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We are pleased to announce new Policy Fellowship opportunities with three London Borough Councils: Newham; Camden; and Islington
Background
UCL Public Policy in collaboration with UCL London Office is offering support for up to six policy fellowships (on a flexible part to full-time basis) to collaborate with various teams across Newham, Camden and Islington Councils. These policy fellowships present a valuable opportunity for UCL researchers to deepen their insights into local government, broaden their professional networks, enhance their skills and expertise in academic-policy engagement, and share learnings across the cohort and to UCL.
Funded through Research England's QR Policy Support Fund (QR-PSF), these fellowships will span four to six months, from January to July. By participating in these fellowships, researchers can gain hands-on experience in policy development, implementation, and contribute meaningfully to community-oriented initiatives.
Role description, required skills and key responsibilities
The fellows will join part of a London Local Authorities cohort of fellows. Fellows will be expected to engage with the cohort, join mini action learning sessions and training provided by UCL and the Councils for peer-to-peer learning and support.
Each fellow will be embedded within one Council working closely with them on one of the following collaborative projects:
1) Islington Council
a. Violence Against Women and Girls
b. Road Safety
2) Camden Council
c. Inclusive Growth
3) Newham Council
d. Evaluating Newham's future population trends
e. AI-Enabled Predictive & Preventative Insights for Newham
f. Understanding the impact of theft on our residents, communities and public services
Required skills:
- Excellent research and analytic skills, with demonstrated experience or transferable skills in designing and carrying out feasibility studies, and translating research findings to other contexts.
- Expertise and experience in using research as a means of informing and contributing towards policy development.
- Ability to operate effectively, openly and collaboratively within sensitive political contexts.
- Ability to demonstrate neutrality and impartiality while navigating competing stakeholder interests.
- Excellent communication skills and ability to effectively engage with people from different backgrounds and sectors, and at different levels of seniority. Particularly important are writing skills and proven communications experience.
- Understanding of the academic policy-engagement environment, and an ability to grasp project priorities quickly.
- Ability to work proactively, managing and prioritising your own workload, while managing contingencies between multiple project stakeholders.
Please see each individual project for specific essential skills for that project
If you feel like you have skills and knowledge in the project area but feel you may not meet all of the criteria then please do still apply as we'd like to hear from you.
Project descriptions
Islington Council Projects
- a. Islington Council:Violence Against Women and Girls (WAGS)
This is an exciting opportunity for a fellow to contribute to Islington Council Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy to shape evidence-based policy and commissioning.
Background
Islington Council is preparing to relaunch its Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy in November 2026. A key component of this process is a comprehensive literature review to inform strategic priorities for 2026–2031. The UCL fellow will play a central role in reviewing national and international research, policy frameworks, and best practices related to VAWG prevention, survivor support, and perpetrator accountability. This evidence base will underpin the strategy’s development and ensure alignment with both local innovation and broader strategic goals. The fellowship will support Islington’s VAWG strategic commitments by:
- Synthesising research to inform a coordinated community response
- Identifying evidence-based prevention models
- Reviewing survivor-centred approaches and intersectional frameworks
- Evaluating perpetrator intervention programmes
- Aligning findings with the council’s 2030 ambition for equity, quality of life, and community empowermentRole description & key responsibilities
The fellow will expected to produce a comprehensive literature review to inform the 2026–2031 VAWG strategy with evidence-based recommendations for commissioning and service development. They will be expected to identify best practices and innovative models for replication and provide support for public awareness campaigns and survivor engagement mechanisms.
Key Activities:
1. Evidence Mapping and Gap Analysis
- Conduct a literature review of UK and international VAWG strategies
- Identify gaps in service provision and research, especially for underrepresented groups
2. Evaluation of Prevention and Education Models
- Review academic and literature on public awareness campaigns, school-based interventions, and youth engagement
- Assess effectiveness of existing programmes and recommend improvements
3. Survivor-Centred Policy Development
- Analyse research on trauma-informed care and intersectionality
- Support development of survivor-informed policies and feedback mechanisms
4. Perpetrator Accountability
- Review studies on perpetrator behaviour, rehabilitation outcomes, and justice pathways
- Contribute to policy development using evidence-based approaches
The fellow will gain in-depth knowledge of VAWG service delivery in Islington, experience in applying research to real-world policy and commissioning, skills in multi-agency collaboration and survivor engagement and exposure to strategic planning and evaluation frameworks. The fellow will also be provided with relevant training and resources to support their work. The fellow will be able to work with VAWG strategy board, Safer Islington Partnership, Domestic Abuse Daily Safeguarding Meeting, Harmful Practices group and VAWG practitioners forum.
Additional essential skills:
- Familiarity with VAWG-related legislation and frameworks (e.g. Domestic Abuse Act 2021)
- Understanding of intersectionality and trauma-informed approaches
Supervisor:
Karolina Bober – VAWG strategy and commissioning manager
- b. Islington Council: Transport Strategy and Vision Zero
Brief
This is an exciting opportunity to support Islington by providing strategic guidance and a roadmap to help maintain momentum toward their Vision Zero 2041 goal.Context
Islington Council has an aspiration to achieve ‘Vision Zero’ by 2041, and to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries on Islington’s streets and reduce the number of minor traffic collisions on our streets. Reducing real and perceived road danger is a key component of a mode shift to active and sustainable modes of transport.
To support this work, the council will develop a Road Danger Reduction (RDR) Framework and Methodology. This will assess current challenges to achieving Vision Zero, review evidence on the most effective interventions, and set out an approach for analysing collision data to inform a targeted work programme.
The fellowship aligns with the council’s ambition for a greener, healthier Islington. Achieving Vision Zero is a key aspiration of Islington’s Transport Strategy (ITS) and supports the council’s Climate Action Plan ambitions in relation to transport.Role description & key responsibilities
Road casualty data analysis and framework to guide future road danger reduction work programme in Islington. Fellows will be required to work with STATS19 data (road accident data collection system, which records information about personal injury road traffic collisions reported to the police). Data will be sourced from the COLLSTATS database. The proposed approach is formed of two parts: data analysis of road traffic casualties and writing a framework/methodology to inform a targeted work programme to reduce road traffic casualties.
The fellowship will be broken down into data analysis and support of a framework/methodologyData analysis:
• Review of relevant policy and guidance.
• Data analysis and preparation of mapping using collision data (2017 - 2024) to set the context for the Framework/Methodology.Analysis to include:
• causes of collisions, identifying patterns and trends, particularly in relation to vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists and powered two-wheeler riders).
• causes of collisions within the existing LTNs (excluding boundary roads) where traffic volumes are significantly reduced.
• insight into the types of vehicles involved in collisions and if this is a factor into the severity of collisions e.g. vehicle weight.
• ensuring that the council’s priority locations for road danger reduction align with TfL priority locations ensuring that hotspot locations are not ignoredThe framework/methodology will need to be a comprehensive approach to evaluating and improving road safety in the borough by looking at the following:
• Policy and Infrastructure Impact
• Vehicle Safety Measures
• Road User Behaviour
• Technology and Innovation
• Education and Engagement
• Data and Enforcement
Fellows will gain knowledge around how regional and local authorities work to reduce road danger. Fellows will gain expertise in road traffic casualties within Islington. This also provides a great opportunity to develop transport policy and influence work programmes within a local and regional context with opportunities to engage with Transport for London, the Metropolitan Police and neighbouring boroughs.
Supervisor: Faz Mussa
Camden Council Projects
- c. Camden Council: Inclusive Growth
This fellowship offers the chance to work within Camden’s Strategy Team to help define what inclusive growth means in practice, drawing on research, community engagement, and policy development.
Context
Economic growth is a “grand challenge” that shapes the future of Camden’s communities – it is systemic, complex, interconnected and contested. But for Camden, the issue isn’t how fast they grow — it’s how they guide that growth to tackle poverty, reduce inequality, and improve social mobility.
Camden Council feel a deep responsibility to make sure that everyone in Camden benefits from the economic progress happening here. As a local authority, they are in a unique position to shape growth so it lifts living standards for those who need it most and opens up opportunities for people who’ve been left behind.
With a new leader and a new chief executive, and with residents still facing the consequences of the pandemic and an ongoing cost of living crisis, Camden is developing its approach to growth and making inclusive growth and shared prosperity one of its organisational priorities.
Growth is a strong cross-cutting theme within the four We Make Camden Missions, which form the core of Camden’s strategy for the borough, with key questions being asked when we established those missions in partnership with residents:
● How can Camden grow an inclusive, resilient local economy in which all Camden residents can participate and thrive?
● How can Camden make a just transition to a zero-carbon economy and pursue clean growth by 2030 How can Camden ensure all Camden residents can access and develop within good quality work?
● How can Camden support people to build the capabilities they need to participate fairly in society and the economy?
Principles upon which the We Make Camden Missions are built are oriented toward economic growth and investment:
● Place creates opportunity
● Value is co-created between citizens, local government and business
● Purpose unites places and can solve societal challenges
● Capability requires investment
Camden are now reflecting on what ‘inclusive growth’ means for them as an organisation and what it means for their action and interventions.
Role description & key responsibilitiesThe fellow will be based at the heart of the council, working within the Strategy Team in the Investment, Place and Opportunity directorate. They’ll collaborate with directors, teams, and services across Camden to explore what ‘inclusive growth’ means — both in theory and in practice.
Their work will include:
- Using a range of research methods to help define what inclusive growth looks like for Camden Council
- Reviewing external feedback and recommendations on our current approach, notably from the report of an LGA Corporate Peer Challenge that is due to be published at the beginning of January 2026, and helping to put those into action
- Testing new ideas and interventions with residents, businesses, and community partners — through roundtables, focus groups, summits, and other engagement activities
- Briefing senior officers and councillors on progress and shaping the council’s evolving approach
- Supporting the development of the council’s statement of intent on inclusive growth
The fellow will work closely with the Head of Strategy for Investment, Place and Opportunity, the Head of Corporate Strategy, and a small team of policy officers whose work focuses on inclusive growth. Together, they’ll help deliver the activities outlined above.
Formally, the fellow will be part of the Strategy Team within the Investment, Place and Opportunity directorate. They’ll have access to the team’s training programme, which includes regular sessions on topics related to policy and strategy in a local government context.
As a member of the council’s wider strategy function, the fellow will also benefit from the support of peers across the council — including policy and strategy officers, data analysts, and project and delivery managers.
Supervisors: Julien Danero Iglesias – Head of Strategy – Investment, Place and Opportunity and Hugh Smith – Head of Corporate Strategy
Newham Council Projects
- d. Newham Council: Evaluating Newham's future population trends
Brief
This is an opportunity for a UCL researcher to be based within Newham’s Property team and play an important role in creating a comprehensive analysis of future population trends that will be used to shape a range of public services and support the council’s spatial development plans and strategies.
Context
Local Authorities across the UK are facing an ongoing financial challenge, with growing demand for services, and fewer resources to deliver. Newham have recently agreed a Medium-Term Financial Strategy covering the next three years, that will help set the Council on a more financially stable path and allow space for strategic planning of services for our residents.
The fellow will play a key role in producing an evidence base on future population trends that will influence the full scope of activity across the Council. This research will provide valuable insights into the needs of their residents, and will play a pivotal role in the delivery of the LBN Asset Strategy, and enable place-led development that puts our communities and businesses first.
This work will also integrate into the recently established Newham Centre for Health and Care Equity, a collection of academic, public and local health organisations. Their mission is to embed academia into local practice, enable multi-agency collaborations, foster evidence-based decision making and champion community voices in service provision.
Fellowship role and responsibilities
Key activities involved in this project would include:
1. Gather and analyse population data across a range of demographics.
- Use spatial or visual data tools such as GIS or Power BI to illustrate current population trends and project future changes.
2. Forecast impact on public services
- Evaluate what the potential impact that future population and health trends may have on public services (e.g., health and social care, housing) and community infrastructure.
- Communicate what the likely pressure points are, and where in the Borough is most likely to be impacted.
3. Translate findings into action – shaping service delivery and place development
- Work with public health and property colleagues to create a framework for embedding this research into service design and place development.
- Ensure findings complement existing work taking place through Newham Centre for Health and Care Equity.
- Identify any gaps and further lines of enquiry that the council should pursue to build on this evidence base.Through this fellowship, the fellow will gain a unique opportunity to integrate research into policy making, particularly in health and place development, creating recommendations for how Newham can integrate data into place-based and service decision making. They will have a chance to contribute to a product that Newham Council can share internally and externally to help organisations plan for the future.
Additional essential criteria
- Strong data and analytical skills including GIS and / or Power BI.
- Understanding of population data and awareness of the broad range of services that the council delivers.
- e. Newham Council: AI Predictive insights
Brief
- The fellowship will be based within Newham’s transformation team and will explore how predictive AI can can be used in their services to support the National shift from analogue to digital.
Background
Local Authorities across the UK are facing an ongoing financial challenge, with growing demand for services, and fewer resources to deliver. In Newham, we have recently agreed a Medium-Term Financial Strategy covering the next three years, that will help set the Council on a more financially stable path and allow space for strategic planning of services for our residents.
Recognising the ongoing pressures facing the sector, a key priority for the Council is recognising where we can build extra capacity, and free-up resource to help drive a range of activities including the priorities set out in Building a Fairer Newham, the Newham Growth Plan, 50 Steps to a Healthier Newham. We are driven to be a national exemplar in innovation and aim to be a key player in delivering national plans such as the Fit for the Future:10 Year Health Plan for England, which recognises the key role digital, data, and AI have in the future provision of public services.
To help Newham achieve their strategic vision, and pioneer best practice in local government, we have already started our journey with AI, exploring where the opportunities are for them to integrate tools into our services. The fellow will play a key role in shaping their AI journey, aligning our efforts with the 10 Year Health Plan, and will work closely with digital, data and health colleagues to:
- How Newham can best support the behavioural changes in the workforce needed to adapt to new AI tools and technology.
- Scope how AI tools using integrated datasets can support predictive modelling, and how this could inform the council planning for future service demand, and prioritise early intervention in our communities.
- Assess how AI can support internal operations and external community service to improve resident outcomes, reduce avoidable service demand and help tackle poverty and inequality in Newham.This research has dual internal and external facing components: internally to help council teams better allocate resources, coordinate interventions, and anticipate demand; externally to provide residents with early warnings, preventive guidance, and referral support.
Fellow’s roles and responsibilities
Key activities will include:
1. Predictive modelling & early identification
- Exploring the potential for AI models to use integrated datasets to help identify individuals or small populations at risk of hospitalisation, or an unmet social care need.
- Creating a set of leading predictors for risk level, including social determinants of health.
2. Decision support & service targeting
- Investigating how AI outputs can be presented in usable formats to internal teams (public health, social care, community engagement) to guide their work, and prioritisation of resources and interventions.
- Testing what the optimal thresholds and triggers are to support council services, and residents.
3. Develop behavioural recommendations
- Assess the workforces current attitude to AI and provide recommendations on the training / support that is needed to adopt new ways of working.
4. Mapping future opportunities
- Create a roadmap to deepen the councils integration of AI tools across services to help with planning and investment in effective early interventions.This is an exciting opportunity for a UCL researcher to gain understanding of the council landscape, and experience operating across a range of services. The fellow will have the opportunity to pioneer the practical application of AI tools in real-world local government scenarios, work collaboratively across the council, working closely with data and digital, and health and social care services.
Additional essential skills
- Understanding of emerging AI technologies, ethics and digital transformation.
- Familiarity with behavioural insights and change management techniques.
- f. Newham Council: Understanding the impact of theft on Newham residents, communities and public services
Brief
The fellow will be based within Newham’s Community Safety team and will be involved in exploring the psychological impact of theft, to help identify any gaps in support provision, and strengthen future preventative strategies and services. This fellowship will provide insights into how theft / burglary impacts Newham’s services, and will flag future lines of enquiry for the council.
Background
Newham’s vision for the future, as set out in Building a Fairer Newham (2022-2026), highlights the Councils key strategic priorities, including Building a Safer Newham. To help deliver this work, the Council, alongside the Met Police, London Fire Brigade and NHS ICB have refreshed the Newham Safety Partnership Strategic Plan (2025-28).
A key part of this plan is focused on reducing neighbourhood crime, by investing in prevention, and enforcement. We know that the impact of acquisitive crimes is disproportionately impacting certain neighbourhoods in the Borough and that the rates are continuing to grow. Theft and robbery are the two crimes that are increasing the fastest, with 14,357 and 1,704 instances in 2024, respectively.
While it is known that the impacts of robbery have lasting adverse effects on the physical and mental health of the victim, as well as their family, friends and community, they want to deepen this knowledge.
Role description & key responsibilitiesThe fellowship will help Newham advance their strategic priorities around Community Safety as set out in Building a Fairer Newham and Newham Safety Partnership Plan by:
· Strengthening the council’s understanding of the challenge in Newham, identifying where the most at-risk groups are to inform targeted interventions.
· Enhancing their understanding of the psychological impacts of theft to help shape trauma-informed services for victims.
· Building understanding around who the perpetrators are to help develop preventative initiatives.The fellow will employ a mixed method approach which will involve:
• Reviewing academic literature on the psychological impacts of theft / burglary and associated support needs.
• Analysing publicly available crime data i.e., the England and Wales Crime Survey to develop local insights.
• Evaluating what support is available in Newham, how effective it is, and how it may be improved.They will gain an in-depth understanding of how local partners collaborate to address shared challenges such as neighbourhood crime, an exposure to the policy and service design processes in local government and experience of embedding research to create evidence-informed policy.
The fellow will benefit from working with Newham Safety Partnership including Newham Council, Met Police, London Fire Brigade, NHS and HM Prison and Probation Service. They will attend regular Community Safety meetings and adult Social Care meetings where relevant for the research. The fellow will have access to boards and committees, providing insight into governance, decision-making and operational and strategic issues impacting community safety in London in practice.
Ways of working for all fellows
The fellowships will be hybrid with some meetings taking place at the Council’s office. Ways of working will be agreed upon induction. The successful applicants will be willing to embrace and contribute to the fast-paced work culture at the Council. The fellows will report to their named project supervisor.
About you
These secondments are open to eligible academic and research staff at UCL Grade 6, 7 or 8 (and CL7 and CL8). They are offered on a flexible part-time to full-time basis for four months, from the end of January until the end of July. Funding must be spent before the 31st July. Eligible applicants must have a UCL employment contract that extends beyond the secondment period. Unfortunately, Masters and PhD students are not eligible. Please contact the Policy Fellowship Coordinator (alice.tofts@ucl.ac.uk) if you are interested in this opportunity but you feel you are not eligible or the timings are not suitable as we want to understand how to make the fellowships as accessible as possible.
To apply
Please complete the online application form to apply for one project. Please state which project you are applying to as well as your second and third preference. If you have difficulty in accessing or using this form please alice.tofts@ucl.ac.uk. If you have any questions please take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions page. If you have difficulty in accessing or using this form please contact Alice Tofts, Policy Fellowship Coordinator, UCL Public Policy (alice.tofts@ucl.ac.uk).
Complete the application form
In order to apply, you must
- have obtained written consent from your line manager to do the fellowship and for your duties to be covered for the duration and FTE of the fellowship. This will need to be uploaded as part of the application as a PDF or word document.
- Submit a worktribe costing from your finance manager to forecast Directly Allocated (DA) Costs for the fellowship period. UCL Public Policy does not cover Estates and Indirect Costs. Please do not include any Directly Incurred Costs that are specific to the project and will be incurred because of it (Examples: travel, equipment, staff employed solely for the project) as we do not currently know what these might be.
We particularly welcome applications from black and minority ethnic, female and disabled/neurodivergent candidates.
Key dates
- Information session: we will be hosting an online information session for potential candidates on 6th November 12:00 Please get in touch with Alice Tofts (alice.tofts@ucl.ac.uk) if you would like to attend or, if you are unable to attend, to be sent the recording.
- Application Deadline: 17th November 17:00
- Interview: Top ranked candidates will be invited to an informal interview online with UCL Public Policy, London Office and the host supervisor on the 1st or 3rd December.
- Fellowship kick off session: mid-late Jan
- Fellowship start date: late Jan to early February.
- Fellowship end date: due to funding, fellowships must end by 31st July
Please note information provided in the application form will be shared with the Council to whom you are applying to assess your suitability for the award. For more information on data sharing please see the UCL Staff Privacy Statement here and UCL statement on tasks in the public interest here.
UCL Public Policy
UCL Public Policy is UCL’s institutional initiative to connect academic expertise with public policy needs. We provide tailored mechanisms, structured support, and expert brokerage to ensure world-class research informs government decision-making.
Newham is one of the fastest growing, young, and diverse boroughs in the country. With 351,000 people living in Newham, it is the third fastest growing borough in London. Over seven in ten residents are from Black, Asian, and ethnically diverse communities. However, there are deep rooted inequalities, with a quarter of neighbourhoods in the borough the most deprived in the UK. After housing costs, almost half of Newham’s residents live in poverty.
Camden is a borough of contrasts. Camden's economy contributes £40.2bn in Gross Value Added (2023), making it the fourth largest contributor in London and the UK. It hosts world-class academic, scientific and cultural institutions, thriving businesses and a lively nighttime economy. Yet, it is a place where great affluence sits alongside deep deprivation, and where the people who live here do not always benefit from the opportunities on their doorstep, experiencing barriers to their economic participation and wellbeing. Resolving this is as a question of justice, and, as a council, they are committed to making sure that our residents see their fair share. The Council wants Camden to be a place where everyone has an opportunity, where people can afford to live, stay, and lead healthy lives.
Islington is a small, densely populated, inner London borough with approximately 225,000 residents. It is home to many neighbourhoods with distinct identities - from Kings Cross, Farringdon and Old Street in Central London to Angel, Highbury, Holloway and Finsbury Park as you head north. Islington residents say the borough has something for everyone: parks, markets, shops, restaurants, live music, nightlife, festivals, sport. Many of these are well known beyond the borough’s borders e.g. Chapel Market, Arsenal FC, the Almeida Theatre, Clerkenwell Design Week, etc. But it’s also a borough of two halves. Those who have a great income and live comfortable lives are right next to those who struggle with poverty and unsuitable accommodation – and many Council programmes and partnerships are working to bridge this divide.