Connecting research with policy through collaboration and innovation.
The Yorkshire Policy Collaboration (YPC) is dedicated to fostering impactful connections between research and policymaking through a range of dynamic activities. Our annual Policy Forum brings together academic and policy stakeholders to tackle pressing issues, with an upcoming focus on health and social care.
To build capacity in research-to-policy work, YPC delivers initiatives such as the prestigious COLIF Fellowships, which provide researchers with hands-on experience in policy environments. We are also committed to supporting the next generation of researchers by developing an Early Career Researcher Network, offering tailored resources, mentorship, and opportunities to engage with policymakers.
Together, these activities showcase YPC’s commitment to creating meaningful collaborations that drive societal change.
Creating Opportunities through Local Innovation Fellowships (COLIF) Pilot
The COLIF Pilot is a UKRI-funded initiative designed to support regional R&D clusters that bring together universities, industry, and policymakers to drive local innovation and reduce inequalities. Delivered through ESRC’s Impact Acceleration Accounts (IAAs) across five regional clusters, the pilot provides fellowships for researchers from any academic discipline to collaborate with local government, businesses, and third-sector organizations. These fellowships focus on place-based solutions to challenges such as the cost of living, employment, and community resilience. By fostering evidence-informed interventions and cross-sector collaboration, COLIF aims to enhance economic and social prosperity across the UK.
Liverpool Citizens Fellowship - Dr Belinda Tyrrell, University of Liverpool
The Liverpool Citizens Fellowship will strengthen the development of Liverpool Citizens, a local chapter of Citizens UK—an organisation dedicated to social change through community organising. This fellowship will build relationships between Liverpool Citizens, the University of Liverpool, and local institutions, aligning research, civic engagement, and impact priorities. Key activities include expanding Liverpool Citizens' membership, facilitating engagement with local decision-makers on pressing issues such as the cost of living and employment, and fostering learning exchanges with the University of Manchester’s involvement in Greater Manchester Citizens. Through this work, the fellowship will enhance place-based democracy and amplify community voices in shaping policy.
Advancing Community-Led Health Research Fellowship - Fatima Nabage, University of Sheffield
Health inequities are shaped by social determinants like income, housing, and education. Addressing these requires challenging structural barriers and ensuring that research and policy agendas centre the voices of marginalised communities. However, traditional academic-led research often excludes diverse populations, reinforcing ‘hard-to-reach’ narratives and fostering distrust. This fellowship will build on recommendations to establish a sustainable model for community-led research. A key focus will be conducting a baseline survey to understand VCSE organisations’ research engagement, barriers to participation, and data practices. Insights from this work will inform policy and funding decisions, strengthen partnerships, and create a lasting framework for inclusive research.
Changing the Narrative: Domestic Abuse Education Fellowship - Dr Rebecca Shaw, University of Leeds
This fellowship will tackle harmful narratives around domestic abuse by evaluating and improving educational resources for young children in Leeds and West Yorkshire. Drawing on research with frontline service providers, it recognises the impact of persistent myths and stereotypes on public understanding and responses. In partnership with local government, schools, third-sector organisations, and West Yorkshire Police, it will form a multi-agency group to assess current tools and identify gaps in prevention. A key output will be a proposal for a cultural programme, co-designed with survivors and local artists, to shift attitudes and deepen understanding. The fellowship aims to influence local and regional policy, embedding early intervention approaches that drive long-term change.
Our COLIF Partners
