Research Collective: Finding a question about health or wellbeing that matters to you

We The Curious is an educational charity and one of the UK's leading science centres.  

We produce experiences that bring people together to play, get creative with science and explore different ideas.  

We work with partners, locally and nationally, supporting people to be inquisitive, develop new skills and improve their wellbeing. 

We are driven by our Manifesto, which contains the pledges that shape our work as a charity

Our vision - What if everyone is included, curious and inspired by science to build a better world together? 

Our mission - To connect and empower people through sharing creative experiences which celebrate unknowns in science

Research Collective: Thoroughly finding out more about a topic that interests you with a group of people with similar interests and goals.

We are learning how a science centre like We The Curious can better value and uplift the knowledge that exists within local communities.  One of the ways we do this is through our Research Collective programme, which brings together our Open City Research and Include Everyone manifesto pledges 

Research Collective supports leaders from local communities, whose voices may be less centred in research, to be community researchers. Using grant funding and tailored support from We The Curious, the community researchers lead projects that develop and celebrate their own knowledge. This type of research produces outcomes that are meaningful for communities.

A previous programme called Hidden Health, saw young people designing and carrying out research projects to explore areas of health that often go unseen. Topics included:

• How young women can advocate for themselves in healthcare settings
• Safe spaces for young queer people to share mental health tips

We learned a lot from Hidden Health and used that to create Research Collective, with the first pilot taking place in 2024-25. During the first year's pilots, two community researchers from Bristol used funding and practical support to identify a significant topic or question and explore it from start to finish. You can read more about Lily Khandker and Alex James’ projects here.

In 2025-26, Research Collective projects will focus on Finding the Question. 

This means you will carry out a project where you work out what question is important to you and others from your community and develop a plan for exploring it. 

As you reach the end of this project, you may wish to seek additional funding to fully explore your research question from start to finish, through applying for additional Research Collective funding and/or by seeking funding and support from other sources. 

Our ambition is to go on to work with at least one of these projects to fully explore the question they find with this funding. We are actively seeking funding for this phase of the project, and will be honest and transparent with you throughout the process as we find out more about the future of Research Collective. Whatever happens, we will work with anyone whose project isn’t carried forward to find other options for funding the future of your work. 

This call out is available to any individuals or groups from communities that experience racism, contributing to a lack of representation or harmful misrepresentation within research. You should be based in an area covered by Bristol postcodes BS1 to BS16 and you should have an interest in developing an area of knowledge around health and/or wellbeing that is important to you. 

In addition, We The Curious is keen to support projects that show how different parts of people’s identities can intersect with race. Applications that also touch on how gender, class, disability, sexuality, religion, or other identities, can shape communities’ experiences of health and wellbeing, may score more highly (see scoring criterial below).

We are also keen to prioritise supporting groups and individuals to lead on research, who have not been through traditional academic pathways to a research career. In other words, you don’t need to have any previous research experience and support will be given. (see scoring criteria below).

Some examples of the types of topics you might be interested in developing would include:

• Advice and recommendations for school packed lunches for children from diverse backgrounds
• Supporting wellbeing and combatting social isolation for women who get married and move to Bristol but don't have family or friend networks around
• How women from diverse backgrounds within Bristol communities provide support to each other around mental health + look after their own mental health at the same time
• Culturally relevant physical activity options for 11–16-year-old girls from diverse communities Bristol
• Exploring a particular health or wellbeing issue that you are aware of that impacts the lives of some members of your community, such as incontinence, social isolation etc.

These are just a few examples, and you might have an idea that is completely different to any of these. As long as it has some connection to health and/or wellbeing, we would love to hear it.

We know the right approach to finding a research question will look different for everyone. We are happy to support you to use the funding in a way that best fits you and your project.

These are the two areas that you will be expected to deliver within your project funding (£2000).

• Taking a topic that interests you that relates to health and/or wellbeing and collaborating with others from your community in order to (a) find your research question and (b) make a plan for how to you would explore it.
• Creating some form of positive social impact for you and your collaborators

You may wish to put your budget towards:

• Running scoping activities such as workshops, surveys, interviews or other formats to develop your question alongside other members of your community or test research activities
• Compensating any collaborators or advisors for their time
• Venue or equipment hire, materials, printing catering/refreshments or similar to support your scoping activities
• Your time, planning, running activities, travel or subsistence relating to this project

You can see an example budget below, if that would help you think about what the funding could help you achieve.

Example Budget

As well as running your project, there will be three group sessions over the course of the project delivery window, bringing everyone together for planning, reflection and collaboration. It’s a chance to find out what is happening with the other projects and think about your own project and your own growth. The dates and times of these sessions are in below under 'Time commitment and key dates' .

Your time for participating in these half-day sessions will be compensated at £125 per session. 

• An introductory session at the start of the project delivery window, to get the ball rolling and meet the other community researchers and We The Curious.
• Working with We The Curious, the other community researchers, and a creative partner to codevelop something creative that can be shared publicly for this project.
• Taking part in an evaluation and reflection session with the We The Curious team. This is to support your development as a community researcher and We The Curious in our journey of learning how to best support communities to lead research.

• You will develop skills and confidence around developing knowledge within your community.
• Each project will include some form of immediate social impact for the community researcher and participants.
• A creative piece of work of some kind that you have coproduced with other community researchers, that connects and supports the legacy of each project, and opportunities for you and members of your community to be able to access, enjoy and celebrate this project.
• A plan that we hope will provide a foundation for you to explore your question beyond your Finding the Question project. We hope to be in a position to support you to apply to do this with We The Curious, but will also explore how we can support you to continue your research journey independently from us.

In addition to the project funding, We The Curious will provide non-financial support as you deliver your project. We recognise that each group will have different support requirements, and we will work with you to define what yours looks like. Here are a few examples of what this could look like:

• A designated point of contact at We The Curious available to discuss your project, any troubleshooting or ideas.
• Use of our spaces, such as meeting rooms
• Bespoke support from our people around a specific support need e.g. graphic design, IT, marketing or social media, works
• Support applying for additional funding or accessing opportunities to platform your project

The window for you to deliver your project will begin on Monday 22 September 2025 and will end on Monday 23 February 2026.

You will also be asked to commit at the application stage to attending the sessions on the dates listed below. If you would like to submit an application but know that it will not be possible for you to attend some or all of these dates, please do contact us beforehand or mention this on the application form so we can try our best to accommodate.

• Half day planning and induction session –Wednesday 24 September, 13.00-16.30
• Creative Session - Monday 24 November, 13.00-16.30
• Reflective Session – Wednesday 25 February, 9.30-13.00

You can send us your answers by completing this application form.

You are also welcome to submit your application by sending your answers to these questions to us as word document, an audio or video recording, which you can send to us at opencityresearch@wethecurious.org or by phone or WhatsApp on 07967334331.

Whichever method you wish to use to apply, you will be asked to respond to the following questions:

• Are you applying as an individual or on behalf of a community-based group or organisation?

Questions only for individuals

• Contact information (Your name, email, phone)
• Please describe the community you would like to work with (50 words max)
• As you are applying as an individual, please describe any links or connections you have with that community  - e.g. volunteering with an existing group, looking to engage my own informal networks like friends or family (150 words max)
• Optional: We expect that community led research means that projects are led by members of the community they focus on. If you do not consider yourself a member of the community, please let us know why you feel you are well placed to lead this research (100 words max.)
• Optional: This opportunity is primarily intended to support groups and individuals to lead on research, who have not been through traditional academic pathways to a research career. If you currently or have previously worked as a researcher in academic institutions, please let us know why you feel you are well placed to lead this project. (100 words max.)

Questions only for community-based groups or organisations

• Contact information for project lead (Your name, email, phone)
• Please describe the community you would like to work with (50 words)
• As you are applying on behalf of a group or organisation, please give the name of the group or organisation, briefly describe their work, including how they are connected to the group or community you want to work with – e.g. This group directly supports the community through its work (150 words max)
• Optional: We expect that community led research means that projects are led by members of the community they focus on. If you, as the project lead, do not consider yourself a member of the community, please let us know why you feel you are well placed to lead this research. (100 words max.)
• Optional: This opportunity is primarily intended to support groups and individuals to lead on research, who have not been through traditional academic pathways to a research career. If you, as project lead, currently work or have previously worked as a researcher in academic institutions, please let us know why you feel you are well placed to lead this project. (100 words max.)

For everyone

• What topic or topics related to health and/or wellbeing would you be interested in investigating, and why? This doesn't have to framed as a question or focused on one specific area – we will work with you and can help you narrow down a focus (200 words max)
• How might you work together with others from your community to narrow down your question or topic and develop a plan? Again, we can help you form a detailed plan - this is just to give us a sense of how you might approach your project (150 words max)
• What would you include in a project plan to ensure that you and anyone else taking part is impacted in a positive way, during your project delivery? Please note: We are aware that the impact will be proportional to the limited amount of funding. You can see some examples here. (100 words)
• It is a requirement that your project should delivered between 22 September 2025 and 23 February 2026? Are you available and happy to commit to this timeline? Please note: If you are not able to commit, it is likely that we will not be able to take your application forward. Please contact us in advance of submitting your application if you would like to discuss.
• Will you be available to attend the all the half day workshops on Wednesday 24 September, 13.00-16.30, Monday 24 November, 13.00-16.30 and Wednesday 25 February, 9.30-13.00
• Is there anything else you would like to share with us? Or any support you anticipate you will need to deliver this project? You may not know this at this stage but you are welcome to share any thoughts.

A selection panel made up of an equal number of We The Curious employees and community-based panellists will read the applications and score them independently. Higher scoring applications are more likely to be selected.

The selection panel will include: Helen Della Nave (Head of Open City Research, We The Curious), Amanda Colbourne (Inclusion Lead, We The Curious), Samina Baig (Caafi Health) and a second community representative yet to be selected.

Scoring criteria

• The project is by and for a community that experiences racism
  • 1=The project is focused on a community that experiences racism but delivered by someone outside the community
  • 3=The project is focused on a community that experiences racism but delivered by someone inside the community
  • 5=The project is focused on a community that experiences racism but delivered by someone inside the community, and demonstrates an approach that considers multiple overlapping aspects of individuals identities in addition to race including gender, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and other factors.
• The project is led by a group or individual who has not been through a traditional academic or university-based pathway to becoming a researcher.
  • 1 = The project lead has close connections to academia or professional experience of university settings, for example, currently working as a university researcher, having completed a PhD or having regularly been employed in this field.
  • 3 = The project lead has some connections to academia to academia or professional experience of university settings, for example, having previously worked in this field.
  • 5 = The project lead does not have a background in academia to academia or professional experience of university settings.
• Demonstrates an interest in one or more topics related to health or wellbeing
  • 1=Little or no relevance to either health or wellbeing
  • 3=Project explores an area of health and wellbeing that has been explored widely in academic research
  • 5=Project explores an area of health and wellbeing that is less often or badly represented in academic research, or where the global majority experience of the topic may differ from research focused on white people.
• Demonstrates connections within target community
  • 1=Few or no existing connections in the community the project wishes to work with
  • 3=Existing connections in the community the project wishes to work with, but little consideration of how to involve community members
  • 5=Strong connections with the chosen community and have considered how they will involve community members
• Is there potential for the community researcher and others to immediately benefit from taking part?
  • 1=No communication of how participants or the researcher will benefit from the project
  • 3=Researcher or participants will gain a specific benefit within the timeframe of the project
  • 5=All those involved in the project will have the chance to benefit within the timeframe of the project. The way in which this will be achieved is clear and specific. 

We will be holding an online drop-in info session on Wednesday 13 August 2025 at 13.00-14.00 to share a bit more about the background to Research Collective, how to apply and also to answer any questions you may have. It’s completely optional, but if you would like to join, please do register here for the info session.

We're happy to answer questions about Research Collective and how to apply, whether this is your first time applying for funding like this or you’ve done it dozens of times. You can contact us at opencityresearch@wethecurious.org, and if you prefer to speak on the phone please send a contact number and suggestions of when is good to call within office hours (9-5, Monday – Friday).

If you are part of a group that has an upcoming meeting, and you would like to arrange for somebody from We The Curious to come along and chat to the group about Research Collective, please get in touch with us and we will do our best to arrange for somebody to attend.

Community led research

An approach where every aspect of the research project, including what questions are asked, the methods for exploring them, and what happens with the research findings, is driven by the community.

Community researcher

A researcher is someone who explores a question or topic to develop new or existing knowledge. In this context, a community researcher is someone who goes through this process in their own community, working with others they are connected to either geographically or maybe through shared backgrounds or experiences. A community researcher doesn’t need to have a scientific or academic background or experience of carrying out research for work.

Communities that experience racism

We recognise that many communities that are likely to experience racism, are more likely to be underrepresented in health and wellbeing research, or have been represented in inaccurate or harmful ways. 

This can include communities where people may describe themselves as:

• having African and African-Caribbean heritage
• having South Asian and East Asian heritage
• being part of the Global Majority 

We also welcome applications from any other communities, beyond those listed above, that experience racism. How you use to identify yourself or talk about your community may differ from this language and we support you to use language that is right for you.

Creative output

Something produced by community researchers collaborating with an artist. This could be developed using a wide variety of creative methods like art, music or writing. This output will be something that can be publicly shared at the end of the project.

In-kind support

This can look like support given in the form of materials, connections, time, use of equipment or any other form of non-financial support.

Intersectionality

Recognising that people have multiple identities, including but not limited to race, gender, class, disability, gender identity, which overlap and impact on how they experience the world and are the unique barriers they may face.

Reflective practice

Looking back, individually or collectively, on various aspects of your project and celebrating and learning from them

Research

Exploring questions or topics to find out new information or develop existing knowledge

Science Centre 

A place where members of the public can engage with science through games, interactive activities, shows and exhibits. It can be thought of a bit like a museum but much more hands on.

Social Impact

We recognise that this is broad and subjective way to describe the effect your research will have on you and other members of your community. 

We will support you to define what this looks like in the context of your project and community, and deliver some immediate benefit for yourself and participants on your terms. We are aware that this is a small-scale project, and the scale of impact will be in proportion to that. 

Some examples could include things like, face-to-face time with healthcare or wellbeing professional specialist, such as a midwife, physiotherapist, massage therapist or counsellor, resources for accessing further support with a specific health or wellbeing issue, access to an opportunity or activity that promotes wellbeing, such as an exercise or healthy cooking class.

Do I need to have a question in mind before applying?

No, although we would still welcome you to apply if you already have a question in mind. As part of this project, we would support you work with your community to develop a final version of your question or the area you want to explore.

Do I need to find answers to my research question within this project?

No, this this project is all about coming up with and developing your question and scoping out how you would go about researching it.

If I am successful in applying to lead a project in 2025-26, in order to ‘find my question’ and develop a plan to explore it with my community, am I automatically eligible for future funding to carry out the research project I have planned?

We The Curious is currently working hard to secure additional funding to support at least one community researcher from this year (2025-26) to undertake a larger scale project in 2026-27, where they can explore their questions. Currently, it isn’t possible for us to guarantee what, if any, funding will be available, and we want to be transparent about that. 

If you are successful in applying to run a Finding the Question project, we are committed to keeping you up to date on our fundraising efforts, to be open and transparent about what this could mean for future community funding, and that any plans for future years will be informed by feedback from you.

Why have you decided to focus only on smaller scale Finding the Question projects this year?

Feedback from community researchers during the first year has highlighted the importance of investing time and resources into finding the right topic, coming up with a plan for exploring it and testing out ideas, which we have taken on board. 

We are also adapting to changes in the funding landscape. Within this, we wanted to develop an offer for communities that can create a meaningful experience for communities of both engaging with research through a planning process and supporting social impact around areas you already have an interest, with the funding we currently have available. 

We are seeking additional funding and hope to support communities, who have developed a strong foundation for their projects, to fully explore research questions in the future.

How will my time be compensated for being a community researcher?

We encourage you to use a portion of the £2000 funding to pay for your time spent Finding the Question. 

We The Curious will also cover a fee of £125 per session for your time (or one person’s time, if you are applying as a group) to attend one planning, one creative and one reflective session. The total time commitment will be 3 x 3.5 hour sessions.