Voice Forum IX in Rotherham

Date: 10 April 2025

Location: REMA, Rotherham

Description: The ninth VF held in Rotherham was made possible through the support of REMA and the active participation of individuals aged 50 and over, residing in Rotherham, who self-identified as African, Caribbean, Roma, or Muslim. This VF focused on gathering feedback from members on a report produced by Professor Mark Green and colleagues. The report presented data from the ONS on Rotherham's ageing population and included a comparative analysis with data from the 2011 Census. It is scheduled to be delivered to stakeholders in the city during a meeting in May. We had a really good discussion and participants gave important feedback and provided additional insights to the report.

Voice Forum IX in Sheffield

Date: 3 April 2025

Location: SADACCA, Sheffield

Description: The ninth VF held in Sheffield was made possible through the support of SADACCA and the active participation of individuals aged 50 and over, residing in Sheffield, who self-identified as African, Caribbean, Roma, or Muslim. This VF focused on gathering feedback from members on a report produced by Professor Mark Green and colleagues. The report presented data from the ONS on Sheffield’s ageing population and included a comparative analysis with data from the 2011 Census. It is scheduled to be delivered to stakeholders in the city during a meeting in May. The discussion with VF members was thought-provoking and provided valuable insights that led Mark and the team to reconsider aspects of the report's draft writing.

Voice Forum VIII in Sheffield

Date: 29 January 2025

Location: SADACCA, Sheffield

Description: The eighth VF held in Sheffield was made possible with the help of SADACCA and participants who were made up of people aged 50+, who live in Sheffield, and who self-ascribed as African, Caribbean, Roma, or Muslim. This VF focused on showing the short video related to the final presentation of the arts-based workshops conducted at UTOPIA, produced by filmmakers Sean Lovell and Ai Narapol. When discussing the video, we heard from VF members in relation to the impact of the workshops and how that experience and knowledge can be extrapolated to other community organisations, other stakeholders, and the research community in order to create inclusive spaces for older adults in Sheffield. The video can be found here - https://www.ethnicityandunequalageing.ac.uk/outputs Rashida also presented some initial results from the go-along and life history interviews related to changes to the city centre and implications for exclusion/inclusion. We got great feedback and had meaningful discussion with the VF members attending the session.

Voice Forum VIII in Rotherham

Date: 22 January 2025

Location: REMA, Rotherham

Description: The eighth VF held in Rotherham was made possible with the help of REMA and participants who were made up of people aged 50+, who live in Rotherham, and who self-ascribed as African, Caribbean, Roma, or Muslim. This VF focused on presenting some initial results from the go-along and life history interviews related to changes to the city centre and implications for exclusion/inclusion, connecting to public transport and safety. We also showed a short video related to the final presentation of the arts-based workshops conducted at ROAR, produced by filmmakers Sean Lovell and Ai Narapol. The video can be found here - https://www.ethnicityandunequalageing.ac.uk/outputs

Data Analysis Deep Dive with Community Researchers

Date: 14 January 2025

Location: The Wave, University of Sheffield

Description: Building on the extensive coding work done by Rashida on the go-along and life history interviews, Jo, Rashida, and other members of the qualitative work package collaborated with the Community Researchers (CR) for an in-depth exploration of the findings to date. The session proved to be highly productive, enabling the team to gain deeper insights into the interviews and also the perspectives and lived experiences of the CR. 

Sharing event to celebrate the end of Arts-based workshops in Sheffield

Date: 2 December 2024

Location: UTOPIA, Sheffield

Description: Over several weeks, participants who had previously shared their stories through go-along and life history interviews in Sheffield came together every Monday to immerse themselves in creative workshops organised by the project and facilitated by UTOPIA. These sessions culminated in an expressive performance to celebrate where they come from, which embodied their experiences and aspirations. The final gathering was a celebration of movement, storytelling, and collaboration, as the participants shared their performance with an audience of friends, family, and research members. The event highlighted the transformative power of creativity, uniting everyone through dance, dialogue, and a shared sense of accomplishment.

Photos by Ai Narapol - https://www.ainarapol.co.uk/

Sharing event to celebrate the end of Arts-based workshops in Rotherham

Date: 27 November 2024

Location: ROAR, Rotherham

Description: Participants who previously engaged in go-along and life history interviews gathered every Wednesday for several weeks to take part in arts-based workshops organised by the project in collaboration with ROAR and Lora Krasteva. On the final day, they reunited to proudly showcase their creations and present a heartfelt performance, focused on the theme of Inclusive Ageing, to an audience of friends, family, and stakeholders. The event was filled with joy as everyone came together to celebrate their achievements, sharing food, conversation, and a sense of community.

Photos by Ai Narapol - https://www.ainarapol.co.uk/

Sharing and Learning Forum III

Date: 15 November 2024

Location: Firvale Community Hub, Sheffield

Description: Members of the Roma community in Sheffield came together for the third Sharing and Learning Forum, hosted by the research team, including Community Researcher Olga Fuseini, Daniel Holman, and Aneta Piekut. Olga delivered a presentation in Czech, sharing insights from the October 2023 ONS report on Roma populations, based on the 2021 Census. The forum engaged 13 participants, sparking interest in future events exploring Roma history and contemporary issues on a larger scale. Encouragingly, attendees expressed hope for their children's futures in the UK, inspired by data showing an increase in Roma pursuing higher education.

Voice Forum VII in Sheffield

Date: 29 October 2024

Location: SADACCA, Sheffield

Description: The seventh Voices Forum (VF), held in Sheffield, was made possible through the support of SADACCA and a group of participants aged 50 and over who live in Sheffield and self-identify as African, Caribbean, Roma, or Muslim. This VF focused on updating members about the project's various work packages and collaborating with them to co-produce the animation storyboard. Participants shared their thoughts on the project's progress, expressed their enjoyment of the arts-based workshops, and highlighted their appreciation for the workshops' inclusive practices, which fostered a welcoming and collaborative environment..

Voice Forum VII in Rotherham

Date: 22 October 2024

Location: REMA, Rotherham

Description: The seventh Voices Forum (VF), held in Rotherham, was made possible through the support of REMA and a group of participants aged 50 and over who live in Sheffield and self-identify as African, Caribbean, Roma, or Muslim. This VF focused on updating members about the project's various work packages and collaborating with them by getting feedback on the animation script that will be produced. Participants shared their thoughts on the project's progress, expressed their views of the arts-based workshops, and helped us thinking about different ways to share the project outputs.

1st Stakeholder Platform Meeting

Date: 27 September 2024

Location: The Circle, Sheffield

Description: Stakeholders selected by community members from Rotherham and Sheffield were invited to attend our first stakeholder platform meeting. The attendees included representatives from community organisations and city councils. The agenda featured a blend of presentations and discussions, starting with the findings from interviews with stakeholders and community members. Participants then engaged in a reflective session to identify key themes and messages for policy and practice. The meeting concluded with planning for future stakeholder platforms, providing an opportunity for continued collaboration and dialogue. The event offered a valuable space for fostering connections and shaping future action to inclusive ageing.

Arts-based workshop in Rotherham

Date: 18 September to December 2024

Location: ROAR, Rotherham

Description: Participants who previously engaged in go-along and life history interviews are now invited to join the next phase of the project, which focuses on a series of workshops. These sessions will use various creative tools, such as paint and photography, to help individuals express their personal stories of inclusion and exclusion in ways that resonate with them. In Rotherham, the workshops are being held at ROAR. People from diverse backgrounds—Muslim, Irish, African, and Caribbean—are coming together to share their life experiences while connecting over creative activities. These workshops will continue until December 2024

Arts-based workshop in Sheffield

Date: 16 September to December 2024

Location: UTOPIA Theatre, Sheffield

Description: Participants who took part in go-along and life history interviews are being invited to participate in the next stage of the project - a series of workshops using a range of creative tools to support them in telling their stories of inclusion and exclusion THEIR WAY. The first workshop held in Sheffield, in collaboration with Utopia Theatre, was very inspiring, and participants from different backgrounds (Muslim, Irish, African and Caribbean) connected over their life experiences, sharing food, music and dance. The workshops will run until December, 2024.

Presentation at the IMISCOE Standing Committee on Older migrants in Valencia, Spain

Date: 12-13 September 2024

Location: Valencia, Spain

Description: The research team presented part of the results of the project to a group of experts invited to discuss examples, best practices, and future directions for conducting research with older migrants. The event was held at the University of Valencia. Rashida, Majella, Lois, and Joanne presented their work entitled "ntersectional complexity in go-along interviews: Exploring ethnicity and wellbeing across time and place with older migrants" and Aneta presented her work entitled "Data integration as a process: insights from a mixed methods project on experiences of social inclusion / exclusion among older people with migration backgrounds" 

Presentation at the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) Annual International Conference 2024

Date: 27-30 August2024

Location: London

Description: Helena and Rashida recently presented key aspects of our ongoing project at RGS-IBG international conference. Helena shared findings from the paper "Identifying intersectional experiences of work-life transitions across the life course: A sequence analysis approach using a UK household panel survey," while Rashida presented "Storying life courses for intersectional inclusion: inclusive methods with older people from migrant and minoritised groups." The audience gained valuable insights into the different facets of the project, and the team received excellent feedback and insightful suggestions for the next stage of our work.

Voice Forum VI in Rotherham

Date: 10 July 2024

Location: REMA, Rotherham

Description: The sixth VF held in Rotherham was made possible with the help of REMA and participants who were made up of people aged 50+, who live in Rotherham, and who self-ascribed as African, Caribbean, Roma, or Muslim. This VF focused on presenting a new work package of the project, which is focused on an arts-based approach to inclusive ageing. Lora Kratesva, a local artist, cultural producer and coach, presented her ideas for the future workshops and discussed with members. Sean Lovell, a local filmmaker, also introduced his ideas for the making of a documentary and discuss possibilities with VF members.

Presentation at the 53rd British Society of Gerontology Annual Conference

Date: 3 to 5 July 2024

Location: Newcastle

Description: Helena attended the 53rd British Society of Gerontology Annual Meeting hosted by Newcastle University in Newcastle/UK. She presented the initial findings of the paper that she, Daniel Holman, Matthew Bennett, and Mark Green have been working on entitled "Intersecting migration, ethnicity, and gender histories: unveiling inequities of work-life transitions across identities using UK household panel surveys".

Presentation at the IMISCOE 2024 conference

Date: 2 and 5 July 2024

Location: Lisbon and online

Description: Some members of the research team attended the 21st International Migration Research Network (IMISCOE) Annual Conference, which was hosted by the Centre for Research and Studies in Sociology at the University Institute of Lisbon, Portugal. Majella co-chaired a special session of the Standing Committee on Older Migrants entitled "Inclusive Methods for Researching with Older Migrants", in which Rashida and Joanne presented the project's methodological approaches in a paper titled "Storying life courses for intersectional inclusion: inclusive methods with older people from migrant and minoritised groups". Helena presented findings of the project online in a panel titled "Unveiling inequities and resistances in migrants' access to the labour market".

Sharing and Learning Forum II

Date: 24 June 2024

Location: Israac Somali Community Association, Sheffield

Description: The second Sharing and Learning Forum aimed at bringing together members of the Somali and Somaliland communities in Sheffield. Sahra Abdi, Advice and Support Worker at ISRAAC, and a well regarded member of the community, gave a talk in Somali language about some of the findings from the ONS report released in October 2023 on Somali populations considering the 2021 Census. The event was a success and very engaging, and reflections and questions were raised on how Somali and Somaliland data is collected and the engagement with organisations such as the ONS.

Voice Forum VI in Sheffield

Date: 25 June 2024

Location: SADACCA, Sheffield

Description: The sixth VF held in Sheffield was made possible with the help of SADACCA and participants who were made up of people aged 50+, who live in Sheffield, and who self-ascribed as African, Caribbean, Roma, or Muslim. This VF focused on the initial findings of WP2 (go-along and life-history interviews). The members discussed initial codes and themes and worked together to make meaning of the results. 

Whole team meeting III

Date: 18 June 2024

Location: University of Sheffield (UoS)

Description: The third whole team meeting was held in the Wave, a building part of the UoS campus where the Department of Sociological Studies is based, in collaboration with project Co-Investigators SADACCA and REMA, ONS members, Community Researchers, Researchers from the Universities of Sheffield, Liverpool and Birmingham. The purpose of the event was to show the progress of the project so far and to reflect on future plans. 

Community Researchers reflexive session III

Date: 15 May 2024

Location: The Wave, The University of Sheffield

Description: The Community Researchers and other members of the research team came together for a second session focused on qualitative analysis. The team discussed the codes for the thematic analysis for both the go-along and stakeholder interviews. 

Working Together in Research - End of programme celebration

Date: 26 April 2024

Location: Common Ground Community Centre, Machon Bank, Sheffield S7 1GR

Description: Dr Hawa Yatera, one of the project´s Community Researchers, participated in the end of the project celebration for the "Working Together in Research" funded by NHS England. The project team had presented in a previous session, which focused on sharing great practices and building awareness of opportunities to make research more inclusive. 

Voice Forum V in Sheffield

Date: 23 April 2024

Location: SADACCA, Sheffield

Description: The fifth VF held in Sheffield was made possible with the help of SADACCA and participants who were made up of people aged 50+, who live in Rotherham, and who self-ascribed as African, Caribbean, Roma, or Muslim. This VF focused on hearing from members about their experiences with arts-based projects to help maximise inclusivity to the arts-based work package. The project team also reflect with VF members on where and how the arts-based session of the project can be conducted. At the end of the meeting, one of the VF members read a poem made in memory of her beloved mother.

Community Researchers reflexive session II

Date: 18 April 2024

Location: Aspiring Communities Together, Sheffield

Description: The Community Researchers and other members of the research team came together to reflect and discuss the first steps of the qualitative analysis for both go-along and stakeholder interviews. Considering excerpts from both interviews, the team was able to understand the steps taken to conduct thematic qualitative analysis and reflect on what key issues and themes are emerging from the data.

Voice Forum V in Rotherham

Date: 17 April 2024

Location: REMA, Rotherham

Description: The fifth VF held in Rotherham was made possible with the help of REMA and participants who were made up of people aged 50+, who live in Rotherham, and who self-ascribed as African, Caribbean, Roma, or Muslim. This VF focused on hearing from members about their experiences with arts-based projects to help maximise inclusivity to the arts-based work package. The project team also reflect with VF members on where and how the arts-based session of the project can be conducted. At the end of the meeting, one of the VF members read a poem made in memory of her beloved mother.

Voice Forum IV in Rotherham

Date: 28 February 2024

Location: REMA, Rotherham

Description: The fourth VF held in Rotherham was made possible with the help of REMA and participants who were made up of people aged 50+, who live in Rotherham, and who self-ascribed as African, Caribbean, Roma, or Muslim. This VF focused on presenting initial results using a quantitative approach based on discussions raised by the first VF members in 2023. In this VF, participants reflect on their own work and life transitions (e.g. employment, care, education) and experiences from their own communities. They also discussed what they consider important for social exclusion among older groups and what they would like the 'quantitative team' in the project to investigate next.

Presentation in the interdisciplinary symposium on Ageing in Place

Date: 27 February 2024

Location: University of Hasselt, Hasselt, Belgium

Description: In the context of examining a PhD entitled The Ageing-Migration-Home Nexus: Exploring Older Migrants' Sense of Home and Subjective Wellbeing (Micheline Phlix), at the University of Hasselt, Belgium, Majella Kilkey gave a presentation at an interdisciplinary symposium on Ageing in Place. Majella focused her presentation on creative and inclusive methods for researching with older people with migration backgrounds, drawing in part on the methods and approaches being used in the Ethnicity and Unequal Ageing project.

Presentation in the 'Working Together in Research Programme'

Date: 20 February 2024

Location: YMCA Barnsley Community Hall, Barnsley

Description: Some members of the team presented the project in the "Working together in Research" programme funded by NHS England. The event focused on sharing great practices and building awareness of opportunities to make research more inclusive. 

Voice Forum IV in Sheffield

Date: 19 February 2024

Location: SADACCA, Sheffield

Description: The fourth VF held in Sheffield was made possible with the help of SADACCA and participants who were made up of people aged 50+, who live in Sheffield, and who self-ascribed as African, Caribbean, Roma, or Muslim. This VF focused on presenting initial results using a quantitative approach based on discussions raised by the first VF members in 2023. In this VF, participants reflect on their own work and life transitions (e.g. employment, care, education) and experiences from their own communities. They also discussed what they consider important for social exclusion among older groups and what they would like the 'quantitative team' in the project to investigate next.

Community Researchers training session 9

Date: 24 January 2024

Location: The Wave, The University of Sheffield

Description: The team met in the Wave at the University of Sheffield for the nineth training session. The Community Researchers discussed the stakeholder interview guide and the practical steps to start their stakeholder interviews. 

Sharing and Learning Forum I

Date: 16 January 2024

Location: Clifton Learning Partnership, Rotherham

Description: The first Sharing and Learning Forum aimed at bringing together members of the Roma community. Olga Fuseini, one of the Community Researchers (CR) working on the project and a very well-known member of the community, gave a talk in her language (Czech) about some of the findings from the ONS report released in October 2023 on Roma populations considering the 2021 Census. The event was very engaging, and Roma food was served for lunch provided by Lucia Ginova, a well-known member of the Roma community who is also a CR working on the project.

Voice Forum III in Rotherham

Date: 12 November 2023

Location: Unity Centre, Rotherham

Description: The second VF held in Rotherham was made possible with the help of REMA and participants who were made up of people aged 50+, who live in Rotherham, and who self-ascribed as African, Caribbean, Roma, Muslim, or Irish. This VF aimed to discuss alternatives to reach some participants for the go-along and life history interviews and get feedback from the VF members on the stakeholder's list and interview guide. 

Voice Forum III in Sheffield

Date: 14 November 2023

Location: SADACCA, Sheffield

Description: The third VF held in Sheffield was made possible with the help of SADACCA and participants who were made up of people aged 50+, who live in Sheffield, and who self-ascribed as African, Caribbean, Roma, or Muslim. This VF aimed to discuss alternatives to reach some participants for the go-along and life history interviews and get feedback from the VF members on the stakeholder's list and interview guide. 

Whole team meeting II

Date: 3 October 2023

Location: University of Sheffield (UoS)

Description: The second whole team meeting happened on the grounds of the UoS in collaboration with project Co-Investigators SADACCA and REMA, ONS members, Community Researchers, Researchers from the Universities of Sheffield, Liverpool and Birmingham, and a member of our advisory board, Professor Toni Calasanti from Virginia Tech (USA). 

The purpose of the event was to show the progress of the project so far and to discuss some critical issues that have arisen throughout different work packages. The ONS team showed their latest figures, upcoming work, and gaps they have encountered. The whole team discussed better ways of disseminating the outputs of the project and impact planning for the coming year. Members of SADACCA and REMA, together with Community Researchers, led discussions on project legacy planning.

Celebrating one year of the project

Date: 2 October 2023

Location: SADACCA, Sheffield

Description: The whole team met at SADACCA to celebrate one year since the project was launched. SADACCA team organised a great dinner and everyone was able to look back and celebrate the achievements and the great relationships built during this time. Additionally, it was a great opportunity to introduce the Community Researchers and the project partners to members of the ONS, fostering enhanced connections between the community, the university, and various organizations.

Community Researchers reflexive session I

Date: 30 August 2023

Location: Online

Description: The team met online for the first reflexive session after the pilot interviews. The Community Researchers were able to express how their pilot interview went and hear the experiences of others. The whole team discussed ways to improve the go-along interviews and better prepare for future interviews. 

Community Researchers training session 8

Date: 31 July 2023

Location: Online

Description: The team met online for the eighth training session. The Community Researchers discussed lone work policy and life history interviews. 

Community Researchers training session 7

Date: 18 July 2023

Location: Israac Somali Community Association

Description: The Community Researchers (CR) had their seventh training session together with some other members of the research team to discuss consent and confidentiality when collecting data, as well as the guidelines for the go-along interviews. They received their laptops and practice how to deal with the data after recording an interview.

Voice Forum II in Rotherham

Date: 12 July 2023

Location: Unity Centre, Rotherham

Description: The second VF held in Rotherham was made possible with the help of REMA and participants who were made up of people aged 50+, who live in Rotherham, and who self-ascribed as African, Caribbean, Roma, or Muslim. The aim of this VF was to introduce the go-along topic guide and to get the view of the VF members about the approach proposed by the research team.

Voice Forum II in Sheffield

Date: 5 July 2023

Location: SADACCA, Sheffield

Description: The second VF held in Sheffield was made possible with the help of SADACCA and participants who were made up of people aged 50+, who live in Rotherham, and who self-ascribed as African, Caribbean, Roma, or Muslim. The aim of this VF was to introduce the go-along topic guide and to get the view of the VF members about the approach proposed by the research team.

Community Researchers Training - Session 6

Dates: 27 June 2023

Locations: Online

Description: The Community Researchers (CR) got together with some other members of the research team to co-produce flyers, help to produce a list of organisations that can support information, advice and guidance to the participants. The CR were also part of a discussion about ethics in research.

Stall at the Eastwood Fun Fest

Dates: 17 June 2023

Locations: Eldon Road Playing Field, Erskine Rd

Description: Lois Orton, Olga Fuseini, and Lucka Ginova organised a stall at the Eastwood Fun Fest this year to showcase the work they are doing with the Roma Community, and also to promote the Ethnicity and unequal ageing project. They had a fantastic day and met a wide range of local people, including a councillor for Eastwood, and staff from REMA and NIHR. 

Community Researchers Training - Sessions 4,5

Dates: 23 May and 8 June 2023

Locations: The University of Sheffield and Clifton Learning Partnership (Rotherham)

Description: The Community Researchers (CR) continued their training sessions aiming to learn how to use interactive tools to see the results of the 2021 Census, and discuss how to undertake interviews with stakeholders. The fourth session was held at Firth Court, at the University of Sheffield, and the fifth session at Clifton Learning Partnership, in Rotherham.

Community Researchers Training - Sessions 1,2,3

Dates: 10, 12, and 17 May 2023

Locations: REMA and SADACCA

Description: The Community Researchers (CR) started their training sessions aiming to understand better the goals and methodological practicalities of the project. The first session was held at REMA, in Rotherham, and the second and third sessions at SADACCA, in Sheffield.

Voice Forum I in Sheffield

Date: 27 April 2023

Location: SADACCA, Sheffield

Description: The first VF held in Sheffield was made possible with the help of SADACCA and participants who were made up of people aged 50+, who live in Rotherham, and who self-ascribed as African, Caribbean, Irish, Roma, or Muslim. The aim of this VF was to introduce the project to community members in Sheffield.

Voice Forum I in Rotherham

Date: 14 March 2023

Location: Unity Centre, Rotherham

Description: The project recruited community members for a round table discussion called the Voice Forums (VF) to discuss specific parts of the project. The first VF in Rotherham was made possible with the help of REMA and participants who were made up of people aged 50+, who live in Rotherham, and who self-ascribed African, Caribbean, Irish, Roma, or Muslim. The aim of this VF was to introduce the project in Rotherham.

Project Launch Meeting

Date: 1 December 2022

Location: SADACCA, Sheffield

Description: In collaboration with project Co-Investigators SADACCA and REMA, the project was launched in December 2022. The purpose of the event was to discuss how best to put our principles into practice as the project begins its work.