The Role of Yorkshire Futures Les Newby, Director of Yorkshire Futures

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The Role of Yorkshire FuturesLes Newby,
Director of Yorkshire Futures
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Yorkshire Futures - Basics

• Yorkshire and Humbers research and intelligence
  agency
• established 2001
• funding from Yorkshire Forward plus partner
  contributions
• broad agenda economic, social, environmental
• inclusive partnership, supported by a Steering
  Group
• streamlined core team plus wide hub and spoke
  network

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Yorkshire Futures Purpose

• To contribute to making Yorkshire Humber a
  better place by
• bringing issues to the fore that need resolving
• communicating solutions that address them
• collating intelligence that supports these roles
  and monitors progress.

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Examples of Key Products Roles

• monitoring Progress in the Region
• sub regional city regional intelligence
  support
• futures research
• website
• what works
• communication, policy integration and support

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Monitoring Progress in the Region

• ongoing monitoring of key indicators of YH
  progress
• based on Integrated Regional Framework -
  covering Economy, Skills, Environment,
  Infrastructure, Quality of Life, Governance
• annual document plus quarterly updates on
  website
• supported by Progress in the Sub-region reports
• annual launch event

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Futures Research

• modest annual research programme
• focus on one-off pieces of research on key gap
  issues
• role in co-ordinating research activity
• Futures Programme established 2006 major report
  on trends and scenarios published in 2007
• Futures Network

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Research Futures examples of work

• Educational Attainment between Key Stages 2-4
• Future of Yorkshire Humber trends and
  scenarios to 2030
• Assessment of Inequalities in Yorkshire and
  Humber
• Climate change and renewable energy studies
• Citizens Panel studies into community
  engagement and personal finances
• Alternative indicators of economic progress

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Low carbon locale What if?...

• resource costs soar and carbon emissions are
  aggressively reduced
• the year of Peak Oil turns out to be closer to
  2010 than 2025, so barrels pumped goes into
  decline
• competition for resources from the emerging
  economies, especially for oil and food, pushes
  prices up sharply, and makes supply erratic
• the Carbon Bill to reduce emissions by 60 by
  2030 becomes law - and is enforced diligently

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Website www.yorkshirefutures.com

• an integrated intelligence resource for the
  region
• collates relevant data, news and research across
  topics
• What Works database
• access to Regional Economic Model and local area
  data
• hosts other microsites e.g. rural,
  environment
• spatial presentation of key data
• forum discussions

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What Works Database

• collates case studies, research findings,
  evaluations
• online resource on www.yorkshirefutures.com
• searchable by topic, locality, type of
  information, etc.
• as good as the information on the system
• priority topics (e.g. Sport and Enterprise) used
  to build critical mass of information on key
  issues
• open to partners to communicate their work

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Joining up Information and Action

• strong links with networks and organisations in
  YH
• a focus on communication of research and
  intelligence
• role in influencing and working with policy
  makers
• onus on information ? intelligence ? influence

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Communicating Research for a Policy Audience -
things to think about
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Who is the audience?

• who has the power to use your findings?
• what organisations or partnerships?
• which people within thempractitioners?
  leaders? researchers?
• what are the pressures and on them?
• how do they get their info? What do they read
  or attend?
• range of communication (inc. events, in person,
  written)

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Writing for the Policy Community

• forget academic norms (referencing, complexity,
  etc.)
• plain, clear and direct English - avoid or
  explain jargon, use short sentences, etc.
• punchy is good be direct and avoid over
  cautiousness
• onus on findings and implications more than
  context and methodology, but include links to
  fuller info
• consider policy makers interests and scope for
  action
• think about timing stages of write up, and
  conclusions

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Format is Important

• make sure there is a summary 2 pages often
  fine
• let the text breathe avoid small pitch size
  and cramming
• tell a story and use a structure short
  sections much better than one long narrative
• combo of text, bullets and graphics often works
  well
• make the key points jump out dont be afraid
  of putting the so what conclusion in bold?

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What Works summaries

• scope to put PhD findings on What Works database
  contact Yorkshire Futures to do so
• short abstract, 2 side summary and link to full
  work ideal
• for a 2 side summary, useful headings to write
  under are
• basics title, author and date
• context and rationale for the research
• methodology/approach
• findings/results/lessons learned
• conclusions implications
• links further information