Latest news from º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ

13 Dec 2013

University boost for Charnwood Connect project

Dr Gillian Ragsdell Dr Gillian Ragsdell

A project designed to promote joint working between voluntary and public sector organisations across Charnwood has been boosted by support from º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ.

Charnwood Connect was launched earlier this year with the objective of encouraging joint working between agencies to achieve more for service users and service providers.

Organisations taking part in the two-year Big Lottery funded project include: Human Rights and Equalities Charnwood, Charnwood Borough Council, Living without Abuse, Youth Shelter and The Bridge.

Senior Lecturer, Dr Gillian Ragsdell from the University’s School of Business and Economics has joined the project as an advisor. Gillian is Coordinator of the Knowledge Management Research Group at the University, a member of the Centre for Information Management, and a leading academic in the field of knowledge management.

Gillian comments: “We are designing and implementing different ways of making advice available to people, and sharing best practice amongst voluntary organisations. The project is based on collaboration. This ‘joined-up’ way of thinking about knowledge and information will provide lessons and benefits to a host of agencies. I am very pleased that º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ was invited to engage with the Charnwood voluntary sector on this project.”

Leading the project is Moya Hoult, Manager of the Charnwood Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), who has collaborated with Gillian in the past on similar projects. Charnwood CAB is one of the oldest in the country and Charnwood itself has a higher than average number of voluntary sector organisations.

Moya says: “Charnwood Connect represents a quantum leap in the provision of knowledge. It is an example of genuine engagement and will break new ground.”

With five new posts secured for the project, including a funded PhD Studentship in the School of Business and Economics, and a very positive first steering group meeting held recently, confidence is high among the project members.

Notes for editors

Article reference number: PR 13/232

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.

It was awarded the coveted Sunday Times University of the Year title in 2008-09 and has been named Sports University of the Year 2013-14 by The Times and Sunday Times. º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and has been voted England's Best Student Experience for six years running in the Times Higher Education league. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.

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