Goal 3: Public engagement

The University’s public engagement activities play a key role in our approach to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Here’s a wider showcase of our work addressing Goal 3.

Manchester Christmas Dinner

The Manchester Christmas Dinner project started in 2013 with a vision: “No care leaver will be alone on Christmas day.” The initiative aims to provide young care-experienced people, usually around 50, with a memorable Christmas Day experience. It offers a warm and welcoming venue, delicious food, engaging activities facilitated by friendly hosts, and, of course, presents. The initiative received a Making a Difference Award for its outstanding professional services in social responsibility. 

NAYS social projects

NAYS Social Projects are a community empowerment program that seek to provide a platform and forum for Indonesia’s youth to apply and share their knowledge in addressing various issues in remote areas of Indonesia, where there is still significant inequality in access to essential sectors like education, economics, health, and the environment. The initiative received a Making a Difference Award for its outstanding contribution to equality, diversity and inclusion.  

Talk 200 lecture and podcast series

Talk 200 is a lecture and podcast series from the University to mark our bicentenary: 200 years of making a difference. We’re reflecting on our past, celebrating our present and looking to the future – and Talk 200 invites listeners to be part of the journey.  

The series comprises a mix of in-person and live-streamed lectures and recorded podcast episodes. Our podcast host, Manchester aficionado, author and University of Manchester alumnus Andy Spinoza, is joined by a diverse line-up of guests from our community. Topics include health, digital and AI, climate change, equality and justice, and more. 

Dentistry across continents

The Sri Lankan Civil War limited the influx of medical knowledge into the region for almost 30 years. Since then, healthcare practitioners of affected areas have been striving to update their practice to provide modern treatments for the local population. In 2011, the University of Manchester set up a continuous professional development (CPD) team in Sri Lanka, providing lectures to help improve healthcare knowledge and practice. Our academics visit each year and with support from our University and the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), have helped with capacity building, skill sharing programmes, student exchange opportunities and school community engagement projects.

Cultural venues and nature

The Whitworth created the UK’s first dedicated post of Cultural Park Keeper.

This has led to the creation of a Natural and Cultural Health Service programme of outdoor activities to raise awareness, educate and inspire our diverse visitors to connect with and protect life in our park.

At Jodrell Bank we work with community and voluntary groups, including the RSPB and the Cheshire Beekeepers Association, to protect and enhance our natural environment.

UK rivers and microplastics

Life below water, in rivers and at sea, is threatened by waste flowing from urban river channels into the oceans.

We’ve been highlighting the effect of microplastics – very small pieces of plastic debris including microbeads, microfibres and plastic fragments – on river systems and marine life through a range of pro-active media coverage, engagement with water companies and input into UK legislation on water management.

Air quality

Our Policy@Manchester publication On Air Quality explores how air pollution affects public health, economic outcomes and acts to widen existing inequalities.

Some of the recommendations include extending projects such as the Manchester Urban Observatory and citizen science projects like Britain Breathing to provide accurate on-the-ground information about poor air quality, which disproportionally affects already-disadvantaged communities.

We’ve also helped create the Clean Air for Schools Framework, which engages and educates the next generation to help them and their families make cleaner air choices.

#LetsTalkLynch campaign

We partnered with gynaecological cancer charity The Eve Appeal to raise awareness of our research into Lynch syndrome and what it means for cancer screening practices.

We created a series of short videos outlining this research, what it means, and the real stories of women and families who have been affected by Lynch syndrome and Lynch-related cancer.

Educating diverse communities about parasitic infections

Our researchers studying parasites have engaged diverse communities in the UK and Madagascar to share research findings and develop resources and toolkits to raise awareness, understanding and dialogue about parasitic worm infection.

Major limb loss

Our academics are working to mitigate the cultural, organisational and technical challenges faced by patients suffering from major limb loss in post conflict settings in East Africa.

Community mapping

Our School of Environment, Education and Development regularly conduct #Huckathon sessions to engage hundreds of volunteers to remotely map hidden villages, roads and dwellings to target health interventions.

Protecting Kenyan communities against COVID-19

Our School of Environment, Education and Development and Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health worked with partners in Kenya to undertake initial surveys and set up a campaign to engage more than 200,000 people to change behaviour and improve knowledge surrounding coronavirus and the use of face masks.

Reproduction and austerity

Our academics are exploring the impact of austerity on reproduction.

The project uses a range of creative activities and interviews with women from areas in the north-east, where there are significant socio-economic barriers.

This project is providing new insights into contemporary austerity and how this may affect childbearing.