World Changers: Not ‘hard to reach’ but ‘hardly reached’ Empowering communities by engaging them in research

Not ‘hard to reach’ but ‘hardly reached’ Empowering communities by engaging them in researchWhen Jasjit Singh was researching media portrayals of British Sikhs, he wanted to make sure his research was a true representation of the people whose lives he was talking about. Working with the community then gave him the authority to take the findings forward to influence national and international policy.Here, he reflects on how universities can raise the profile of ‘hardly reached’ communities.By explaining how research works and embedding open dialogue in their projects, academics can make sure their work is relevant – and that it will make a real difference to society.