Evidence for Action: Researching South London Citizens’ Community Priorities

Overview of the Research Project
Evidence for Action: Researching South London Citizens’ Community Priorities
This Research Assistant (RA) internship is designed to support South London Citizens (Citizens UK) through applied, evidence‑based research that responds directly to community‑identified priorities in South London. The overarching aim of the project is to strengthen the ability of South London Citizens to pursue effective community organising, advocacy, and engagement with institutions by providing clear, timely, and accessible research outputs.

Aims
The key aims of the project are to:

• Provide research support aligned with South London Citizens’ priorities, as identified through their ongoing community organising work
• Produce concise research outputs (e.g. briefings, summaries, background evidence reviews) that can inform civic action, campaigns, and institutional engagement
• Offer the Research Assistant practical experience of community‑led, place‑based research linked to real‑world policy and social change
• Contribute to the academic team’s understanding of how universities can support civic partners through responsive, applied research rather than agenda‑setting
• The project is intentionally flexible, allowing the focus of the research to be shaped by the evolving needs and priorities of South London Citizens during the internship period.

Context
South London Citizens is the South London chapter of Citizens UK, the UK’s largest community organising alliance. It brings together civil society organisations, including community groups, faith organisations, schools, and universities, to work collectively on issues affecting local residents. Priorities typically emerge from local concerns and may include themes such as living standards, access to services, voice and representation, and social justice.

The project sits within King’s College London’s broader Civic University activities, which aim to strengthen place‑based partnerships between the university and local communities. Within this context, the role of the university is to act as a supportive partner, offering research capacity and infrastructure while respecting the leadership and agenda of community organisations.
The Research Assistant will be based at I‑LEAD (Centre for Innovation, Leadership, Education and Development), which will provide office space, academic supervision, and methodological support. I‑LEAD’s role is to support the intern and ensure research quality, rather than to direct the substantive focus of the work.

Nature of the Research
The project will primarily involve desk‑based applied research, including reviewing academic literature, policy reports, and grey literature relevant to the priorities identified by South London Citizens. The Research Assistant will synthesise evidence in ways that are accessible to non‑academic audiences and appropriate for use in civic contexts.

An important feature of the internship is that the Research Assistant will attend selected South London Citizens meetings. This will allow the intern to understand the context in which research is used, observe community organising in practice, and identify areas where evidence can best support civic action. Meeting attendance will be supported through briefing and debriefing with the supervisor, and the intern’s role will be observational and research‑focused.

Anticipated Contribution to South London Citizens
The project will contribute practical benefits to South London Citizens by:

• Providing additional research capacity to support community‑led priorities
• Strengthening campaigns and advocacy through evidence‑informed analysis
• Producing research outputs designed for immediate use in discussions with stakeholders and decision‑makers
• By aligning research activity with community priorities, the project supports the effectiveness and sustainability of civic action.

Anticipated Contribution to the Research Area and Academic Team
For the academic team based at I‑LEAD, the project contributes to ongoing reflection and learning around:

• Civic‑engaged and community‑centred research practice
• The role of universities as supportive partners in place‑based social change
• Ethical approaches to collaboration with community organisations
• While academic publications are not the primary objective, the project will generate insights into how applied research can be organised, supervised, and integrated into Civic University work. This learning will inform future partnerships, student research projects, and institutional approaches to civic engagement.

Educational Value
A central feature of the project is the development of the Research Assistant. The intern will gain experience of applied social research, evidence synthesis, and research communication, alongside exposure to civic partnership working. Regular supervision and structured feedback will ensure that the internship is both educational and supportive.

Overall Rationale
This internship brings together student learning, academic support, and community priorities in a way that reflects the principles of a Civic University. By focusing on evidence for action, the project ensures that research activity has clear and immediate value beyond the university, while also contributing to the academic team’s understanding of how research can meaningfully support community‑led, place‑based change.