The IGP advises on community research for improved women’s safety in London

The aim of the project is to better understand how to engage with and capture the lived experience of women, girls and gender diverse people in London. To do this, the team has developed a methodology for women's safety audits that can be adopted by local councils, civil society groups and other stakeholders.  

Over the summer, the project delivered training and conducted research with 60 community researchers across London - from Brixton to Brent, and from Uxbridge to Paddington and Waltham Forest.

With training from the UCL Citizen Science Academy’s Lead Joseph Cook, supported by Academy alumna Twinkle Jay, and guidance from We Made That’s expert advisory board, including Tiffany Lam, Annabel Precious, Dr Hanna Baumann, Dr Clare Rishbeth and Mary-Helen Young, the researchers learned how to conduct community research, how to explore the complex topic of safety, and how this work integrates with broader initiatives and programmes from TfL and MOPAC. 
 
The community researchers collaborated with friends, family and colleagues to test various methodologies, including participatory mapping, checklists, and multi-sensory walks, to capture the experiences of safety for women, girls, and gender diverse people across London.

The team are also holding an event at UCL ahead of the official launch, as part of the Institute’s 10th Anniversary celebrating the work of the Prosperity Co-Laboratory in the UK on 15th October, where they'll present on the unique approach developed and the key findings.

Image by We Made That