The REN Dashboard
A VCSE Observatory Project
What is REN?
The Research Engagement Network (REN) Dashboard is a digital platform developed to connect researchers with voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations to help them collaborate. By fostering equitable, inclusive, and sustainable partnerships, REN aims to reshape research engagement so that it truly reflects the voices, priorities, and strengths of local communities. It aims to connect researchers and VCSE organisations in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire together, to help to enable people underrepresented in research to have more opportunities to engage.
Why Was It Created?
REN was developed in response to long-standing barriers that prevent fair and effective research engagement. Many community organisations face challenges such as unequal power dynamics, limited visibility, and difficulty navigating complex research systems. REN addresses these gaps by creating a space where organisations and researchers can engage ethically and on equal terms—ensuring that community knowledge is valued and reflected in research.
What We Aim to Do
REN’s mission is to enable transparent, trust-based collaboration between researchers and community organisations. The dashboard empowers organisations to define their own terms of engagement, highlight their priorities, and connect with aligned research partners. Through interactive mapping, ethical engagement tools, and a focus on mutual benefit, REN helps ensure that research leads to meaningful, lasting outcomes for underserved and marginalised communities.