We are delighted to announce that the Innovation Zones at Queen’s University Belfast, in partnership with the Tallaght Childhood Development Initiative (CDI) and the Greater Shankill Partnership’s Children and Young People Zone, have produced the Community Research Toolkit.

The Toolkit offers practical guidance on conducting research with and from communities, highlighting peer-research models, youth engagement, and co-designed approaches. Drawing on shared learning across Tallaght, Shankill, and the Innovation Zones, it demonstrates how community-led inquiry builds trust, amplifies local voices, and produces evidence that is more relevant for research, services and policy.

The report underscores the importance of cross-border collaboration, inclusion, and lived experience in driving meaningful social change.

Innovation Zones Director, Dr Liam O’Hare, said:

"Working with two world-class community organisations on this report was a privilege. Closer collaboration between academia and communities is the future of meaningful and impactful research."

The Toolkit was launched by former President of Ireland, Dr Mary McAleese, and funded through the Shared Island Initiative.

Access the Community Research Toolkit here.