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Action Research for
Social Change

About us

Shortwork exists to make research a force for good. Our participatory approach means we don’t just gather data - we involve people in the process, build shared understanding, and ensure findings lead to positive action and change.

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    Participatory Research

    With over 15 years’ experience in Participatory Action Research, we partner with community researchers to co-lead projects, analyse data, and turn findings into actionable insights.*

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    Evaluation

    Our mixed-method research and evaluation projects help organisations, funders, and the people they serve embed learning, understand impact, and share results.

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    Training Hub

    Our Training Hub helps people & organisations build skills in participatory methods. Our courses cover Participatory Action Research, citizen science, mapping, & more.

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Sector expertise

Culture

Helping arts and heritage organisations understand audiences, evaluate with confidence, and turn insight into impact.

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Environment

Enabling environmental charities and co-ops understand, communicate, and strengthen their impact on people and the planet.

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Health

Supporting NHS services and health charities measure impact, build evidence, and make decisions that improve health outcomes.

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Recent work

Projects
Enterprise Development Programme Evaluation
Enterprise Development Programme Evaluation

We worked with Access and SIB to evaluate their multi-year Enterprise Development Programme, supporting 325+ charities and social enterprises - across six sectors - to strengthen governance, leadership, enterprise resilience, and social impact.

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Energise Manchester
Energise Manchester

Through our evaluation of Energise Manchester, a pilot action research project funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, we have seen how working with trusted community networks empowers residents, builds trust, and makes energy-saving advice and practical improvements accessible to all.

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Camden Council Street Engagement
Camden Council Street Engagement

Shortwork partnered with Camden Council to improve community engagement for street upgrades. Over 170 Camden residents engaged in community research sessions to co-design practical recommendations to build trust, improve accessibility, and boost participation.

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Our clients and funders

What our clients say

  • "Working with Shortwork was transformational for our project; from start to finish we were guided through the practice of Community Action Research and really saw the benefits in working in this truly authentic and personal way. I really enjoyed working with their team, we got to know each other’s strengths and built real trust and understanding. Shortwork are a joy to work with, they are genuinely passionate about their work and have a real skill in bringing people with them."

    Sue Rhodes - Visitor Operations and Experience Manager, National Trust

  • "We loved working with all the team at Shortwork. Their creative, imaginative and empathetic approach really supported us to engage with local audiences. Using participative action research brought us together with our community to tackle real issues in new ways and better informed our programmes and activities."

    Jane Findlay, Head of Programme & Engagement, Dulwich Picture Gallery

  • "I have worked with Shortwork on numerous occasions and each time I have been so impressed by the variety of creative ways that have been thought of to collect thoughts and present ideas. The organisation is innovative, dynamic and extremely person centered, keeping ethics at its core at all times. The end of project reporting is thorough, stylish and professional. The direction of my organisation feels so much more robust and clear after working with Shortwork."

    Rachel Waite - Founding Director, Holistic Harmonies CIC

  • "We’ve worked with Shortwork on several projects at Carbon Co-op, and gain so much from doing so! The team bring richness, depth and rigour through really understanding our mission and particular project objectives, which allows them to suggest the most appropriate methods and activities for a particular context. Working on socio-technical issues and in innovation spaces, our work nearly always involves complexity - Shortwork has a knack of cutting through this and bringing clarity."

    Helen Grimshaw, Research Lead, Carbon Coop