Get involved

We support Lambeth residents to get involved with research and to influence research priorities in the borough.

Our work with residents is focused through the Community Knowledge Network (CKN), where we:

• offer residents training and networking opportunities and a chance to gain hands-on experience and work with local research-focused organisations
• involve communities to centre lived experience, build local research capacity, and to co-produce evidence that is meaningful, inclusive, and capable of informing real change across Lambeth

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, email us at HDRC@lambeth.gov.uk.

About the Community Knowledge Network (CKN)  

The Community Knowledge Network (CKN) is a group of Lambeth residents who work with the council, community organisations and universities to help shape local research, and the decisions that research informs.  

The CKN does this by: 

• creating a bridge between residents, researchers and council teams
• supporting community-led and community-shaped research
• building confidence and skills in research and evidence use
• bringing community voices, experience and insight into local decision-making
• promoting fairness, transparency and equity in how research is designed, carried out and used  

How communities shape research at Lambeth Council  

Trained members of the CKN work alongside researchers on Lambeth projects to help shape how research is designed and delivered, ensuring community perspectives are embedded throughout. 

We brought together CKN members, council teams, universities and local research organisations to collaborate on research projects across climate, public health, housing and adult social care.

For example, a CKN member was involved in a project to explore barriers to accessing infant feeding support in Lambeth, with a focus on the experiences of Black and Asian families. The member helped shape the research aims, supported the design of focus group discussions, and co-facilitated sessions with local parents. They remained involved in the analysis and report writing to ensure findings were interpreted through a community lens, and presented them at a research conference.  

How communities shaped research priorities for the HDRC   

We worked with the CKN members and other community partners to identify the following set of community research priorities for Lambeth:

• equality, inclusion and representation
• mental health and wellbeing
• employment, education and training
• safety and personal security
• intergenerational relationships
• digital inclusion and technology 

We presented our approach to the coproduction of research priorities as a case study at a conference.

Our CKN members

“At first, I wondered if my voice would matter, but the CKN created an inclusive space where equity was central. Honest conversations about hierarchy and accountability, and capturing community stories, made the unseen visible. Participating in workshops and showcases gave me confidence and reinforced the value of my contributions.” - Sade

“I joined because I believe in the value of community wisdom and lived experience, which is too often excluded from decision-making. Through the CKN, I’ve taken part in training and co-production, including work on the Social Care and Health Outcomes programme. For me, research must go beyond statistics to reflect the realities of people’s lives.” - Mala