On November 27th, Y-PERN Policy Fellow Dan Olner delivered an engaging webinar for ONS Local, attracting 120 participants interested in learning how to build efficient data pipelines using R.
What Was Covered
The session provided a comprehensive walkthrough of creating an end-to-end data pipeline in R, demonstrating how to:
Get set up with R and RStudio online
Use R to extract data directly from web sources
Create pipelines through to final outputs
Access and integrate multiple web-based data sources, including online Excel documents, the NOMIS API, and zipped file archives
Wrangle and transform data for analysis
Deal with inevitable format changes
Webinar participants learned how to create a report analysing productivity, jobs, and occupations across the UK’s core cities- showcasing R’s capabilities for producing professional content and insights.
Dan Olner is a Y-PERN Policy Fellow from the University of Sheffield who has been seconded into South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) to work alongside their officers.
We asked Dan to provide details of his work over the past few years during Y-PERN and SYMCA’s collaboration for a case study and to reflect on working within the Combined Authority and the success of an “embedded Policy Fellow model”.
DO “Being physically embedded in SYMCA’s Sheffield office has enabled a high level of day-to-day collaboration with policy teams. This has enabled a shift from thinking (somewhat patronisingly) about universities “transmitting expertise” into policy spaces to working alongside officers (who are themselves experts in their domains) to co-produce analysis and questions that support decision-making.
Physical presence and regular contact within SYMCA have been crucial. This has meant analysis can be shaped iteratively through conversations with officers, rather than being commissioned at a distance and delivered months later. As one fellow put it, “the policy environment changes massively faster than academia”. Being embedded allows us to work at that pace and adjust as priorities shift.
The following point is both a reason the embedded model is effective and also a challenge for it. The number of stakeholders is very large: SYMCA, four local authorities, two universities, consultants and other external organisations all bring different ideas, agendas and timelines. Y-PERN may have initially tried to position its fellows as brokers in this system, but the role is messier than that. It might be that Y-PERN Policy Fellows can act as bridges across academia and policy, but it is more likely that we are playing one small part in a larger process of dissolving the barriers between institutions in devolving regions, enabling more iterative and rapid “test and learn” collaboration.
This can make it difficult to clearly see what impact that role is having. For example, we organised some ‘policy forums’ with SYMCA and Sheffield’s universities. The first, in February 2024, focused on alternative approaches to urban economic development “Beyond GDP”, and how they are being interpreted and implemented in different city contexts. The session, led by Sheffield Hallam University colleague Richard Crisp, sparked a rich discussion about which concepts might actually work at a South Yorkshire scale. I summarised these themes in a blog post, linking national and international debates directly to local concerns. Those were an easy to measure outcome – but actually, I don’t think an especially a good example of Y-PERN doing what it does best.
Instead, consider these two examples from the last two weeks. A colleague from Sheffield University got in touch asking if anyone from SYMCA could guest lecture to their economics students. Not one but two senior SYCMA colleagues came. I also had a conversation with the deputy director of What Works Local Growth, who has a draft plan to deepen the links between data and evaluation. I collected them with various people, including the Yorkshire Engagement Portal run through YPIP.
Those kind of constant day-to-day interactions and linkages have a large impact but are rather under the radar. They also lead directly to more data and model outcomes – for example, a recent conversation with SYMCA’s GIS team should lead to Y-PERN-developed open economic data outputs being integrated into SYMCA’s own internal intelligence systems, in a way that will support Y-PERN in making it outputs as useful as possible to others.”
Read more about Dan’s embedded Policy Fellow role in our case study
A recent webinar hosted by Carole Pugh from York St John University and Charlee Bewsher from the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Youth Work Unit has explored the critical role of youth work in preparing young people for political citizenship as the roll out of Votes at 16 is developed.
This one-off event was specifically designed to influence policy makers during this crucial period of democratic reform.
Key Focus Areas
The webinar highlighted important research findings about youth work’s unique contribution to democratic education. With approximately 4.4 million young people engaging in youth work activities each year, many from under-resourced areas who are less likely to vote or participate in formal citizenship lessons, the session made a compelling case for integrating youth work into Votes at 16 implementation strategies.
The presentation demonstrated how youth work equips young people for political citizenship and emphasised the need for an integrated approach that values youth work’s distinctive ability to support political socialisation alongside formal citizenship education.
Barriers and Recommendations
The webinar also examined current barriers that limit youth work’s capacity in this area and outlined practical recommendations to advance the democratic potential of youth work practice.
Following the main presentation, former Y-PERN Chief Policy Fellow and now Cross-Programme Lead for Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN) Dr Andrew Mycock and Charlee Bewsher provided responses to the research findings.
A collaborative team at the University of Sheffield and University of York and completed an evaluation of City of York Council’s (CYC) Universal Free School Meal (UFSM) pilot.
This policy brief is co written by Y-PERN Policy Fellow Rebecca Kerr and Aniela Wenham, Katherine Smith, John Hudson, Eloise Tann, Louise Dye & Neil Boyle.
Qualitative and quantitative data indicates a number of positive outcomes associated with the provision of UFSMs at both schools, including enhanced readiness to learn, improved pupil wellbeing, and most notably improved attendance and reduced lateness over the course of the pilot. The importance of universality to the success of the policy is emphasised by both qualitative and quantitative elements of the research.
When Protection Meets Destitution: Understanding Refugee Homelessness
Written by Y-PERN Policy Fellow Pratichi Chaterjee and fellow University of Huddersfield colleague Professor of Housing and Communities Phil Brown.
Homelessness among newly recognised refugees is accelerating at a rate that should alarm anyone working in housing, migration or local government. Our report explains why – and what can be done about it.
The report reveals how national asylum and immigration policies intersect with a failing housing system to create predictable pathways into destitution at the very moment people need stability and support. We trace the structural forces driving this crisis, focusing on the critical post-decision period that remains largely invisible in public debate.
The evidence is stark. In Yorkshire and Humber, statutory homelessness among new refugees surged by over 170% in a single year.
But this is not a story of overwhelming numbers. It is a story of systemic design failure: abrupt move-on deadlines, fragmented institutional responsibilities, welfare gaps, employment barriers, and entrenched discrimination in the rental market.
The Real Problem
Some will argue the solution is fewer asylum grants. The evidence points elsewhere. Refugee homelessness stems from how the system operates, not how many people it processes. Short transition windows, misaligned immigration and housing procedures, chronic underinvestment in social housing, and a rental market under acute pressure combine to manufacture crisis. Reducing refugee recognition will not build a single home or ease the burden on local authorities. What changes outcomes is coordinated planning, early intervention, and dismantling barriers to employment and housing.
Why Now
We are publishing this work because local authorities, support services and communities face converging pressures: unprecedented demand, austerity’s enduring damage, severe housing shortages, and rising hostility toward asylum seekers. Without clarity about where the system fails and where prevention is achievable, these trends will intensify.
This report offers a rigorous analysis of the transition points that determine outcomes. It identifies where coordinated action is most urgent and proposes practical reforms that would reduce homelessness, strengthen integration, and deliver a more humane and effective approach across the UK.
Y-PERN, working alongside York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority (YNYCA), has produced a detailed labour market analysis to inform regional economic priorities and strategic planning.
The analysis demonstrates that productivity in York and North Yorkshire ranks among the highest in northern England. Unemployment rates remain below the national average, while business density surpasses the typical English measure, though overall business growth remains modest.
Key sectors shaping the regional economy include agriculture, which has a concentration over four times that of the national figure, and accommodation and food services, where employment stands at 1.5 times the national average. The region exhibits high qualification levels, reflecting a well-educated workforce. However, a clear skills mismatch persists, as the supply of highly skilled individuals outweighs the availability of highly skilled roles, leading to employee underutilisation.
This work is published alongside data which underpins the local growth plan and is included within the region’s Get Britain Working report.
This news item was first published on the Leeds Arts website.
Recent BA (Hons) Animation and MA Animation graduate, Kieran Leppington, was commissioned by Y-PERN (Yorkshire and Humber Policy Engagement and Research Network), after winning a cross-institutional brief with the Careers, Employability and Enterprise team at Leeds Arts University, Leeds Beckett University, and the University of Leeds, to create an animation infographic that tells the story of the devolution of Yorkshire.
Y-PERN commissioned Kieran to create a three-minute engaging and dynamic animation outlining devolution in Yorkshire which is now being used as a tool to demystify the region’s complex political landscape on Y-PERN’s resources page.
“It has been an honour to help demystify the local, collaborative policymaking in our region using the accessibility of animation. I am so grateful to the team at Y-PERN, University of Leeds, Leeds Arts University and Leeds Beckett University for entrusting me with this project and offering tons of creative freedom and support. Translating high level information into concise, appealing visuals was a fun challenge, and I hope to bring the skills and adaptability I’ve gained to further projects in the future.”
Kieran Leppington, BA (Hons) Animation and MA Animation graduate
“The brief was complex, we needed someone who could take this challenging information and bring it to life. Make it comprehensive, engaging and relevant to its audience. Kieran did this with professionalism and added a little of his flare! He has a real talent, he was an absolute pleasure to work with. He researched the brief and fully delivered to our needs and on time. Kieran required little support and worked alongside the wider Leeds Beckett and Y-PERN team to deliver what is a perfect asset and will act as a knowledge sharing tool, marking this moment within the policy landscape.”
Natalie Allen, Head of Business Partnerships at Leeds Beckett University
Kieran’s animation is available to academics, policy makers, and the general public, so that it’s accessible for everyone to learn how local authorities are pooling resources and leveraging devolved powers to drive regional growth and address unique local challenges, such as coastal erosion in Hull, to integrated transport across West Yorkshire.
The Yorkshire & Humber Policy Engagement and Research Network brought together 200 delegates at the University of Huddersfield for our most ambitious conference yet, showcasing how devolution is creating unprecedented opportunities for academic-policy collaboration across our region.
Devolution: A Game-Changer for Yorkshire
West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin opened the conference with a powerful message about the region’s potential: “Our 12 fantastic higher education institutions are working hand-in-glove with our innovative businesses to forge our own future.” Her words set the tone for a day focused on how devolved powers are transforming the relationship between universities, local government, and business.
The morning’s first roundtable brought together heavyweight voices including Dave Petley (University of Hull VC and Chair of Yorkshire Universities), Stian Westlake (Executive Chair of the Economic and Social Research Council), Kate Josephs (CEO of Sheffield City Council), and Mark Casci (Head of Policy and Representation at West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce).
Kate Josephs captured the moment perfectly: “What devolution offers is a new opportunity for universities partnering with local governments, with regional governments, with businesses, with other educational institutions to really start to weave together a programme of research that can be practical, that can change things and that have even greater impact.”
The second session, chaired by Natalie Allen from Leeds Beckett University, demonstrated how our network is already turning theory into practice. With speakers including Peter O’Brien from Yorkshire Universities, Kate Mieske from South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, Dr. Jatinder Singh Mehmi from the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission, and Robin Tuddenham from Calderdale Council, the session highlighted the significance of place-based partnerships in driving meaningful policy change.
Tackling Regional Challenges Together
Our interactive workshops proved to be the conference’s most dynamic element, with stakeholders collaborating on pressing issues including:
Early years and childcare provision
Community engagement strategies
Business support frameworks
Housing security challenges
These sessions demonstrated Y-PERN’s core strength: bringing together the right people to tackle complex regional challenges with evidence-based solutions.
Looking to the Future
The closing panel, “Where Next? The Future of Regional Policy Engagement,” brought together Kersten England CBE (our Engagement Director), Sarah Chaytor (Co-Founder of UPEN), Prof. Rebecca Riley (Co-Director of City-REDI), Jon Gleek from Doncaster Council, and our own Programme Manager Kayleigh Renberg-Fawcett.
The panel emphasized how Y-PERN harnesses the expertise of Yorkshire’s 15,000 academics to tackle local challenges while exploring how our regional model could inform engagement strategies both regionally and nationally.
Celebrating Our Impact
The conference showcased Y-PERN’s proven track record, highlighting successful initiatives including the Yorkshire Policy Innovation Partnership (YPIP) and Yorkshire & Humber Office for Data Analytics (YHODA). These examples demonstrate our network’s ability to create lasting institutional innovations that deliver real benefits for our region.
We’re proud to share that our recently published Impact Report showcases three years of collaboration between Yorkshire and the Humber’s universities and policymakers that has transformed evidence-based decision-making across our region.
Building Yorkshire’s Future Together
The success of our 2025 conference reinforces Y-PERN’s vital role in advancing research-informed policy development throughout Yorkshire and the Humber. As we continue to fulfil our commitments outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding between Yorkshire Universities and Yorkshire and Humber Councils, we’re building a stronger, more collaborative future for our region.
We would like to extend a huge thank you for all the speakers and delegates for joining us at Y-PERN 2025.
Discover how regional governance is transforming through collaborative leadership and devolved powers.
We are proud to present our explainer animated video on “the story of devolution”, a film about how devolution is transforming governance across Yorkshire and the Humber region.
Animated by Leeds Arts University graduate, Kieran Leppington, the video perfectly illustrates how Yorkshire and the Humber’s Mayoral Combined Authorities are pooling resources and leveraging devolved powers to drive regional growth and address unique local challenges – from coastal erosion in Hull to integrated transport across West Yorkshire.
Understanding Regional Devolution
This comprehensive introduction explores how devolution has reshaped governance across Yorkshire and the Humber since 2014. Learn about the four Combined Authorities, their elected mayors, and the collaborative approach driving regional development through the ground-breaking White Rose Agreement.
Devolution Powers & Responsibilities
Economic development and regeneration initiatives
Strategic transport planning and investment
Housing development and affordable housing delivery
Adult skills and education coordination
Policing oversight (Police and Crime Commissioner duties)
Ten-year Local Growth Plan development
Collaborative regional policymaking
Key Statistics
4 Combined Authorities
5.18M Total Population
£99.34M Annual Investment
30 Years Funding Commitment
Latest Development
The March 2025 White Rose Agreement marks a historic collaboration between regional mayors, strengthening partnerships on economic, social, transport, and environmental priorities.
Y-PERN would like to give a special thanks to voiceover artist Andy Mycock, script writers Neil Barnett and Andy Mycock and to the team at The Knowledge Exchange at Leeds Beckett University in the production of this video.
Three-year report reveals ground-breaking collaboration between universities and policymakers drives regional development
Y-PERN’s 2025 Impact Report showcases three years of close collaboration between the region’s universities and policymakers that has transformed evidence-based decision-making across Yorkshire and the Humber.
Since its inception in 2022, Y-PERN has established itself as a critical bridge between the region’s universities and policymakers, fostering collaboration that harnesses Yorkshire and the Humber’s remarkable multidisciplinary academic expertise to address key policy challenges.
Together with our partners across our twelve universities, and wider network, we’re working on a shared endeavour towards regional supported through Y-PERN but recognising the region’s wider strength
Y-PERN has been fundamental to the Combined Authority, particularly in helping us to develop our Local Growth Plan. As a newly formed CA, we don’t have a large or established data resource in place and Y-PERN has helped to fill that gap and ensure our emerging strategies are evidence-led.
— Kate McHugh, Research and Evaluation Officer, York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority
Breaking Down Silos, Driving Action
Y-PERN’s innovative networked approach is successfully transforming academic engagement with policy, creating a “live laboratory” for regional development. The initiative has leveraged over £6 million in Research England funding to support evidence-led policymaking across diverse areas including skills development, childcare, female entrepreneurship, homelessness, and flood risk management.
A Model for the Future
As Yorkshire and the Humber continues to evolve with devolution – now with all regions covered by Mayoral Combined Authorities – Y-PERN’s collaborative model demonstrates the significant benefits that can be achieved when academia, policymakers, and communities unite under a common purpose for regional development.
“The Devolution Project has been a successful collaboration between Yorkshire and Humber Councils and Y-PERN, showcasing the region’s commitment to enhance local governance, drive innovation and support collaboration via devolution. At a time where devolution continues to build momentum, with all areas of the Yorkshire and Humber region now covered by an MCA or Strategic Authority, this project has been helpful in demonstrating the region’s strong support for collaboration and the potential for devolution to bring significant benefits to local communities.“
Florence Drew, Head of Chief Executive’s Office,Office of the Chief Executive Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
As phase one of Y-PERN’s programme draws to its end and enters its transition year in 2025-2026, the report looks to the future and evaluates the impact that Y-PERN has had. It highlights Y-PERN’s unique Policy Fellow model, which embeds academic researchers directly within policy organizations, creating trusted partnerships that enhance both research quality and policy impact. This approach has proven particularly effective in providing specialised expertise where capacity is limited.
“Our findings indicate that the policy fellow role is crucial, as is a knowledge brokerage approach and Yorkshire Universities’ contribution. We found early signs of impact on policy development, with higher education also emerging as an effective alternative to consultants in certain contexts.“
– Dr Bridget Sealey, Stephen Meek and Claire Packman (with advisory support from Prof Kathryn Oliver), Sealey Associates (Y-PERN Evaluation team)
