Monday, November 06, 2006
Applied Research Successes
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Business looks good at the applied end of our work. Without any real marketing, interest in our services is arriving regularly. To date we have verbal commitments or contracts totalling 130 days of research time and representing about £55K income and there is more in the pipeline from what is appearing to be a very big untapped market.
To be able to maximise our work we need to make changes in our culture and attitude. In the past few months we have already made major advances in buy-out of staff time for research and even bonus payments for staff doing work in their own time. There are still two major constraints: the first is that we are so heavily dictated to by the timetable and the teaching culture that eclipses research . The second is our own attitude – research and consultancy can be fun and what’s more we are finding that it is introducing us to professionals in the community who are contributing to our teaching programmes . Honest – just dip your toe in the water and you will be surprised.
So here is the news:
Devonport Regeneration Company have contracted us to write their Healthy Living Strategy (Chris Mather is leading this ) and in parallel we hope to be writing theirDevelopment Strategy (with Jamie Oxley leading).
Granby Island Community Centre have contracted us in association with the Learning Society to develop a model of what makes them so successful in non institutional learning. Ian Roberts leads on this.
Plymouth Primary Care Trust have provisionally agreed with us assisting them in the design and management plan for Ernesettle Health Centre Gym as a prototype for NHS initiatives in Healthy Living in Plymouth. Dave Conman and Ian Roberts will work on this.
Talks are also underway with Tamar Valley, Plymouth City Council, Refugee Services Council and Plymouth Argyle –so watch this space. But above all please let me know about work you are doing or prospects of bringing in more work.
Ian Roberts
