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Institutional Context
Summary
The University of Northampton is one of the youngest universities in the UK but is already leading the way in creating social and financial value to society, we call this social impact. We have won multiple awards for our work in social impact, but what matters the most to us is ensuring that our students and graduates can make their mark on the world. That’s why we were the first university in the UK to be designated a Changemaker Campus in 2013 and our learning and teaching model has been recognised as an international exemplar in the way it embeds social value creation as a core competence.
Institutional context
The University of Northampton is a public university formed in 1999 by the amalgamation of several training colleges. It gained full university status as the University of Northampton in 2005, and has a long history of placing community engagement and economic development at the core of its mission.
The University has a vital role to play training the workforce of the future; as thought-leaders through our research; and as champions and major employers for our town and region. Our mission is to Transform Lives and Inspire Change by improving the social, economic, cultural and environmental wellbeing of all of those living, working, and learning in Northamptonshire.
Northampton is part of the government’s South Midlands Growth Area and is covered by the South-East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP). SEMLEP’s Strategic Plan explicitly states support for social enterprises as a means of driving social inclusion and generating sustainable economic growth. In response the University’s unique ‘Social Impact’ agenda comprises four interrelated ‘challenges’ for the betterment of Northampton, Northamptonshire and the Region that address economic growth through entrepreneurship, inspiring young people to be better than they think they can be, improve levels of health and wellbeing, and promote the unique culture and heritage of the county. Whilst these challenges are focussed on our locality, our reach is global and we are uniquely placed to bridge communities both local and global and act as a honest broker to leverage social, economic, and environmental change for the benefit of the communities we serve.
Supported by the Board of Governors, the University Management Team is committed to working in partnership with local employers, communities and stakeholders to create a positive social impact; to be a force for good, and provide leadership when required. We contribute to the creation of the conditions for sustainable growth that balances economic, social, and environmental objectives that focus on people, profit and planet
In recognition to our commitment to social impact The University of Northampton was the first university to be internationally recognised as a “Changemaker Campus” by Ashoka U in 2013, awarded Social Enterprise Mark Gold status in 2017, and designated Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework for its excellence in learning and teaching. Our Changemaker Campus designation places us in a unique category of only 50 higher education institutions worldwide that have demonstrated a commitment to public and community engagement that creates social impact and regeneration that benefits both financial, social, and cultural growth of the region.
For further information, please send queries to Wray.irwin@northampton.ac.uk
Local Growth and Regeneration
Summary of approach
The University of Northampton is committed to making a positive social, environmental, cultural and financial impact in the county and region, achieved through social innovation. We place ourselves at the heart of Northamptonshire, playing a key role in leading growth and regeneration. As the only University in Northamptonshire we place ourselves as a civic, voluntary and business partner from regenerating a brownfield site in the UK’s largest Enterprise Zone into our new sustainable campus in Northampton town centre, to developing Northampton Social Enterprise Town status, partners in two growing social enterprise companies, supporting the business and Voluntary communities from start up’s to growth, support and skills.
Aspect 1: Strategy
Through our status as an Ashoka U Changemaker Campus, we are committed to making a positive social, environmental, cultural and financial impact in the county of Northamptonshire and wider region of South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) area, achieved through social innovation adopting a local to global approach.
The University strategy Transform Lives and Inspire Change directs our activity in teaching, learning, research and social enterprise, the experiences we provide for our students and strategic partnerships for the betterment of Northampton, Northamptonshire and the wider area. Our ambition is to improve the social, economic, cultural and environmental wellbeing of all those living, working, and learning in Northamptonshire in order to positively transform lives and inspire change. Our ‘social impact’ agenda delivered through our four Changemaker Challenges ensures our activity creates real impact within the local area. These interrelated challenges are embedded across all our activities and teaching, they focus on the county’s businesses; healthcare; heritage and finally education, the challenges are multi-disciplinary, long-term, real world projects. They commit us to determined and effective internal and external partnership working and delivering high-impact positive change, while guiding our strategic direction and ambitions to develop and drive value in our community.
Our role in place making and embedding in Northampton’s infrastructure was a key decision in the University’s move to our new £330 million Waterside Campus regeneration project on an unused derelict site in the UK’s Largest Enterprise Zone. We consulted on the approach for future use for our old campus in Northampton, which led to the redevelopment of the site for housing for the local community and inclusion of social housing. Social impact was included in all parts of the tendering processes and contracts for the Waterside development.
We have worked extremely closely with SEMLEP and the former Northamptonshire Local Enterprise Partnership, local authorities, the NHS, voluntary and business communities to ensure that we add value to the economic, social and cultural life of the county built upon through our HEIF strategy 2016-2021. We have deployed our existing, and new, resources in coordinated partnerships with key local stakeholders to improve the economic metrics and business environment of Northamptonshire. We have built upon this with our joint partnerships in areas such as Business Support, Health, Transport and Employment opportunities in the county.
With the LEP and the County Council we wrote Northamptonshire’s Strategic Economic Plan (SEP) and set up the Northamptonshire Growth Hub (NGH) in 2013 to help deliver the business goals the SEP specified. We made a significant contribution to the production of Northamptonshire’s European Structural and Investment Fund Strategy 2014 – 2020.
We developed with our LEP partners and knowledge of the business community needs to develop business support schemes and development of ERDF bids to grow Northamptonshire businesses – such as Innovate Northamptonshire, NODE, Time2Grow
We actively take a role in social enterprises to meet our strategic aims and impact across the county from being key partners in Community Interest Companies (CIC) through to developing Northampton’s Social Enterprise Place status.
Examples of our consultations and engagement include:
To help the workforce of Northamptonshire, our Institute of Logistics, Infrastructure, Supply and Transport works in partnership with Northamptonshire County Council on an initiative funded by the Department for Transport to help transform the provision of public and community transport across Northamptonshire. An output of the research led to the creation of a social enterprise - SOCIETAL Travel CIC to deliver holistic transport commissioning across business, education and health sectors that not only minimised cost, but greatly enhanced service, health and wellbeing, innovative city solutions and developed our social enterprise model across Northampton and managed transports hubs in the town and bus services now actively managed by the University.
Our strategic research and plans enabled us to work with the Office of the Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner to bid for funds for the development of The Good Loaf CIC to provide work programmes and job opportunities for women wanting to break the cycle of unemployment, offending and poverty.
The Vice Chancellor is Chair of the Northamptonshire Health and Wellbeing Board, with Northamptonshire County Council and Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust we created First for Wellbeing in 2016, an integrated health and wellbeing service, the first of its kind.
Through our Changemaker Hub we encourage the development of student values and links to community engagement and volunteering for the wider community, linkages with Voluntary Impact Northants and direct engagement with voluntary sector organisations helped us develop the requirements to support those furthest from the workplace back into employment with our Working Progress ESF and lottery funded project.
Engaging with Public Sector and businesses such as our Innovative Industry Led Forums, Digital Northampton to develop support mechanisms, with wide ranging events such as Merged Futures and Tech at 10
Using our leading research around Dementia to consult with the local community to improve support for individuals and their carers including Dementia Friendly status for local organisations and innovative partnerships such UnityDem and progression of a purpose-built Dementia Village
To increase accessibility of Knowledge Exchange to local organisations following on from ERDF projects we developed BIG ideas to allow access to our expertise.
Our Globally Unique Institute for Creative Leather Technologies enables us to continue to build on Northamptonshire’s heritage in the footwear manufacturing sector and has developed following discussions with the leather sector worldwide to include work with high end automotive and aerospace organisations.
Aspect 2: Activity
Programmes we have delivered following our consultations with local partners to realise our strategic goals and benefit the county include:
Running the Northamptonshire Growth Hub working in partnership with SEMLEP (and the former previous Northamptonshire LEP) supporting over 7,100 local organisations, bringing in over £7million funding to Northamptonshire and leading on a number of business ERDF-funded projects to support Innovation, Growth Knowledge Exchange and Digital Connectivity
We deliver Inspire2Enterprise, a support service for anyone looking to start, run, finance or partner with a social enterprise across the UK, supporting clients to achieve and deliver their intended social outcomes. Since 2001 it has supported close to 2,500 clients. In the academic year 2018/19, the service enjoyed a 62% increase in enquiries (871 clients). 65% of Inspire2Enterprise enquiries come from people who haven’t started up their social enterprise yet.
Delivery partner in SEMSUP , focusing on social enterprises and start-ups across the South East Midlands area. The support includes the provision of one-to-one advice, workshops, grants and incubation facilities
A key partner in Goodwill Solutions Ltd since 2011, delivering logistics solutions and benefitting the local community working with offenders, ex-offenders, the homeless and disadvantaged to secure successful employment. Goodwill Solutions was awarded the Queens Award for Enterprise in 2020 in recognition of their impact.
Delivering Working Progress supporting those difficult to reach into employment using ESF and lottery funding, supporting over 700 individuals to date, resulting in a £1million social impact boost to the economy.
Our Innovative Industry led Forums engage with businesses to address sector challenges, feeding into Local Industry Strategy and consultations on travel, regeneration, sustainability, feeding into wider LEP and business programme delivery.
We take a key role in the Economic Development Groups in the county with local authorities and LEPs in the count, forming part of the county cell during the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver economic recovery packages and free business support webinars.
We host a termly Community Forum, which brings together staff from across the University and Students’ Union with members of the local community around our Waterside campus, including local action and residents associations, for an open, two-way dialogue to raise community concerns and create community solutions.
Waterside Campus facilities are used by a wide range of business and voluntary organisations from disability sports teams to supporting opportunities for those with physical and learning disabilities. In addition, our Student Action for Refugees group provides English language conversation classes and football training on campus.
We set up a social enterprise hub listening to the needs of organisations and the development of Social Enterprise Town Status for Northampton , 74 social enterprises operate as CICs in Northampton, building on our achievements with Goodwill Solutions, The Good Loaf and SOCIETAL
Part of Northampton Forward leading regeneration in Northampton town centre
As part of our commitment to businesses to be competitive by accessing graduate talent we have a series of interns, placements and funded projects such as ERDF Time2Grow and NETP our industry engineering partnership
We take active roles in Northampton’s two business improvement districts, supporting businesses, improving public realm and developing opportunities such as Virtual Job Fairs.
Following feedback from businesses we delivered a series of free Business Support Webinars and Start up support with local authorities during COVID.
Partnering with Northamptonshire County Council we developed Digital Northampton, enhancing digital skills and technology transfer for businesses, with wide ranging events such as Merged Futures.
As part of our move to our new campus we donated furniture and equipment to local charities and schools, saving 800 tonnes from waste and sustainably reused. As part of our new campus we have ethical and sustainable procurement and led to 1,200 jobs locally and opportunities during its build.
Development of the Lord-Lieutenant of Northamptonshire’s Leaders’ Forum helping businesses look at their potential to make a positive impact on the world.
We support and fund Nlive Radio Station, supporting local communities, volunteering and during the COVID-19 pandemic communicating vital messages.
We led on Northamptonshire’s Best Surprise providing support to the programme which aims to boost visitor numbers focusing on campaigns around Arts & Culture, historic houses, food & drink
We took a key role during the COVID-19 pandemic to support the local community and partners through supporting students to housing rough sleepers in our accommodation.
Uniconnect, works with students and schools part of the Aspire Higher Consortium with the Universities of Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, working across the three counties to develop and share opportunities and resources to encourage and support students progressing to Higher Education whether at University, Further Education College or Apprenticeships.
Delivering high impact engagement for students across the county through activities such as BIG Bang engaging with over 4,000 students in 2019.
Café Scientifique events, open to all to hear about the latest thinking in science, research and innovation
Aspect 3: Results
We were the first ever university in the UK to be awarded Ashoka U Changemaker Campus status – meaning the University is internationally recognised for its commitment to social innovation and entrepreneurship – and the estimated joint value created across the University’s UON social impact activities stands at £52million and we continue to build on this and to ensure we maintain our accreditation through submission of yearly reviews to Ashoka U.
In addition, our activity is conveyed to our stakeholders and communities through storytelling of our impact, through reports, media and direct engagement such as:
We publish the impact of our activities through our Social Impact Reports
Measuring our social impact through the Social Impact Matrix© methodology we have developed through our Institute for Social Innovation and Impact. We have supported over 50 social enterprises, charities and government departments with impact measurement
Publication of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic for the local community
We have received a number of awards in recognition of our achievements in contributing to local regeneration and social impact and demonstrating our year on year commitment .
Our Annual Changemaker Awards present the story of our activities to the local community and celebrate our successes and impacts on the county.
Our recent Perceptions of University Audit for key local stakeholders demonstrated we are seen as an important contributor to the local economy, source of regional pride and a contributor to the local economy.
We will shortly commission our latest Impact Report for the local economy – the last in 2015 demonstrated our £290m income into the county and job creation of 2,700. The report also identified a 222% multiplier of economic impact to turnover for the University.
For further information, please send queries to Charlotte.patrick@northampton.ac.uk
Public & Community Engagement
Summary of approach
The University of Northampton is the UK’s first internationally accredited Changemaker Campus in recognition of our approach in engaging communities and stakeholder in making a positive social impact. This places public and community engagement at the heart of our strategic approach to be a force for good in the county; using our unique position to improve the lives and prosperity of the communities we serve. Providing leadership where appropriate, supporting others in achieving their goals, and leveraging resources and influence to challenge barriers to success. Embodied in our Changemaker Challenges, this commitment focusses our efforts on improving the lives and educational opportunities for everyone, enhancing health and wellbeing, providing access to the counties cultural and heritage assists and promoting entrepreneurship.
Aspect 1: Strategy
The University’s community engagement strategy is embedded within the institutional strategic plan, Transforming Lives + Inspiring Change, with key performance indicators (KPI) which are reviewed by the Governors twice yearly. The University’s strategic commitment is to make a positive social impact and our approach is through the creation of social value and Changemaking. The University was designated an Ashoka U Changemaker Campus in 2013; one of only 50 higher education institutions globally with this designation including Ivy League institutions from the United States.
Consultation on the University strategy involves internal and external stakeholders through a series of staff roadshows, Board of Governors away days, the University Court and Senate. Engaging exisiting networks ensures strategic alignment and a continual process of informal consultation. Evidence is gathered through local stakeholders and our analysis of Northamptonshire’s Hidden Needs, the Health and Wellbeing Board, Northamptonshire and the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP), the County’s Cultural Forum, Local Authorities and Statutory Bodies.
The strategic priorities are articulated in our Changemaker Challenges. Faculties are organised to align to these Challenges to encourage cross-disciplinary approaches to public and community engagement. Public engagement is the responsibility of all staff members with accountability through the governance structure of the University up to and including the governing body where institutional KPIs are monitored and reported. Accountability is built into the staff appraisal process, staff and student recruitment and career development opportunities including the Associate Professorship Scheme. Public engagement is business as usual and we do not make a specific budget available but work with partners to obtain additional funding to enhance our activities.
Waterside Campus was developed to be accessible as a community facility for the benefit of the community. Our COVID-19 pandemic response highlights how our facilities and resources are used to meet community needs including how our staff and students contribute through volunteering and community involvement. Staff take the University out into communities through public lectures, social enterprise initiatives, events such as the Big Bang and Car Crash to demonstrate how our research and teaching is applied in real world events and as school and college governors. Enquiries from the public can be received through any part of the University and are managed through our Client Management System with interactions and activities recorded in the research management system, PURE.
Aspect 2: Support
The University supports the public in many ways.
Big Bonanza, Changemaker Challenge fund, Big Ideas, residents’ committees, High Sherriff Lectures, Changing Futures Week, Fashion Show, Public art exhibitions, public lectures, Armed Forces Covenant signatory, fund careers support in schools, the creation of stakeholder led social enterprises such as Connected Together CIC, Societal, First for Wellbeing, social enterprise town status, social echo, investment in Goodwill solutions, social enterprise
Changemaker Fellowship, developing leadership capabilities in staff undertaking public and community engagement. Staff are also entitled to community leave to undertake community engagement work.
Stakeholder forums and service user groups are involved in course development and validation processes and the provision of work related learning opportunities.
Our community radio station run by community volunteers alongside our students and lecturers in developing content, producing programming, and journalism.
We work across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter to engage with a broad audience, tagging in local community organisations, and celebrating achievements and news stories regarding collaborations and raising their profile. We aim to amplify the work of the University communications office when celebrating student work that is having an impact and involves the local community. The Board of Governors and a University Court are constituted of individuals from the community with requisite skills to ensure the good governance and impact of the institution. They have responsibility to advocate for the University and leverage personal and professional assets to enhance public engagement. This commitment forms part of the recruitment process with the Governors accountable ‘to the University community and the wider public for decisions and actions’; and that ‘Their actions should promote and protect the good reputation of the University and the trust and confidence of those with whom it deals’.
Staff and students present research, details of initiatives, their experience at the University utilising community as partners to shape new initiatives. Faculties engage the public on advisory groups setting the vision for portfolio development and research.
Our annual Changemaker awards celebrate excellence in creating social value by individual staff, student, and community collaborations and activities.
Aspect 3: Activity
All activities contribute are evaluated by their contribution to one of Northampton’s Changemaker Challenges which are
To make Northamptonshire the best place for young people to flourish and learn
To make Northamptonshire the best place for health and well being
To build upon Northamptonshire’s culture and heritage
To make Northamptonshire the best place to start and grow a business.
Examples are
Our major initiative was the construction of our Waterside campus, which involved bringing a contaminated brown field site back into use and locate the University at the heart of the community. The campus is designed to be open to the public, providing public footpaths between communities and the town and offering access to our library, catering, and other university facilities. The impact of the development has been captured through our social and economic impact reports. The positive impact on the environment of bringing the site back into use has also been captured through the Nenescape project. The renovation of the award winning Engine Shed brought an important part of the town’s heritage back into use and provides facilities that are open to the public to enjoy and a permanent home for the Students’ Union. The University saw an opportunity to boost its sustainability credentials by providing students heating and hot water generated by a CO2-saving onsite energy biomass centre reducing CO2 emissions by 2,200 tonnes p.a.
NLive community radio offers a platform for University students to gain experience in journalism, media and other creative sector professions including arts and popular music. The station provides community programming giving voice to the issues that are important to Northampton residents.
Working with Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire (VIN) the University created Connected Together bringing together expertise and experience of both partners to deliver community engagement programmes including workshops, research, surveys, and training to enhance the health and wellbeing of the population. Initiatives such as Unitydem and the University’s dementia friendly award programme enhance the provision for active aging in the county. The University Podiatry Clinic integrates the University’s teaching provision into a practice based environment, providing podiatry students with hands-on clinical education. Students, supervised by our team of highly experienced lecturers (all Health and Care Professions Council registered podiatrists) provide patients with a full professional assessment and explanation of treatment options.
Goodwill Solution is a joint venture providing a work opportunities and support to disadvantaged people across Northamptonshire in a variety of and a path to a more positive future, generating over £15m in social return since the venture was created. In 2020 Goodwill Solutions was awarded the Queens Award for Enterprise
We engage young people in University life providing an annual programme of subject specific public lectures aimed at Year 12 and 13 pupils, Roots to empathy supported the development of young people by recognising attachment between infants and their parents and public lectures on the leather heritage of Northamptonshire raising the profile of this important industry. Northamptonshire Surprise! showcasing the diverse nature of the culture and heritage available.
We evaluate whether activities meet public need through localised evaluations, for larger projects we undertake impact assessments and social impact reports produced, we build evaluation into the activities at a local level, and through our Economic, social, and perceptions reporting. We also capture attendance at events and activities, and feedback forms which are used to assess effectiveness and improve our engagement methods.
Aspect 4: Results and learning
The University of Northampton has KPIs related to public engagement embedded in its operational plan, monitored by the University Management team and Board of Governors, including:-
The percentage of students engaged in community engagement through the Changemaker Challenges. This includes volunteering, placements, work experience and Internships in community and social enterprise organisations, as well as community activism and activities that involve communities in engaging with the University, (32% 2018/19) number of partners engaged in supporting the Changemaker Challenges (1259 2018/19).
Enterprise income generation (£3.9m 2019/20)
To provide all students with the opportunity to undertake a work based or work-related learning opportunity as part of their studies (73% 2018/19).
KPIs are reviewed to ensure contribution to strategic aims and achievements and are publicly available.
The University’s achievements in public engagement are reported in the annual report and consolidated financial statement. Which is independently audited, and links to resources and further information that demonstrated our engagement achievements. The University produces social impact reports, including the COVID-19 pandemic response . Reports provide a mix of output and outcome reporting alongside narratives that provide the context of the work of the University. A comprehensive impact report for the construction of the Waterside Campus, with the learning available in How to do ‘good stuff’ when buying things – A Handbook for Higher Education Institutions
We undertake a perceptions survey bi-annually, which is independently undertaken on our behalf. The 2019 report highlighted that Northampton is ‘regarded as a good partner to work with and a good place at which to study’ and that the [Waterside] campus is a defining positive feature that has improved the University’s image and is seen to have increased and improved its engagement with the wider community. It was also identified that the University is more open and engaging, and in closer touch with the local community, than in the past. Participants described their current relationship with the University as ‘Inclusive’, ‘Friendly’, ‘Accessible’ and ‘Approachable’.
Public engagement is embedded in the staff appraisal process and identifies the breadth and depth of the work staff undertake, recognise excellence, and support staff through staff development and leadership support to maximise the impact they have.
Aspect 5: Acting on results
The University makes reports and information available publicly through social media, news media and through the University’s website. The University publishes Social Impact Reports on its engagement activities. University Court provide a forum for communities and individuals to meet and discuss our community engagement priorities and receive updates on achievements and challenges. Over 150 public lectures and presentations and engagement events have been undertaken annually with community feedback used to continuously improve the reach we have. In line with good governance, all minutes from Governors meetings are made publicly available through the website.
The NCCPE EDGE tool highlighted that leadership, learning and supporting Staff to participate in community engagement are embedded within the institution. The University also has a strong commitment to public engagement across the Mission, Communication, Support structures, formal recognition of success, Student engagement and Public consultation require to further embedding. 88% of staff stated in the 2019 staff survey that they support the University’s strategy Transforming Lives +Inspiring Change.
The last perceptions report identified that the University of Northampton is generally viewed very positively by key stakeholders. Crucially, it is seen to be an improving and forward-looking institution. Overall respondents associated the University with building relationships with local communities. Participants also identified the University’s efforts to be more ‘Progressive’ in its attempts to improve inclusivity of different communities.
The evaluation of activities under-pin continuous improvement implemented through the Dean of Research, Impact and Innovation and the Director of Enterprise and Employability
Results of community engagement work is shared through internal roadshows, consultations undertaken through research institutes, economic development and community resilience groups, SEMLEP skills forum, Industry liaison, stakeholder engagement in faculty forums, resilience forum, SE Mark HEI group, Social Enterprise UK HEI group, SE Town, BID, Northampton Forward, VIN, Court, PSR and quality processes,
For further information, please send queries to wray.irwin@northampton.ac.uk