ROTA Community Research Partnership (RCRP) 

The first ROTA Community Research Partnership, supported with funding from Propel, has now begun.

Our 10 Peer Researchers (PRs) will be engaged in conducting research with members of their communities until December 2024, and the first RCRP report will launch in January 2025. We will begin recruitment for our second cohort in early 2025, with proposals to focus on housing and health and wellbeing.

What is the RCRP?

The ROTA Community Research Partnership (RCRP) is the new flagship project from ROTA, which will take place over at least the next three years, enabled by funding from Propel.

This project aims to explore the ways in which racial inequities affect the Black and other racialised communities of London. In order to do this, we will be establishing partnerships with individuals and organisations with direct lived experience of these inequalities.

ROTA will train 10 PRs, and co-design a programme of research with and for them to undertake. This could involve, for example, handing out questionnaires to PRs local communities, or inviting a number of PRs peers to take part in research interviews. Both research and pastoral support will be available across the length of the programme.

It is hoped that this will both empower individuals and organisations to address and advocate for issues within their communities, and establish long-term partnerships across the diverse communities of London.

We are committed to supporting intersectional research throughout the RCRP. Applications that explore the ways in which racial inequity interacts with other forms of discrimination, such as misogyny/misogynoir, ablism or homophobia, along with additional issues faced by care leavers or looked after children, for example, will therefore be favoured. Please get in touch with us if you have any questions about intersectionality, or whether your proposal addresses intersectional themes. We have completed our recruitment process for the 2024 cohort, and will begin recruitment again next year.

Each year, the RCRP will centre on two themes which directly affect Black and other minorities communities in London.

The RCRP research themes for 2024 are employment and education. These themes are defined loosely, and applicants are encouraged to consider ways to draw these themes together in their project proposals. Our research themes for 2025 will be housing and  health and wellbeing.

Applications will open in early 2025. Please join our mailing list and register to become a ROTA member HERE and get notified when applications open

To be eligible to apply you must: 

  • Be based in London to conduct the research. 
  • Have lived experience as an individual from a Black & Global Majority Background. 
  • Have close ties with your community. 
  • Be committed to developing research skills in a fast-paced environment. 
  • Possess good people skills. 
  • Have the ability to engage with and listen to members of your community.  
  • Have good communication skills in English 

PRs will receive extensive training and support in conducting research and analysis. They will also be paid a stipend of £3,000.

PRs and their communities or organisations will also benefit from the relationships established during the course of the partnership. ROTA has over 2500 partner organisations and members in the racial equity space, and events during the course of the partnership and moving forward will provide good opportunities for networking.

How do I apply? 

Applications for 2024 are now closed.

Please subscribe to our mailing list HERE or follow our social media channels to be informed first when applications for 2025 open

How will my application be assessed?

Your application will be assessed according to the below criteria: 

Proposal (50%)  We will consider the ways in which: (i) your proposed research will benefit intersectional communities of Londoners; (ii) the importance and timeliness of your proposed research; (iii) your ideal research outcomes; (iv) the feasibility of your proposed research, given the short research and training periods; and (v) how your research fits in with ROTA’s current strategic priorities. 

Fit with research themes (20%) We will also look at the ways in which your proposed research: (i) fits into the stated research themes; and/or (ii) incorporates both research themes. Applicants are encouraged to consider the ways in which their research could incorporate both research themes, although strong examples only addressing either theme will be considered equally. 

Your connection to research participants (10%) We will look at the extent to which applicants have a strong connection to the communities that they hope to research, and their ability to predict any issues with participant recruitment.  

Partnership opportunities (20%) As a membership organisation, ROTA are always looking for ways to expand our community, and to draw in a wider range of perspectives. As such, we will be looking into: (i) the alignment of applicants and/or their organisations with ROTA’s aims and priorities; and (ii) the intersectional diversity of PRs, and/or their organisations community or service users.

For any queries about the project, please contact Kulvinder and Taranjit at rcrp@rota.org.uk.

Project funded by