Research, Education and Influencing Policy

In addition to direct work with communities, SAfH has developed an extensive network of relationships with local and national organisations. This is in order to:

• Increase knowledge and understanding of local needs, through partnering with educational institutions and research organisations
• Extend local access into training opportunities and education routes building the ladders into mainstream society that many of SAfH participants are keen to pursue
• Influence policy by bringing the issues of concern and local needs to the attention of policy makers.

Partnering with educational institutions and research organisations

In order to inform policy from an evidence base, SAfH has developed operational partnerships with educational institutions and research organisations including University of London, City University, Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Central Lancashire. SAfH works with universities on the basis of mutual interest to pursue research subjects, and is informed by subjects emerging from our own community involvement. On this basis SAfH:

• Sits on the steering group of the North London Diabetes Research Network
• Sits on the steering group of the Support Unit for Minority Ethnic Health Research, part of the North East London Consortium for Research and Development NELCRAD). SAfH advises on working with minority communities, encouraging the use of community researchers.
• Partners the Clinical Effectiveness Group in a project with the Health Foundation on engaging with quality in primary care
• Works with a City University doctorate student on diet and diabetes in the Bangladeshi community in Tower Hamlets
• Partnered with Sheffield Hallam University on a recent Joseph Rowntree Project on long-term illness and poverty
• Acted as delivery agent for two randomised controlled trials led by the Department of General Practice in Queen Mary College Westfield, University of London, on asthma in the south Asian population, and the self management of diabetes
• Partnering the Institute of Health Sciences at Queen Mary College Westfield, University of London to design and deliver an innovative preventive self management programme with Bengali people at risk of diabetes.