are based at Glasgow School of Art and University of Sterling are delivering the project entitled 'Open Air' over 12 months as per the proposal they submitted to the first Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ call for funding proposals. The project team are contributing to a Work-In-Progress event in March and, as part of their offer-agreement, the project team will also be completed a final project report that will be evaluated by the ECN+ team as a core aspect of our explorations into Ecological Citizenship for a Sustainable Digital Society. Individual activities and publications that have come out of this project have been inputted separately.
Impact This is a multidisciplinary project that spans themes that include citizen science, design innovation, circular economies, community-led technologies and environmental and societal health and wellbeing The research team on the project is made up of academics from Design innovation, Environmental Geography and Interaction Design. Outcomes form this collaborative project include: - Workshops and dialogues with the running community in Glasgow - Designing, iterating and testing a prototype air quality wearable device
Start Year 2024
 
Description Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ 1st Funding Call: 'Social Housing Retrofit' Project with the Royal College of Art. 
Organisation Royal College of Art
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution 'Social housing retrofit: energy house types and citizen participation' lead by the Royal College of Art is a project that is being funded through the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ 1st round of funding. We are contributing 80% of the fEC of this project as per our position as a network+ funder. As a research team, as well as financial support, we have been providing ongoing academic and practical support. This is coming from our PDRA team, technologist in Residence and the PI and Co-Is. This support includes connecting up to other groups, organisations, businesses or individuals that are project partners but also those that are more widely part of the EC Network. The ECN+ team has also supported this years projects with cowriting and publishing for academic conferences, enabling additional events and dissemination of research and looking for additional funding, We have hosted Impact Capture training (hosted by the RCA's impact manager) for all the projects we are funding in this first year which was well attended by the ECRs across the different projects. Regular communications, via a newsletter and site visits, have maintained a close relationship between the ECN+ team and the projects we are funding and the funded cohort are well connected and involved with various activities and events that are planned for the future.
Collaborator Contribution As an institution, the Royal College of Art are contributing 20% of the fEC of this project as per their role as the institutional lead. The research team who are based at the Computer Science Research Centre and the School of Architecture at the Royal College of Art, in collaboration with their project partners London Office for Technology and Innovation (LOTI) and London Councils, are delivering the project entitled 'Social housing retrofit: energy house types and citizen participation' over 5 months as per the proposal they submitted to the first Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ call for funding proposals. The project team are contributing to a Work-In-Progress event in March and, as part of their offer-agreement, the project team will also be completed a final project report that will be evaluated by the ECN+ team as a core aspect of our explorations into Ecological Citizenship for a Sustainable Digital Society. Individual activities and publications that have come out of this project have been inputted separately.
Impact This is a multidisciplinary project that spans architecture, social housing, innovative technologies and urban infrastructure and machine learning. The research team on the project is made up of researchers and local council representatives from Computer Science research and Urban architecture. Outcomes form this collaborative project include: - Workshops to explore Retrofit Archetypes - Prototype testing
Start Year 2024
 
Description Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ 1st Funding Call: 'The Wild House' Project with Brighton University 
Organisation University of Brighton
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution 'The 'Wild House' - making connections between habitats for people and nature through an Ecology of Things [EoT]' led by the University of Brighton is a project that is being funded through the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ 1st round of funding. We are contributing 80% of the fEC of this project as per our position as a network+ funder. As a research team, as well as financial support, we have been providing ongoing academic and practical support. This is coming from our PDRA team, technologist in Residence and the PI and Co-Is. This support includes connecting up to other groups, organisations, businesses or individuals that are project partners but also those that are more widely part of the EC Network. The ECN+ team has also supported this years projects with cowriting and publishing for academic conferences, enabling additional events and dissemination of research and looking for additional funding, We have hosted Impact Capture training (hosted by the RCA's impact manager) for all the projects we are funding in this first year which was well attended by the ECRs across the different projects. Regular communications, via a newsletter and site visits, have maintained a close relationship between the ECN+ team and the projects we are funding and the funded cohort are well connected and involved with various activities and events that are planned for the future.
Collaborator Contribution As an institution, the University of Brighton are contributing 20% of the fEC to the cost of this project as per their role as the institutional lead. The research team who are based at the University of Brighton and the University of Sussex in collaboration with their project partners UNESCO Brighton and Lewes Downs Biosphere region, Community 21 and SoundCamp are delivering the project entitled 'The 'Wild House' - making connections between habitats for people and nature through an Ecology of Things [EoT]' over 12 months as per the proposal they submitted to the first Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ call for funding proposals. The project team are contributing to a Work-In-Progress event in March and, as part of their offer-agreement, the project team will also be completed a final project report that will be evaluated by the ECN+ team as a core aspect of our explorations into Ecological Citizenship for a Sustainable Digital Society. Individual activities and publications that have come out of this project have been inputted separately.
Impact This is a multidisciplinary project that spans themes that include craft, regenerative design, architecture and the built environment and human-nonhuman connectedness. The research team on the project is made up of Sustainable Designers, Industrial and product Designers and Sonic Sound specialists. Outcomes form this collaborative project include: - A publication entitled' Ecological Citizenship in social housing through Making Nature Principles and an Ecology-of- Things' - Multiple 'Forests without Frontiers' workshops - Dialogues and visits with UNESCO Biosphere team - The creation of the 'Wild House show home and garden' - A busy schedule of bookings from community, industry and VCSE groups to use the Wild House show home and garden for the coming months.
Start Year 2024
 
Description Ecological Citizen(s) x Kingston University, Co-created Future Directions Elective entitled 'Future Ecologies' for Visual MA students. (RCA) 
Organisation Kingston University London
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution The ECN+ team have been involved in working closely with Nina Carter and Maxwell Ryan, lecturers and tutors on the Kingston University London MA Future directions elective. In 2024, the Ecological Citizen(s) project co-created a new elective for Visual Comms students from across MA illustrations, Graphic design, Animation and Visual communications courses at Kingston University. Entitled Future Ecologies, and focused around 'Non-human Fieldwork' this 6 week elective, gives students the change to explore non-human, future ecologies with the help of the Ecological Citizen(s) preferable futures card-deck. The ECN+ team hosted an introductory workshop with the card-deck, presented in-person lectures exploring themes around future ecologies and took part in a day-long in-progress tutorial session at the mid way point for all 33 students.
Collaborator Contribution In 2024, Kingston University co-created a new elective for Visual Comms MA students with the the Ecological Citizen(s) project team. Nina and Max have lead the delivery of the elective, in line with the learning objectives of the wider MA courses at Kingston. The Kingston University team have kindly hosted us several times at the University, and introduced us to a brilliant cohort of creative MA students. The students themselves have offered us valuable feedback that has contriubuted to further iterations of the Ecological Citizen(s) Preferable Futures card deck.
Impact Multidisciplinary collaboration across design practices and various arts specialisms and institutions. Outcomes include: - An creative elective design brief that can be used with subsequent cohorts of MA students - 33x independent projects from MA students exploring themes around Future Ecologies, specifically non-human connectedness - Insights and iterative direction for the next stages of the Ecological Citizens Preferable Futures Card-deck - Discussions about future collaborative projects and brief creation - Cross-institutional collaboration
Start Year 2023
 
Description 'Co-Designing Tools for Community Land Access' workshop. (EcoLandS) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The EcoLandS team hosted a stakeholder co-design workshop that engaged 39 attendees. The workshop informed the project next steps and garnered interest from several stakeholders and lead to follow-on meetings about further activities.

This activity was delivered by the project team whose work is being funded as part of the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ first funding call.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://medium.com/@LoughboroughUniversity/co-designing-tools-for-community-land-access-c683b7deeebe
 
Description 'ECN+ Preferable Futures Card Deck' prototype testing workshop with Falmouth University's Ecological Citizenship initiative, staff and members of the local community. (RCA, Wrexham, SEI) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact Following on from the People's Assembly held the day before at Falmouth University, we invited students, staff and members of the general public from the local community participate in a workshop, where we will further explore the themes or key challenges and opportunities from the People's Assembly and test the 'Preferable Future's Card Deck' to generate concrete steps to action.
During this workshop, we tested out the prototype card-deck we have been developing as part of the Ecological Citizens Network+ aimed to support people to see opportunities for actions that promote Ecological Citizenship.
Working in cross-disciplinary teams, participants tackled timely topics and themes that resonate with Falmouth University, the wider community, and the eco-emergency.
This workshop led to iterations, edits and insights that have helped the ECN+ team further develop the Preferable Futures card deck / toolkit that continues to be iterated. It also led to collaborative partnerships and conversations with many students, staff members and local communities in the Falmouth / Exeter area and plans for future activity as well as sparking questions and discussion after the event amongst the participants.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description 'ECN+ Preferable Futures Card Deck' prototype testing workshop with the Design Council. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Following an invitation to participate in a Design Council team strategy day at their headquarters, we invited staff to a workshop to test the latest iteration of the ECN+'s 'Preferable Future's Card Deck' to further explore and generate concrete steps to action the themes relating to the Design Council's 'Design for Planet' mission.
This workshop led to iterations, edits and insights that have helped the ECN+ team further develop the Preferable Futures card deck / toolkit that continues to be iterated. It also led to collaborative partnerships and conversations with many individuals within the Design Council and plans for future activity as well as sparking questions and discussion after the event amongst the participants.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description A Future Vision for York: VCSE focused workshop (York) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact This first, in person workshop to explore the desired sustainable futures of VCSE organisations within the York and Yorkshire region. Our goal was to provide a space for participants to formalise their visions and collaborate with their peers in the VCSE sector to turn these visions into actionable plans through creative facilitated activities including headlines of the future, future visioning exercises and collaborative discussion.
This workshop has helped informed the next steps for crafting a York-specific future vision and Theory of Change. Participants mentioned that the workshop had made them reflect on their work (as part of VCSE / 3rd sector organisations) and think more creatively and positively about how to shift things towards preferable futures. The workshop also helped us expand the local Ecological Citizens network around York and the Yorkshire region.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description AI Fixer was featured on the RCA social media channels.(Ai Fixer) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Ai-Fixer PI, Nazli Terzioglu was interviewed by RCA media team and the interview and subsequent video became a feature on the RCAs various channels.
It was shared on YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages of RCA.
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/67O7rX_pc_o
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7285714334607917056/

This activity was delivered by the project team whose work is being funded as part of the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ first funding call.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2025
URL https://www.instagram.com/p/DEz9zTUMF7o/?hl=en
 
Description Application support sessions for the Ecological Citizens Funding Call #1 (weekly from November 2023 - January 2024) (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Informal, drop-in online sessions [running from 29/9/23 to 26/01/24] to assist individuals planning to submit an application for EC grant funding. These sessions covered application requirements, terms and conditions & potential suitability of proposed projects.
These online sessions cumulatively reached more the 150 individuals, all of whom have now joined the EC Network.
The success of these sessions meant that we received 92 applications for our first funding call and helped foster academics and non-academic partners to collaborate on applications for the funding call.
Some attendees decided not to apply this year but have requested collaborative activities for the future or are planning on applying to future funding calls.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023,2024
 
Description Chaired a RCA x Design for Good masterclass exploring 'The importance of life-long learning for the design community'. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The ECN+ team chaired a free Masterclass talk as part of the RCA x Design for Good Academy, featuring leading guest speakers in the field of design.
For this masterclass entitled 'The importance of life-long learning for the design community', 3 notable chief design officers at Nestle, General Mills and Pepsico, Ximena O'Reilly, Teman Evans, and Mauro Porcini talked about their thoughts on the importance of life-long learning. They shared their personal education experiences and reflected on what they believe are the key skills and mindset required by the design community today and in the future in a conversation chaired by Emily Boxall.
With a live audience of 600+ guests, the masterclass now has over 100+ view on Youtube. Participants in the live session engaged with the subject matter and asked many questions about the concept of active lifelong learning and the skills needed by designers for regernative and flourishing futures.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2025
URL https://www.rca.ac.uk/study/short-courses-2/masterclass-talks-rca-x-design-for-good-academy/
 
Description Co-Design workshop with Trial farm. (Ag. Lab) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Study participants or study members
Results and Impact 4 staff members from the Trial farm attended a recorded co-design workshop at our studio to discuss the project so far and start to design together the outcomes for the project.
Podcasts of these sessions will be available towards the end of the project.

This activity was delivered by the project team whose work is being funded as part of the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ first funding call.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Collaboration dialogue exploring Social Oceanography and Design, with the National Oceanography centre and the RCA. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A collaborative, strategic discussion to unpick possible future work around 'Navigating Coastal Change: Can physical observations of coastal dynamics be used to catalyse community engagement in coastal adaptation and increase resilience to climate change? '
This session will explored whether the recent surge in the development and manufacturing of low-cost sensors, capable of locally monitoring water levels, wave heights, beach, and intertidal morphology, could serve as a vehicle for advancing open science and reshaping public attitudes.

Led by scientists from the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) and design experts from the Royal College of Arts (RCA) and the ECN+, this session utilised 'design thinking' to scope ideas, concepts, and approaches for new pathways to strengthen the bond between people and their coast, and, consequently, shape the future of coastal stewardship and links between Ecological Citizenship and coastal communities.
The session aimed to collaboratively work towards the creation of an opinion paper that explores the opportunity and pathways to realising this vision. This planned paper aims to explore the space identified in the UNESCO Ocean Decade between ocean science and coastal communities with the aim of improving resilience and adaptability to future ocean related issues.
The NOC and RCA also discussed opportunities to explore improved connections between governance driven approaches and community engagement via creative methods and technology sensing platforms (citizen science and other related methods).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Communicate Conference, Woburn House, London: Keynote session chair 'What is Nature had an Advertising Agency?'. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Communicate is the UK's leading annual conference for environmental communicators running since 2004, bringing together a diverse group of delegates each year to develop their skills, share best practice and debate latest issues in science communication, nature conservation and engaging people with the natural world. Hosted by the Natural History Consortium, in this, its 20th year, the theme was New Connections for Nature.
In the London, in-person conference, Emily Boxall (network manager) chaired the in-person session 'What if Nature had an advertising agency?' - a discussion with Lisa Merrick Lawless of Purpose Disruptors, an advertising agency in service of all life on earth, a 'game changer in climate communications'.
The Natural History Consortium (NHC) is a unique partnership of 14 members who work collaboratively to engage people with the natural world.
This led to plans for future activities as part of the NHC's Festival of Nature in the summer and an invitation to curate a series of talks at the next Communicate conference in 2025. It also led to collaborative opportunities following conversations with other speakers and attendees at the conference.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://youtu.be/eHDDnEXGcnM?si=wihX2XDw4Di3o_qW
 
Description Contribution to planning of, and participation-in People's Assembly at Falmouth University around 'Ecological Citizenship at Falmouth & Exeter University'. (RCA, Wrexham, SEI) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact Hosted by the Ecological Citizenship project (student and staff collaborative initiative) at Falmouth Uni and University of Exeter, the people's assembly asked a varied audience of academics, students and local community members 'What would a university fit for purpose look like, in a time of climate and nature crisis?'. In small groups we unpicked what needed to change and what action would be required. The session was expertly facilitated by the ecological citizenship student reps and were a pre-activity that informed a workshop the ECN+ team was leading the following day with students, staff and members of the general public from the area around Falmouth and Exeter.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Crafting an EC Toolkit Version 2, Workshop with John Nussey from The Smithery (RCA / York) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact In person workshop to collaboratively critique the Ecological Citizens Toolkit and co-create the next iteration of it with John Nussey and the Ecological Citizens Research team. This workshop lead to the creation of the 2nd iteration of the Ecological Citizens toolkit and expanded the Ecological Citizens Network+.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Design Council Experts, Introductory Workshop. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The event was hosted to welcome and introduce the new Design Council Experts network to one another.
With a delegation of 200 people snd time to network after the formal presentations, this led to new relationships with design studios and B-corp amongst others working in the climate policy space.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/who-we-are/our-people/experts/
 
Description Design Resilience lecture using the ECN+ project as a case study, Design Futures MA at the RCA. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact A new version of the Design Resilience unit for the entire college (as part of RCA student electives), focused on developing technological solutions for resilient futures to empower people involving government and other stakeholders.
Emily Boxall talked about the ECN+ project, particularly focusing on tangible examples of EC and innovative technologies for resilient futures and then ended on some creative activities to better understand the kind of characteristics we should be embodying as ecological citizens in progress.
Students commented on the thought provoking and creative nature of the session and helped inform expanding the way they perceive design as a tool for climate resilience.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Designing with Nature workshop with the Design Council. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact This workshop is part of a series of workshops exploring core green design skills across seven cross-discipline areas. Lead by the Design council with 30 selected (based on application) audience members from across different sectors, Rob Phillips shared his expertise about 'Designing with Nature' to the cohort along with other invited speakers.
The work had led to informing a policy briefing on green skills and the potential for nature-based design principles within the UK. The Design Council are gathering this information to produce an overview of the essential green design skills required to achieve important environmental outcomes.
This is the first key piece of work they undertook as part of their 'Skills Mission: to upskill 1 million designers in green design skills by 2030'.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Dialogue with Cluster 2: Horizon Europe & COST Programme looking at regional Ecological Citizenship. (Wrexham) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A dialogue in collaboration with Wales Higher Education Brussels group (WHEB) to discuss future plans for the ECN+'s involvement with the Cluster 2 Horizon Europe program and how to deliver strategic aims with the support from COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).
This included an overview of the ECN+ project, opportunities available in the COST programme and some regional perspectives on cultural heritage work.
COST is a funding organisation for research and innovation networks.
'Cluster 2' refers to the area focused on Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society, essentially funding research projects related to social, cultural, and democratic issues within the European Union.
This led to plans for future activity and introduced new potential collaborative partnerships.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2025
 
Description Dialogue with Head of Office Wales Higher Education Brussels, Universities Wales, to discuss Ecological Citizenship alignment in Welsh Universities. (Wrexham) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact This meeting with the Wales Higher Education board focused on future plans for acts of Ecological Citizenship within Welsh universities in line with the Welsh Future Generations Act. Plans for networking and partnership creation with Welsh partners and across the EU was also discussed.
This lead to plans for future activities and new collaborative partnerships were built.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Dialogue with Horticulture Wales, Hydroponics Centre, regardng their 'Project in a Box' scheme and ECN+ alignment. (Wrexham) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Horticultural Wales have developed a 'Project in a Box' programme to encourage more communities to be able to grow their own food. We met with them to discuss possible collaborative opportunities with and shared ideas about how to progress this initiative into something that also considers acts of Ecological Citizenship and could be directed at 'Ecological Citizens in action'. This led to plans for further activity together and has brought more individuals and groups from the Horticulture community in Wales to understand more and want to be involved with the ECN+ project.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Dialogue with Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, South America, to discuss EC alignment. (Wrexham) 
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 This discussion with the Brazilian University focused on exploring international acts of Ecological Citizenship within university settings as well as giving a presentation about the ECN+ project, the projects we are funding and our hopes and aims for the future.
This lead to plans for future activities and kickstarted potential collaboration routes.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Dialogue with Wrexham County Borough Council about plans for Carbon NetZero and future collaboration. (Wrexham) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact A meeting with Wrexham County Borough Council about their strategic work and future agenda for reaching Carbon Net Zero and how the ECN+ project might work with them on developing an exchange mechanism and engaging the wider ECN+ network with these plans.
This led to plans for future activity and opened up conversations about future CNZ goals.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Digital conference presentation at Conference of Design Principles and Practices 2024: 'Cultivating Ecological Citizenship - Transformative Design for Sustainable Communities: Exploring Place-Based Approaches, Creative Practices, and Community Engagement in the Pursuit of a Resilient Future.' (Wrexham) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A digital presentation of a publication at the 18th International Conference on Design Principles and Practices. The Design Principles & Practices Research Network offers an interdisciplinary forum to explore the meaning and purpose of design. In professional and disciplinary terms, the network traverses a broad sweep to construct a trans-disciplinary dialogue, which encompasses a wide array of design paradigms and practices.

Alec Shepley and Daniel Knox presented their paper 'Cultivating Ecological Citizenship - Transformative Design for Sustainable Communities: Exploring Place-Based Approaches, Creative Practices, and Community Engagement in the Pursuit of a Resilient Future'.

This engaged an international, online audience of 200+. It led to discussions and catalysed national conversations and dialogues on EC within the global and the conference delegation.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://cgscholar.com/cg_event/events/G24en/proposal/70164#
 
Description Digital conference presentation at DRS (Design Research Society) 2024: 'Preferable, Contextual and Sustainable Climate Futures for Ecological Citizens.' (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A digital presentation of a publication at the Design Research Society 2024 conference ' Resistance, Recovery, Reflection, Reimagination'.
The DRS organises a large international conference every two years to present and discuss cutting edge design research.

Rob Phillips presented his paper 'Preferable, Contextual and Sustainable Climate Futures for Ecological Citizens.'
This engaged an international, online audience of 150+. It led to discussions and catalysed national conversations and dialogues on EC within the global and the conference delegation.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://dl.designresearchsociety.org/drs-conference-papers/drs2024/researchpapers/63/
 
Description Digital conference presentation at HCI (Human Computer Interaction) 2024: 'Design Futures, Ecological Citizenship and Public Interest Technologies?=?HCI Regenerative Interaction Opportunities ?'. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A digital presentation of a publication at the Human Computer Interaction 2024 conference in Budapest ' P/References of Design'.
The International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction is a major forum for the dissemination and exchange of up-to-date scientific information on theoretical and applied areas of Human Computer Interaction.

Rob Phillips presented his paper 'Design Futures, Ecological Citizenship and Public Interest Technologies = HCI Regenerative Interaction Opportunities ?' as part of the 'User Experience Design and Evaluation methods and tools' track.

This engaged an international, online audience of 50+. It led to discussions and catalysed national conversations and dialogues on EC within the global and the conference delegation.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://2024.hci.international/HCI-program.html
 
Description EC post- participatory design workshop with Jon Alexander from the New Citizenship Project (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact In person workshop to collaboratively work on the models to describe 'What is ecological citizenship in post-participatory design?' with Jon Alexander, author of Citizens and co-founder of the New Citizenship Project.
This in depth workshop / expert dialogue explored defining ecological citizenship and has been written up as a paper that was submitted and accepted to the Cumulus Budapest 2024 conference and turned into a series of illustrations that have been used across the Ecological Citizens social media channels.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Ecological Citizen(s) Welsh Network Engagement event. (Wrexham) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The event invited core interested parties from the Wales-specific ECN+ network, bringing everyone together to share updates on the project to date and to invite attendees to as questions and engage with the research team based in Wrexham. This was followed by time to network.
This strengthened existing relationships with collaborators and engaged new groups with the project and led to requests for more information and plans for future activity.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Ecological Citizens Network+ project launch and panel discussion, September 2023 (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact This event marked the official launch of the Ecological Citizens Network+ Project and was held as a hybrid (in-person and online) event at the Royal College of Art. The main aims of this event were to publicly introduce Ecological Citizens to a wider audience and to spotlight some of our project partners, to introduce some core collaborators/ partners of the project and discuss with them, 'How should we be designing for sustainable, preferable futures and to share information about the seed-funding opportunities available and how to apply.
We coincided this activity with London Design Week and picked up some themes during the panel discussion that related to other things happening across Design Week.
The panel discussion was recorded (viewable on the EC YouTube Channel and the EC website) and opened up contrasting opinions from core project partners about 'What Ecological Citizenship is'.
This event also marked the public launching the EC website.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://ecologicalcitizens.co.uk/#panel-discussion-21-09-23
 
Description Ecological Citizenship in schools Webinar with Crafts Council (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact To collectively unpick 'What should Ecological Citizenship in schools look like?' via the means of a public zoom webinar, in collaboration with the Crafts council and their upcoming Craft School programme.
Whilst environmental sciences and awareness of the climate crisis in contemporary education has begun to trickle through, in order to enable a truly empowered generation, what should EC in schools and across all levels of education look like?
What skills must we as a population equip our young people with if they are to adapt and flourish in our changing world? How can we take a transdisciplinary approach to our education, encouraging more holistic, interconnected curriculums that are far more representative of 'real life'? How can we inspire, in a time of deep climate anxiety?
In order to unpick these questions further, this webinar invited experts, groups and educators from across the education system in the UK to discuss what is going well, what needs work and where we could be in the future.
As well as expanding the Ecological Citizens Network+, this has prompted positive collaborative future plans with the Crafts Council.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://youtu.be/aX2ZSFapVb4?si=9jfVrVO6IDGaTnPe
 
Description Environmental Platform Wales, Insights Wales Talk - Ecological Citizen(s) Funding round 2. (RCA, Wrexham) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Hosted by the Environmental Platform Wales, the 'Insights Wales - Cipolwg Cymru' series continue to provide a new platform to illuminate the research taking place throughout Wales and also the requirements for research and evidence to support environmental policy decisions by Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales.Hosting a range inspirational and entertaining speakers, the weekly webinars cover a variety of diverse topics to reach a wide range of audiences. By aligning these talks with Welsh Government's 'Programme for Government - 2021-2026', Natural Resources Wales' SoNaRR and evidence needs reports and the sessions are a way of linking research to key policy needs and provoking conversation and connections surrounding these areas.
The ECN+ team talked about the work we are doing and the upcoming funding call, 'The Natural World' as well as welcoming suggestions from the audience about best practise and community outreach. This led to a discussion and questions from the audience and has increased engagement with the ECN+'s 2nd funding call and we received many more funding applications / project proposals from Welsh universities.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://cardiff.cloud.panopto.eu/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=fdb1c6a8-bb28-4dab-834d-b21200f82eb4
 
Description Exhibiting the ECN+ at the London Design Festival 2024 as part of the RCA Research Collective. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact As part of the Battersea Design District's programme events for the London Design Festival 2024, we exhibited the ECN+ at a pop-up exhibition space as part of a collective of research projects from the RCA.
During the time we featured workshops and hosted drop-in Q&A sessions regarding our funding and offering opportunities.
These interdisciplinary art and design-led projects focus on materials innovation, climate action and the integration of Artificial Intelligence with design to drive innovation and sustainability and make a positive impact on both industry and society. They are leading the way to a future in which design and technology can work together to create a more equitable and sustainable society.
This was exhibition was open to the public and invited request for further conversation and information about the ECN+ project.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.rca.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/london-design-festival-rca-research-and-innovation/
 
Description Facilitation of a EC toolkit testing workshop with cross-disciplinary MA students (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact In a workshop titled 'How do we address relationality in a complex polycrisis to find hope?' the aim was to unpick and map individual and collective knowledge around relationality and the interconnectedness of everything. Charlotte Nordmoen and Emily Boxall facilitated a 2.5hr session with cross-disciplinary MA stidents from the RCA's School of Design starting with ways of identifying what we know, what we don't know and the complexity of everything (systems, materials, politics, people, impact etc.) that surrounds an object / tool. We then then zoomed-in to specific issues, themes or topics that the students were interested in exploring and used this as a starting point to test out the 7th iteration of the Ecological Citizen(s) brief making toolkit we have been creating as a team. This session led to invaluable feedback from the students dn gave us a chance to test the 'game-play' of the toolkit with a large group whilst also inviting them to join the EC student network and engage in the work we are doing. Students reported that the workshop was interesting and offered new ways of thinking and points of view that they weren't expecting.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Facilitation of the York Climate Commission relaunch (York) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact A relaunch of the York Climate Commission bringing together anyone working on climate action in the city of York. This session (which involved 92 individuals in person and was broadcast on BBC Radio York) was facilitated by Sarah West for the existing commission. The results of the discussion from the event were live illustrated and it helped expand the Ecological Citizens Network+.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.yorkclimate.org.uk/
 
Description Feature event for the More Culture Less Medicine Conference in Brighton. (The Wild House) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact The Wild House team hosted and delievred one of the Feature events for the 'More Culture Less Medicine' conference 2025.
The conference celebrates achievements in Creative Health since the last More Culture Less Medicine conference five years ago, including the groundbreaking Hera Partnership work supported by Brighton & Hove City Council. This conference explores the pathways forward to make creative health an ever more accessible and inclusive healthcare option.

This activity was delivered by the project team whose work s being funded as part of the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ first funding call.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2025
URL https://www.creativefuture.org.uk/arts-health-and-wellbeing/more-culture-less-medicine-2/
 
Description Forests without Frontiers workshop. (The Wild House) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact 16 ecological artists visited the Wild House and used it as a basis for discussion relative to Arts Council Funded project.

This activity was delivered by the project team whose work is being funded as part of the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ first funding call.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description H2O Symposium 2025: Co-organised with Liverpool Hope University and Tate Liverpool. (Flow. Walk. Drag.) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact This day-log symposium featured a participatory quiz-presentation of the project and cholera cabaret performance. Engaged diverse audience including students, academics, and community members
Explored Liverpool's complex relationship with water through interdisciplinary presentations.
Successfully created connections between art, science and activism communities, as well as raising awareness about the project and upcoming events/plans.

The Ecological Citizen(s) team attended this symposium.
This activity was delivered by the project team whose work is being funded as part of the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ first funding call.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2025
URL https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-liverpool/h2o-how-to-open-waterways
 
Description Hosted 3 x online matchmaking sessions for academics and community groups that were interested in applying for the 2nd ECN+ funding call for project proposals. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The ECN+ team hosted 3 x separate online matchmaking sessions to support the linking up of academic and non-academic potential applicants for the second Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ funding call.
During these sessions participants from across the UK shared their proposal s/ research ideas or research areas with a collective of potential project partners. This helped link up possible collaborations and expanded attendee professional networks.
The sessions focused on these questions: Are you a UKRI-eligible research group looking for community partners? Are you a community/interest group looking for research partners? Are you a research group looking to partner with another institution? Are you keen to connect with others who are exploring related or complementary themes of research areas?
Across the 3 sessions, 40 individuals from eligible research institutions and centres as and various VCSE organisations, charities and community groups met and shared their research areas, expertise and what they were looking for in potential research partners.
From these, we enabled multiple possible collaborative links to be created. We will be able to see if these led to successful funding bids once we have completed the review process for the 2nd funding call (April 2025).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Hosted 8 x online Funding Q&A sessions for academics and community groups that were interested in applying for the 2nd ECN+ funding call for project proposals. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The ECN+ team hosted 8 x separate online Funding Q&A sessions to support academic and non-academic potential applicants for the second Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ funding call.
During these informal, informative sessions attendees were able to ask any questions relating to the 2nd ECN+ funding call.
Over the course of the 8 sessions, 97 individuals attended. This had a considerable impact on the number of applications we received for the 2nd ECN+ funding call as it enabled applicants to better understand eligibility and details around the theme and remit of this funding call.
It also engaged a far wider audience with the project and has led to many requests about future involvement, possible collaborations and requests for information.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Hosted an 'Impact Capture for Multidisciplinary Projects' online training session for projects funded through the ECN+. (RCA, Wrexham, SEI) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact We hosted this optional impact training session for all of the projects we fund as part of the Ecological Citizen(s) Network.
The focus of this session was about how best to capture the impact of the work the projects we fund are doing, with a particular focus on multidisciplinary research and methods as well as looking at qualitative impact capture. This informative and practical session was suitable for anyone new to impact capture and those wishing to refresh their memories or learn something new and was hosted by Clare Stainthorp, the RCA's research impact manager. The session was designed specifically with the ECN+ aims in mind with the ECN+ team.

This session was held online via zoom and was open to all project research teams and anyone from the EC team interested in joining as well as any projects partners or collaborators involved their work. This session was recorded and turned into 'bite-size clips' to help broader audiences and ECRs with understanding how best to capture impact from multidisciplinary project or qualitative data.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Hosting a Wales- focused Ecological Citizenship networking event (Wrexham) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A networking event held at Wrexham University to introduce the idea of ecological citizenship to a local / regional audience and to enter a discovery phase to reveal existing practices, develop links and partnerships.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description In-person conference presentation at Cumulus 2024: 'Beyond co-production: Design as a means of evoking agency through EC'. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A collaborative presentation of a publication through a peer reviewed conference paper at the Cumulus 2024 conference in Budapest ' P/References of Design'.
The Cumulus conference in Budapest aimed to explore contemporary design culture by examining its current tensions and parallels. Participants were encouraged to share their perspectives on the ongoing "revaluation of values" which concern established references and competing preferences in design.
it was hosted in Budapest, Hungary and organized by Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME) in May 2024.

Rob Phillips presented his paper 'Beyond co-production: Design as a means of evoking agency through EC' on day 1 of the conference as part of the 'Ways of Living Together: Embracing Equity and Diversity' track.

This engaged an international in-person audience of 100 and an online audience of 50+. It led to discussions and catalysed national conversations and dialogues on EC within the EU and the conference delegation.
It was shared across multiple online platforms of note.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description In-person conference presentation at Cumulus 2024: 'What do we mean? The language of design for sustainable practices'. (SEI) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A collaborative presentation of a publication through a peer reviewed conference paper at the Cumulus 2024 conference in Budapest 'P/References of Design'.
The Cumulus conference in Budapest aimed to explore contemporary design culture by examining its current tensions and parallels. Participants were encouraged to share their perspectives on the ongoing "revaluation of values" which concern established references and competing preferences in design.
it was hosted in Budapest, Hungary and organized by Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME) in May 2024.

Luke Gooding presented his paper 'What do we mean? The language of design for sustainable practices.' on day 3 of the conference as part of the 'Taming Entropy: Systems Design for Climate and Change' track.

This engaged an international in-person audience of 50 and an online audience of 50+. It led to discussions and catalysed national conversations and dialogues on EC within the EU and the conference delegation and led to a request contribute as a reviewer for future Cumulus conference submissions.
It was shared across multiple online platforms of note.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Invitation to USA Embassy to present the ECN+ project and update the programmes lead on our work to date. (RCA) 
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 Invited to the US embassy to present our work to the programmes team that help cultivate policy, public engagement and look to trans-disciplinary UK / USA collaborations. A key audience of 5 leading policy advisors to the USA. This was a 45 minute presentation / discussion with key members of the US embassy, including; head of programming, head of UK climate engagement, Attache to US policy advisor on Climate change and support staff. The impact of this was a bid submission and the onboarding of a longer term relationship with the US embassy in London.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Key Note Speech at the World Craft Council, European Conference: The Future of Crafting (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Delivered keynote speech at the World Crafts Council Europe Annual conference at the at the University of Malta, Valletta Campus on the 6th July 2023. This years conference looked at 'Crafting the Future: New Skills & Opportunities for Crafts'. Dr Rob Phillips (PI) was the 3rd keynote speaker in a discussion chaired by Elaine Falzon from the WCC which unpicked "Crafts & Sustainability: New Skills & Opportunities for Ecological Citizens" to an in person and online, international audience.
Speaking at this has expanded our network beyond the UK and lead to collaborative work with various other organisations and industry members including the UK Crafts Council and new has expanded knowledge of the Ecological Citizen Network+ Project to a wider audience as members of the general public were able to attend this conference free of charge.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://wcc-europe.org/whats-on/news/world-crafts-council-europe-annual-conference-crafting-the-futu...
 
Description Knowledge exchange talk given to Fairphone. (Ai Fixer) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact The project results were presented in a detailed talk to the industry partner, Fairphone, on February 27, 2025. The presentation covered key findings, insights, and potential applications of the research, fostering discussions on future collaborations and industry impact.

This activity was delivered by the project team whose work is being funded as part of the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ first funding call.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Lecture on Ecological Citizenship to Terra Carta Design Lab Students at the RCA. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact A talk on acts of Ecological Citizenship, alongside NoPLA and materials researchers from Milano politechnico as part of the Terra Carta Design Lab lecture. The common thread was new means for materiality within more sustainable worlds. This was a digital broadcast engaging 400 students within the school of design at the RCA. The Sustainable Markets Initiative's Terra Carta Design Lab is a global competition, which invites students to design high-impact solutions that address the devastating damage caused to our planet.
This led to many of the students considering how they could deploy 'sustainable digital societies' within their project work and wider discussion.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Liverpool Co-Production Workshops. (Flow. Walk. Drag.) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Workshop #1 (08/02/2025): Explored cholera histories, water access, migration, aging, and sewage systems with L8 community members. Facilitated by core team with microbiological expertise from Natalie Beveridge and Rebee Penrice-Randal.

Workshop #2 (22/02/2025): Participants shared personal water-connected objects and stories, mapped narratives onto Liverpool geography, identified key locations for future performances (including St. James garden spring).

This activity was delivered by the project team whose work is being funded as part of the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ first funding call.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2025
URL https://fwdrag.art/2025/02/24/liverpool-workshop-1-overview/
 
Description Margate Co-Production Workshop. (Flow. Walk. Drag) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact The inaugural Margate workshop at People Dem Collective HQ introduced E. coli's characteristics while participants creatively imagined themselves as microbes and shared sea-related personal objects. Discussions revealed how sewage pollution disrupts coastal connections, exploring links between mental health and environmental anxiety, setting the foundation for future workshops on sewage issues and illness.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2025
URL https://fwdrag.art/2025/02/24/margate-workshop-1-overview/
 
Description Networking event and future strategy conversion with ECN+ Welsh Network. (Wrexham) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact The ECN+ Wrexham team met with the Outside Lives Ltd. in Flintshire Wales, a local organisation and outside activity centre. Outside Lives' mission is all about building stronger, healthier connections among people through understanding and celebrating our natural world.
The team toured the site and discussed collaborative possibilities for future work together.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Online Talk for the Environmental Platform Wales: Insights Wales series (RCA / Wrexham) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Hosted by Environmental Platform Wales Director Andy Schofield and EP Wales Partnership Officer Catherine Arnold, these weekly talk series provide a new platform to illuminate the research taking place throughout Wales and also the requirements for research and evidence to support environmental policy decisions by Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales.
On the 8th November 2023, the EC team spoke about what we mean by ecological citizenship and the concept of a preferable, accessible, sustainable future for the UK and how we, as a collective - as a community, might get there.
The impact of this event was an expansion of the Wales and national (UK) network and introduced us to policymakers within the Welsh Government as well as new community groups and organisations that were otherwise unaware of the EC project.
This session was recorded and is viewable on the EP Wales online platform as part of their archive of talks and presentations in the 'Insights Wales' series.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://epwales.org.uk/2023-24-insights-wales-cipolwg-cymru-recordings/
 
Description Online lecture series exploring Ecological Citizenship with Suzhou Innovation Academy (SIA) students in China. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact A series of workshops unpacking Ecological Citizenship with international students at Suzhou Innovation Academy (SIA) in China. The work focused on design opportunities that they could design with.
This engaged a repeat audience of 25 international students, leading them to think and consider new forms of ecological design where communities benefit. Their industrial design background was challenged and led to new discourse amongst their staff and peers.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Open Data Institute (Roundtable), What is Ecological Citizenship, within the context of Data (RCA) 
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 The Open Data Institute is an NGO that lobbies and informs policy around; data collection, data handling and was integral to the GDPR. This roundtable was an event that covered a number of scenarios about data handling, good practice and citizen participation. The event was run by the ODI with a small group and invited some of the EC team to participate. This has led to a more strategic relationship with the ODI as a existing partner for the EC network.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Panel discussion at Weave / Gwehyddu Arts & Mental Health Conference 2023, Lysaght Insitute, Newport (Wrexham) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact This panel discussion focused on the role of arts, creativity, culture and innovation in our local and regional partnership landscape, including public service and regional partnership boards. It explored how North Wales is seeking to help the region's residents lead happy, healthy and connected lives. Weave took place on 4 October 2023 at Newport's Lysaght Institute. It focused on the positive impact of the arts and creativity on Wales' mental health and wellbeing and how expanding networks and cross-disciplinary collaboration is happening across the EC+ Project.
The free event was designed to build on the country's pioneering arts and health partnerships, progress and successes in recent years - including the six-year-old MoU between the Arts Council of Wales and the Welsh NHS Confederation.
This event reached a new disciplinary group of organisations and individuals and looked at localised / regional examples of Ecological Citizenship around the health of societies and communities. It exapnded the Network + into new themes and locations.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://wahwn.cymru/conference
 
Description Part of prototype / workshop group for 'First Hand: Small Beer Brewery Tour' by Forth (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Focused on manufacturing and production in food and beverage and consumer goods, Forth are exploring how places of production can be leveraged to accelerate climate engagement and action. Its called 'First Hand' - as it's focused on the kinds of knowledge, understanding and skills that benefit from first hand / hands on engagement.
This was the second in a series of prototype tours and workshops around skills required to catalyse positive climate action.
The EC team were part of the prototype group and particpated in the subsequent workshop for this tour around Small Beer Brewery.
Alongside building the Ecological Citizens network+, this event also introduced us the Small Beer who we are collaborating with for an event in May.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://wegoforth.org/first-hand-learning-experiences-to-advance-green-skills-for-industry/
 
Description Part of the panel for RCA x Design for Good Academy Masterclass talk: Ron Wakkary - 'Designing for More than Human Worlds'. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The ECN+ team participated in a free Masterclass talk as part of the RCA x Design for Good Academy, featuring leading guest speakers in the field of design.
For this masterclass entitled 'Designing for More than Human Worlds', RCA School of Design academics and researchers Dr Rob Phillips and Dr Delfina Fantini van Ditmar discussed how to acknowledge the interconnectedness of humans and non-humans as a foundation for design with Professor Ron Wakkary.
With a live audience of 400+ guests, the masterclass now has over 200+ view on Youtube. Participants in the live session engaged with the subject matter and asked many questions about the concept of Ecological Citizenship.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.rca.ac.uk/study/short-courses-2/masterclass-talks-rca-x-design-for-good-academy/
 
Description Participation in a Climate Workshop, towards a research agenda. Hosted by the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre and the Design Council. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact An in-person workshop hosted at the RSA with 40 delegates from across the climate creative sector to inform policy and the work of the PEC. This lead to policy engagement and the connection of collaborations within our funding and sharing across different networks.
The Creative PEC is an AHRC-funded research centre co-hosted by Newcastle University and the RSA in London. Their remit is to provide independent research and policy advice to support the UK's creative industries, and they work across international, national and local policy contexts.
The Design Council is the UK's national strategic advisor on design, with a current mission to harness the UK design sector to support a green transition.
The purpose of this workshop was to bring together academics and policymakers to explore what a forward research agenda for the creative industries and the climate crisis might look like. It's aims were to identify the most important climate research questions for the sector, how well these are addressed by the existing evidence base and what are the priorities for new research, including that which might be undertaken or supported by the Creative PEC and other attending organisations.
The Creative PEC and Design Council will produce and publish a record of the workshop's findings which will inform subsequent research commissioning and policy engagement.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Participation in a pilot workshop, hosted by 'First Hand' at the Brunel Museum London. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Invited as an expert delegate to a pilot workshop with 40 participants from across creative, digital and charitable sectors. The workshop was hosted by First Hand and explored and demonstrated the potential of place-based learning to unlock climate action in a prime example of transformative infrastructure (Inspired by nature! Dogged by failure! Demonstrating generations of adaptive re-use!).
First Hand is a response to the urgent need to build our capacity to innovate and change to sustainable production systems. They offer real-world learning in industrial settings and a community platform for sharing ideas and practical actions.

The work fostered new relationships with councils and organisations and the learning from this pilot workshop (from the policymakers, industry, sector organisations, community/advocacy groups and educators in attendance) will be shared by First Hand (a subproject as part of We Go Forth CIC).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Participation in a roundtable event discussing design research topics with AHRC (Wrexham) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Discussion regarding potential collaborative projects around technology, data mapping, well-being scores, home insulation and heat-loss, possible funding for digital interventions, and KT hosted by the AHRC with attendance from all research deans form Welsh HEIs.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Participation the Design Council's Net Zero Design Innovation, Leaders' co-development workshops, Leeds (York) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Six 'teams' of innovators, industry leaders, academics, designers, regional policymakers, and funders from York, Sheffield and South Yorkshire, Leeds and West Yorkshire, Newcastle and the Tees Valley, Humber, and Manchester met in Leeds for an in person workshop exploring collaboration and co-development / co-design across hyper-local, local and regional innovation groups and organisations.
This event expanded the Ecological Citizens Network+ and further explored the York-specific cluster of organisations, events and disciplines that are already, or are keen to look into regenerative, positive climate action.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Presentation and workshop the ECN+ to Bug Life Cymru, Natural Resources Wales and Chester Zoo. (Wrexham) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact A talk to introduce Bug Life Cymru, Chester Zoo and Natural Resources Wales to the ECN+ project and to give them an overview of the research and funding projects we are supporting as well as the overall mission and aims of the project. Following this, the ECN+ gave a workshop that explored themes around possible Citizen Science activities that relate to the cohorts collective aims and mission to engage more Ecological Citizens.
This presentation, workshop and subsequent discussion led to plans for future activities together requests for more information about possible collaborative routes from Bug Life.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Presentation as part of Scholarship Programme for Overseas Study (SPOSAD) about the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ project. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact A talk on the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ project and new means of sustainable design.
The MOE Scholarship Program for Overseas Study in Arts and Design (SPOSAD) is an elite cultivation project held in Taiwan since 2005. One of its goals is to breed young students in the field of design industry. Through serial public selection, the program hopes to discover talented young students, and provide them with the opportunity of a 1-year academic and practical training in its overseas partner institutes, which are well-known for their accomplishment in arts and design. This engaged an international audience of 150 participants and led to a series of questions concerning participatory design and digital principles.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Presentation of the ECN+ project to cross-disciplinary student body at the RCA. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact An online lecture of the work that the ECN+ project are doing to a cross-disciplinary student audience from across the school of design at the RCA. The presentation included the EC approach, projects we are funding, research outputs and collaborative activities.
This led to student enquiries and EC drop-in sessions where we could answer questions and inform their thinking directly from the research we were doing.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Presented a talk at 'Dialogue 01: Sharing excellent practise across research, experience and teaching for those working within and beyond the RCA Community' (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Dialogue is a series of events organised by the People Development team in collaboration with the Assistant Deans and the Academic Development Office at the Royal College of Art to share excellent practices related to learning and teaching, student experience, research, knowledge exchange, or working within and beyond the RCA community. This first event focused on 'Share' in alignment to the College values of Curiosity, Inclusion, Collaboration and Integrity.
Dr Rob Phillips talk at the first event around 'Sharing excellent practise across research, experience and teaching for those working within and beyond the RCA Community' referenced the Ecological Citizens Network+ and helped expand the network to postgraduate students and research and teaching staff within the RCA.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Presented research for ARIs event (for Climate Change, Environment, & Infrastructure Committee of Welsh Senedd, Ty Hywel, Cardiff Bay (Wrexham) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact The Welsh Parliament's 'Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee' invited Professor Alec Shepley to present their research at the 'Areas of Research Interest (ARIs)' event on Thursday 30 November at Ty Hywel, Cardiff Bay.
Attended by academics from across Wales, various topics were presented as evidence for the committee to consider in policy and decision making with reference to the Future Generations Act. The Committee has also extended an invitation to relevant Senedd Cross Party Groups to attend the event and provide an opportunity for networking. Alec Shepley presented on three projects, including Ecological Citizen(s) Network+. This expanded the Welsh EC network and lead to requests for information and potential collaboration in the future.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://business.senedd.wales/mgConsultationDisplay.aspx?ID=527
 
Description Presenting at 'Communicate Conference: Together with Nature - Moving beyond debate into action and solutions' (York) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact Communicate is the UK's leading annual conference for environmental communicators running since 2004, bringing together a diverse group of delegates each year to develop their skills, share best practice and debate latest issues in science communication, nature conservation and engaging people with the natural world.
Sarah West presented the Ecological Citizens Network+ project in a discussion with Peter Kraftl about moving beyond debate into action and solutions on 15th November 2023.
This sparked conversations afterwards and expanded the EC project and network+ to new disciplinary areas and new audiences.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.bnhc.org.uk/communicate2023
 
Description Presenting at 'Questions About Questions: towards a regenerative culture at the RSA', 16.11.24 (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Dr Rob Phillips spoke at a hybrid discussion that brought design, arts, policy and industry practitioners together to creatively ponder on how we might get and the skills we might need to achieve regenerative culture / society for planetary and societal health and positive climate action. This event was held at the Royal Society of the Arts.
As well as expanding the Ecological Citizens Network+, this event marked the creation of the STEPS collective, of which Dr Rob Phillips is a founding facilitator.
The STEPS (Show The East Place To Start) Collective is a group committed to sharing provocations which get people thinking, doing and making in the regenerative space. Taking the action which works for you is easier when you see and hear how others started. We are helping people take their own first steps towards a regenerative future, not as experts or professionals but as parents, neighbours, colleagues and citizens.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://buttondown.email/stepscollective
 
Description Presenting at Farnham Maltings: Design For Sustainable Agency and Contemporary Practices in 'Ecological Citizenship' (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact "Design For Sustainable Agency and Contemporary Practices in 'Ecological Citizenship', Designer, inventor and futurist Buckminster Fuller coined the term 'Spaceship Earth' to describe our planet. Fuller felt that all human beings were passengers on 'Spaceship Earth', and, like a ship's crew, people unite to keep the planet functioning,. i.e., we each have active role(s), as good ancestors and 'citizens'....
The biggest challenge is not ""what you do""... but what you ""do not do"". During this presentation at the Farnham Maltings, Dr Robery Phillips reviewed values, sustainable approaches and touchpoints that can expand capacities, develop appropriate outputs and lead towards a roadmap that enables participants to make clearer approaches and define what they do.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://farnhammaltings.com/
 
Description Presenting the ECN+ project at the RCA's 'Sustainability Lunch & Learn', for staff and students. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Kicking off the new "Sustainability Lunch and Learn" series for RCA staff around different topics in sustainability, led by the new RCA sustainability manager.
In this first session, the ECN+ project presented the work we are doing and discussed ways of connecting with other courses and discipline areas from the RCA as well as artists, designers and students from across the college.
We also talked about the Network funding calls and were joined by the ECN+ funded project 'AI Fixer' (PI, Nazli) who presented their work that explores repair using technological advancements.
Attendees of this session asked questions and various follow-on conversations were initiated as well as more institutional interest in the next ECN+ funding call.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Presenting the ECN+ project during a quarterly RCA 'all-staff' meeting. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact During the quarterly all-staff meeting at the Royal College of Art, we presented an overview of the ECN+ project to 100 in person and 200+ online attendees. This was part of a session that welcomed the new president and VC of the college to the wider staff team and focused in on the sustainability strategy and carbon footprint of the college.
This led to requests for further information, increased engagement in the ECN+ project across the institution and invitations to participate in various events, talks and workshops across the RCA.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Press release announcing the projects to be funded through the first Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ call for funding proposals. (RCA, Wrexham, SEI) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact A press release was sent out by the RCA comms team, shared as a news story on the RCA website and shared further across Royal College of Arts various social media accounts and then shared further by core project partners at Wrexham and SEI.
This press release details the 7 projects that are being funded in the first funding round 'Materials & Resources' by the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+.
From this, we had more engagement with the ECN+ website, sign-ups to be part of the informal ECN+ network and requests for more information from members of the general public.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.rca.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/ecological-citizens-network-announces-recipients-of-first...
 
Description Press release announcing the second Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ call for funding proposals themed around 'The Natural World'. (RCA, Wrexham, SEI) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A press release was sent out by the RCA comms team, shared as a news story on the RCA website and shared further across Royal College of Arts various social media accounts and then shared further by core project partners at Wrexham and SEI.
This press release announces the second round of funding themed around 'The Natural World' by the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+.
From this, we had more engagement with the ECN+ website, sign-ups to be part of the informal ECN+ network and requests for more information about the second funding round from academics and community groups.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.rca.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/ecological-citizens-network-announces-second-funding-roun...
 
Description Public Lecture 'People, place & purpose: publicly engaged art practice and why it matters' (Wrexham) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact In January 2024, Professor Alec Shepley delivered the first public lecture of 2024 with a talk on artists engaging the public on environmental and societal issues and why it matters. Alec kicked off the lecture with an overview of himself as an artist and some of the many global projects he been part of, including Pilot Hole, x-church, Tea Lights, Neon House and the Street Sweeping Residency. Alec also provided an insight into some of the varied reading he has undertaken over the years. The local contemporary art gallery Ty Pawb and some of the new initiatives that they are rolling out, formed part of the discussion. Projects include the conversion of a car park into a roof garden (Maes Parcio Creadigol) and the dedication of a gallery space to Arte Útil (useful art).
Alec closed the lecture by touching on current funded projects, which include Ecological Citizens and Public Map Platform and the specific role Wrexham has in the projects. Ecological Citizens is a network plus project to develop a model(s) for a sustainable digital society by looking at ways of empowering citizens. The Public Map Platform project will develop a digital map of Anglesey which reveals data layers on climate, environment, society and culture.

"
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://wrexham.ac.uk/research/wrexham-talks/past-lectures/
 
Description Research Professionals Op-Ed piece "Everyone, everywhere, all the time" (York) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Op-Ed piece for 'Research Professional News', a respected name in academic and research communities worldwide. With a dedicated audience of researchers, administrators and HE leaders covering the whole spectrum of academia. This piece, by Sarah West looked at how 'New sustainability research project [Ecological Citizens Network+] will get citizens involved at every stage'.
This article expanded our Network across the research and academic communities globally.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-views-of-the-uk-2023-10-everyone-everywhere-all-...
 
Description Retrofit Archetypes Workshop. (Social Housing Retrofit project) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The workshop with 16 participants brought together public and private retrofit stakeholders (organisations, housing providers, consultancies, architectural practices, local authorities, etc.) to move forward the conversation on needs and challenges around building data for the assessment, planning, and delivery of energy retrofits, particularly in the context of social housing.

This activity was delivered by the project team whose work s being funded as part of the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ first funding call.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Running Community Workshop, Dialogue and Engagement. (Open Air) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Approximately 10 trail runners from three different running groups across Scotland were invited to trial a prototype air quality monitoring device, during engagement with the runners conversations between runners and researchers discussed the design of air quality monitoring equipment and the potential impact knowledge of air quality would have on running practice.

This activity was delivered by the project team whose work is being funded as part of the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ first funding call.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description STEAM Workshop with Xplore! Science. (Wrexham) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Workshop to explore how Wrexham University and Xplore! can work in collaboration with key educational institutions (Schools & FE), Industry, public sector and community stakeholders to develop STEAM Education & Research.
Welsh Government is reducing funding for STEM education, Schools are struggling with cost barriers to allow pupils to engage with offsite STEM education, and companies across North Wales have concerns about future skills and sustainability.
This workshop at Wrexham University and Xplore! looked at ways we can address these issues by sharing creative ideas and approaches, such as EC and new models of engagement.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2025
URL https://www.xplorescience.co.uk/
 
Description Scoping Round Table event: 'A Day in the Life of an Ecological Citizen' with cross-disciplinary industry experts (RCA / York / Wrexham) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact This workshop (which was held virtually on an invite only basis) united different, relevant organisations and industry experts working across disciplines (including materials scientists, open data specialists, local councils, nature conservationists, designers and architects) from across the growing EC network to sketch out what 'A Day in the Life' of an ecological citizen might look like. We used this as a starting point to scope out possible intervention or opportunity points from which to jump off and to signpost and highest accessible best practice.
These discussions were turned into comic-book style illustrations to better communicate what we might mean by 'acts of ecological citizenship' from different perspectives. These have been used multiple times in other engagement and network activities as starting points to conversations.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Site visit and tour of Xplore! with the ECN+'s Welsh network. (Wrexham) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The ECN+ team spent half a day with the Xplore! team and the Welsh ECN+ network, having a tour of the site, hearing all about the context of education with a particular focus on Forest School Curriculums at Xplore! and discussing collaborative possibilities for future work together.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Site visit and tour of the Eden Project with Eden's Education Team, (RCA, Wrexham, SEI) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact We spent half a day with the Eden Project's education team having a tour of the site, hearing all about the context of education in the Eden, research at Eden and discussing collaborative possibilities for future work together.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Site visit and tour of the archive at thePermaculture Associations headquarters in Leeds. (RCA, Wrexham, SEI) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact The ECN+ research team visited the Permaculture Associations (PA) headquarters and 40year archive in Leeds.
Following presenting at the PA's AGM and several conversations with the association, this visit marked the first exploratory research trip where the team delved into the 40 year archive of ecological action and activism that the PA has meticulously collected and organised.
We also interviewed lead members of the association and discussed the collaborative piece we are planning with them at great length, booking in future visits, events and strategic plans for the research as well as intended outputs.
We have since met with the PA multiple times and completed numerous interviews following visits an dialogues like this.
After introducing the ECN+ research team, the vision behind the project and our interest in permaculture principles and Association's history, we invited PA members to help us reflect on the Association's key achievements and its impact on areas like individual behaviour, community resilience, environmental regeneration and education. We invited members to contribute to our research around the future of Permaculture and we had many responses from members who were interested in being interviewed and engaging in horizon scoping workshops.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024,2025
 
Description Speaking at "Research in Relation to Community: A Sustainable Framework for Creation" (@Festival of Research and Innovation 2023) Hosted at Kingston University (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact A collective presentation to over 400 students from across different backgrounds at postgraduate level. The work, was part of a panel discussion around how we should design for sustainability & communities. This was a hi-level keynote that supported the work and catalysing the network across ecology and business networks outside of design. This led to an ongoing relationship with Kingston University and potential applications to the network.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.eventbrite.com/e/research-in-relation-to-community-a-sustainable-framework-for-creation-...
 
Description Speaking at 'Journal Club' at the RCA (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact As part of the RCA's Journal Club, Charlotte Nordmoen presented and reflected upon the paper 'Power to, over and with: Exploring power dynamics in social innovations in energy transitions across Europe' by Flor Avelino et al. in relation to the work the research team are exploring within Ecological Citizen(s) project. This opened up a conversation around power dynamics when working to, for and with communities with post-doc colleagues in the college and led to request for more information about the EC project and reflections on best practice.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Speaking at the 'Local Cultures - Global Space', virtual Architecture, Media, Politics, Society (AMPs) conference (Wrexham) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Alec Shepley et. Al presented their conference paper 'People, Place and Purpose: Place-based Approaches to Ecological Citizenship' at the AMPs virtual conference in December 2023 along with 8 other professional practitioners in a session themed around 'People, Design & Place' to an international audience. This has helped expand the international network and led to information requests about the Ecological Citizens project.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://amps-research.com/event/local-cultures-global-spaces/schedule/people-design-place/people-pla...
 
Description Speaking at the Permaculture Association's Annual General Meeting (AGM). (RCA, Wrexham, SEI) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ team joined the AGM for the Permaculture Association to lead a collective reflection on the Permaculture Association's 40-year journey and think about how we can build on that for the next 50 years.
After introducing the ECN+ research team, the vision behind the project and our interest in permaculture principles and Association's history, we invited PA members to help us reflect on the Association's key achievements and its impact on areas like individual behaviour, community resilience, environmental regeneration and education. We invited members to contribute to our research around the future of Permaculture and we had many responses from members who were interested in being interviewed and engaging in horizon scoping workshops.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Talk + Preferable Futures card-deck demo at London Office for Technological Innovation (LOTI) as part of an across-RCA technology focused-showcase. 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Computer Science Research Centre (CSRC) and RCA research projects who are working at the bleeding edge of AI, VR, climate study, smart cities, data and modelling presented work to provoke and inspire future work and potential collaboration with London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI) and the London Boroughs in a morning of presentations, demonstrations and networking.
The EC project was invited to present their project and did a demonstration of the most recent iteration of the Preferable Futures card deck.

This led to discussion and conversation around the ECN+ project and Preferable Futures card-deck prototype as well as further conversations about future collaborative opportunities.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Talk / Hackathon at the Stockholm Environment Institute Science Forum on 'Leveraging Citizen Science for Energy Transitions' (York) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact This hackathon brought together members of the SEI community, harnessing their collective expertise to develop innovative solutions for various energy challenges.
The vision of this hackathon resides within a review (conducted by Luke Gooding (SEI-York) and Sarah West (SEI York))- detailing existing projects in the citizen science energy space, and the opportunities of future research and action. Importantly, it shows that citizen science holds the potential to impact a broad spectrum of indicators aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with specific SDGs having garnered more attention and engagement from citizen science initiatives.
Presented to an international audience from the SEI's centres in Nairobi, Bogata, York, Oxford, Tallinn, Stockholm, Bangkok, US, this session was held in person at the SEI head offices in Stockholm and led to international network expansion and discussions around future activities around energy and citizen science.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Talk at Department of Geography Seminar Series, University of York (York) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact Presentation of EC and related themes to Dept of Geography staff and students by Luke Gooding at the University of York. This lead to enquiries regarding the EC project and more interest in individuals joining the network.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Talk at Spitalfields City Farm about 'More-than-human Land Governance in Urban Decision-Making'. (EcoLandS) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The EcoLandS team were invited to talk at Spitalfields City Farm on design about 'More-than-human Land Governance in Urban Decision-Making'.
Spitalfields City Farm is the nearest city farm to the City of London's square mile. They are located in one of the most densely populated wards of Tower Hamlets and work with a vibrant and multi-cultural community to provide educational opportunities for children and adults alike, to empower people to gain new skills, confidence, to combat social isolation.

This activity was delivered by the project team whose work is being funded as part of the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ first funding call.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Talk for Aapti Institute (Bangalore) 'Engaging Perspectives: Case Studies on the Successful Implementations of Data Stewardship for Climate Projects'. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A digital workshop engaging an international delegation run and co-ordinated by the indian environment agency. The examples were shared with a delegation of 50 participants. it was entitled "Engaging Perspectives: Case Studies on the Successful Implementations of Data Stewardship for Climate Projects". The impact was follow up work and dialogues, leading to longer term relationships with attendees.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Talk with the London College of communication UX Design programme about Ecological Citizenship. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact A design workshop with BA students unpacking what Ecological Citizenship is and can be. This engaged an audience of 30 students in small groups informing their latest projects. This led to Design workshops and follow up tutorials looking at how EC work can be deployed. The larger impact led to attendance at webinars and sustained engagement with our funding calls by their academic staff.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Talking as part of 'Contemporary Practice(s) in Engagement', webinar (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact This session looked at the guiding principles of contemporary practices in community and public engagement work, as well as shine a spotlight on some of the great work happening in this space across the College, and internationally. This session was for RCA staff and doctoral students interested in community and public engagement, who are looking for new perspectives and innovative approaches to working with 'communities'.
Dr Robert Phillips presented the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ project and discussed contemporary practices towards positive climate action.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Team site visit and strategic horizon scanning workshop at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales. (Wrexham, RCA, SEI) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Study participants or study members
Results and Impact This was a team research trip/site visit to the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) near Machynlleth in Wales. It was an opportunity to learn more about the work of the Centre, and to engage with its experts on topics such as food security, community energy initiatives and innovative green building methods and materials. It was also an opportunity for the Post-doctoral Research Associates (PDRAs) associated with the Ecological Citizen(s) project to workshop their research directions as a collective.
As part of this, the team facilitated a horizon scanning workshop that looked strategically at the ECN+ project with a particular focus on creating a collective Theory of Change and explored long0term impacts and plans for the Network+.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Testing the ECN+ Preferable Futures card-deck during a workshop/ introductory session with Kingston University Visual Comms students. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Following on the co-creation of a creative elective brief with Kingston University, we were invited to host a workshop with MA students on the Future Ecologies Elective (students from illustration, animation, graphic design and visual communications courses) to test our the current iterations of the Ecological Citizen(s) Preferable Futures card-deck as well as introducing wider concepts around Ecological Citizenship as an introduction to their elective.
This workshop led to iterations, edits and insights that have helped the ECN+ team further develop the Preferable Futures card deck / toolkit that continues to be iterated. It also contributed to an ongoing collaborative partnership with Kingston University and plans for future activity.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2025
 
Description Testing the ECN+ Preferable Futures card-deck with Design Futures students at the RCA. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact We held a workshop with students form the RCA's Design Futures MA course were we tested out the prototype Preferable Futures card-deck we have been developing as part of the Ecological Citizens Network+ aimed to support people to see opportunities for actions that promote Ecological Citizenship.
Working in cross-disciplinary teams, participants tackled timely topics and themes that resonate with the course objectives and students personal responses to climate action and the eco-emergency.
This workshop led to iterations, edits and insights that have helped the ECN+ team further develop the Preferable Futures card deck / toolkit that continues to be iterated as well as sparking questions and discussion amongst students about climate action, activism and acts of Ecological Citizenship.
The workshop and discussions that led from it have since informed and shaped the students personal projects that they are currently working on.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2025
 
Description Testing the ECN+ Preferable Futures carde-deck at the RCA Research Pop-up shop as part of London Design Festival 2024. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact As part of London Design Festival (LDF) 2024, the ECN+ team invited a London-based group of participants to test the latest version of the The Ecological Citizen(s) Preferable Futures Deck, in person at the LDF exhibition space in Battersea. the two workshops engaged 25 participants from across our network. RP and LG hosted 2 workshops that each introduced the PFD and led a facilitated possible 'Game Play' to unpick how it could be used and to open up discussion about what needs to change for the next iteration. Each participant took home a toolkit and we have had several discussion since with participants who are actively using the toolkit already in the work or as a conversation starter.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.rca.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/london-design-festival-rca-research-and-innovation/
 
Description Waking tour of a potential site for future Ecological Citizens with a local Scout group. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact This was a listening workshop between the ECN+ team and members of the local community organised by the local Scouts group.
Also supported by their Local MP. this walking session focused on surveying space around a new site to build a new scout hut and open up wider dialogues by linking those agendas with the local economy and ecological impact goals for the council.
Attended by 10 people from across biodiversity net gain, scouts and local councils. It opened up a dialogue to look at the 24hour use for the proposed building, the potential to open new funding and also how it could be a local force for regeneration within the local community benefiting more-than-humans.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Wandsworth Council and Interclimate Network's (ICN) Mock COP for secondary schools at the RCA 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact This multi-dimensional learning opportunity brought to life UN-style global climate negotiations as secondary school students from the Richmond and Wandsworth Borough in London, represented 16 nations as at COP29 Baku, Azerbaijan. 
Students investigated climate action and green skills by meeting with local leaders and organisations and then engaging and debating progress towards carbon reduction targets for their teams 'nation'.
We presented the ECN+ project as part of the second part of the conference which turned its attention to the Richmond and Wandsworth Borough's actions in support of climate action and developing green skills. By having a stand at the 'Climate Marketplace' in this event, the school groups had the opportunity to speak to various different projects, initiatives and RCA /Borough based projects about green futures.
Students (aged 13-16) asked many questions and shared their own reflections on what it means to be an Ecological Citizen. From this, further collaborative activities are being planned with the climate teams at Richmond and Wandsworth Borough.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/news/news-november-2024/mock-cop29/
 
Description What is Ecological Citizenship? defining this practice to students & academics 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact The Talk was organised by The Fashion and Lifestyle accessories Department, National Institute of Fashion Technology, Patna (India). The talk shared early concepts of what Ecological Citizenship is, how it can be used and what we are trying to achieve. Over 400 students were present in over 18 campuses over India with academics and leading experts. The talk lead to a vibrant Q&A, the sharing of research materials and the desire for further engagement in the project.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Workshop exploring 'Housing for Good / Housing for Ecological Citizens' at Toynbee Hall, London. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact A workshop with 20 participants from across: ecology, policy, finance, legal and communities as part of a collaborative piece of work with Slow Ways and National Park Cities entitled 'Housing for Good'.
Housing for Good (HFG) is an ambitious initiative aimed at providing highly affordable housing to community organisers in exchange for their contributions in making communities healthier, greener, stronger and joyful. The concept unpacks multiple elements. 1) Recruit community organisers who contribute to the wellbeing of people, places and communities - through projects that boost health, nature, joy, art, play, fairness, and more - will have the opportunity to rent a home for as little as £100 a week. 2) The properties and community organisers will be managed by non-profits, with clusters of housing enabling greater impact, professional networks and economies of scale. 3) The moonshot goal is to establish a House for Good (HFG) in every neighbourhood across the country.

The 3 hour workshop shared the concept and aims of 'Ecological Citizens in Residence' and the possibilities of community owned housing.
This intensive work led to the catalysation and critique of the concept with lead interested parties. The work also built new collaborations with National Park Cities and related partners.
The work led to the inception of a CIC charity and a plan for the logitical steps for it to be created.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Workshop participants at the Design Councils, Design for Planet Festival, invited in-person participant, University of East Anglia, Norwich (RCA) 
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 Over two days, 'we put planet at the heart of design.'
The 3rd edition of the Design For Planet festival, hosted by the Design Council welcomed 50 in person attendees and more than 6,000 audience members online at the 2023 festival, live-streaming directly to 93 countries.
Over 60 of some of the world's leading experts in design and sustainability and connected with a global cross-industry audience.
The EC team were invited to participate and contribute to several workshops that looked at repairability, circular economies and regenerative futures.
Involvement in this event expanded the Ecological Citizens Network+ and has lead to a larger piece of collaborative work directly with the Design Council and has invited many new industries, organisations and indivduals to the EC network (some of whom have applied for the years funding as a direct impact from meeting us at the festival).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/our-events/design-for-planet-festival/
 
Description Workshop to explore using AI UK-India Data Stewardship for Climate through AI. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The UK-India Data Stewardship for Climate through AI workshop is a collaborative initiative of the
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) with the Aapti Institute, Indian Institute of
Technology (IIT) Bombay and the Open Data Institute (ODI), aimed at addressing the pressing
challenges of climate change through responsible data stewardship and the application of artificial
intelligence (AI) technologies.
The ECN+ team presented the work pf the project at an online discussion around the use of innovative technologies as tools for positive climate action, with a particular focus on AI.
This activity strengthened ongoing collaborative relationships with the Open Data Institute and created new relationships with international institutions.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Workshop with Kathmandu University and Nepalese delegation on principles of Ecological Citizenship. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact A talk on acts of Ecological Citizenship and micro workshop looking at aligning research and practice based outputs. This is informing a strategy for the British Council 'In Our Hands' project, in collaboration with Kathmandu University. A new opportunity for young people to get involved in the creative green economy and inclusive climate action. This engaged an audience of 350 people, in person that travelled across Nepal to attend, specifically youth advocacy and climate change innovators. The work yielded many longer term relationships and collaborative partnerships within Nepal and the surrounding area and was part of a wider piece of work that led to a policy briefing and paper.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Workshop with Kathmandu University and Nepalese delegation on principles of Ecological Citizenship. (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A talk on acts of Ecological Citizenship and micro workshop looking at aligning research and practice based outputs. This is informing a strategy for the British Council 'In Our Hands' project, in collaboration with Kathmandu University. A new opportunity for young people to get involved in the creative green economy and inclusive climate action. This engaged an audience of 350 people, in person that travelled across Nepal to attend, specifically youth advocacy and climate change innovators. The work yielded many longer term relationships within Nepal and the surrounding area.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Workshop: Relationally & Toolkit Testing, with Future Directions Elective at Kingston University (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact During this workshop, we explored "How do we address relationality in a complex polycrisis to find hope?' with a group of postgraduate students at Kingston University form visual comms (graphics, illustration, animation).
The aim of the session was to unpick and map individual and collective knowledge around relationality and the interconnectedness of everything as a method of approaching the complexity of the climate and biodiversity crises. We then used this to identify what we know, what we don't know and the complexity of everything (systems, materials, politics, people, impact etc.) that surrounds an object / tool.
Following this, we used these ideas of interconnectedness as a context through which to test the 6th version of the Ecological Citizen(s) brief making toolkit that we (as a team) are currently prototyping.
Students who engaged in this workshop commented that it made them consider and explore objects and materiality in new, more abstract ways and helped them define their own projects.
This workshop has led to planned further involvement with the Future Directions Elective at Kingston University.

"
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description the UNESCO Biosphere team visited The Wild House. (The Wild House) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Study participants or study members
Results and Impact Representatives from the UNESCO Brighton and Lewes Downs Biosphere Reserve delivery board visited The Wild House test house and garden to discuss plans for future activity and collaboration.

This activity was delivered by the project team whose work is being funded as part of the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+ first funding call.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2025
URL https://unesco.org.uk/our-sites/biospheres/brighton-and-lewes-downs-the-living-coast
 
Description the Young Green Briton Challenge National Awards, Invitation for talk, House of Lords (RCA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact Short presentation to 160 people, half of them school students, for an event hosted by the Lord Bird MBE at the House of Lords. Less than a year ago the idea for the #YoungGreenBriton Challenge was born. Celebrating the first National Awards at the House of Lords together with our hosts Lord Bird and Dale Vince and our amazing ambassadors Chris Packham, Verel Rodrigues, Jessica Kleczka, Olivia Sweeney and Cel Spellman. This Green Britain Foundation initiative has been delivered as fantastic partnership across Volunteers for Future, I have a voice CIC and the Ministry of Eco Education. This lead to ongoing relationships with the ministry of eco education and social innovation for all, which is leading to plans for future activities.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.volunteersforfuture.org/ygbc