ROTA Community Research Partnership (RCRP)

Recruitment for the second ROTA Community Research Partnership, supported with funding from Propel and the City Bridge Foundation, has now begun.

We will be recruiting 10 Peer Researchers (PRs) to carry out research within their communities on the ways in which structural racism affects them, focussing on the themes of 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 two years, enabled by funding from Propel and the City Bridge Foundation.

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, per year. 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.

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

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

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 nearly 3,000 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?

Complete the online application form available here. Applications are open from 28 March until 18 April 2025.

Application Pack Application Form

Project reports

The project report from the first year is available below.

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