Facilitator (IMPACT Centre) at University of Stirling
Job Description
Location: Stirling Campus
The Post
IMPACT is the UK centre for implementing evidence in adult social care, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Health Foundation. IMPACT draws on knowledge from different types of research, the lived experience of people who draw on care and support and carers, and the practice knowledge of social care staff.
IMPACT ‘Facilitators’ work in a specific local organisation or system to help get evidence of what works used in practice to make a difference to services and to people’s lives. To do this, they co-design an evidence-informed change project, work with diverse stakeholders to implement the project in practice, share learning with others and evaluate the project of another Facilitator.
Positions are offered at 50% FTE for 12 months, and will be based primarily in the Facilitator site/host organisation. While successful candidates are often employed by the lead University in each nation (Stirling, Ulster, Cardiff, Birmingham or Sheffield), the nature of our delivery roles also make them ideal for possible secondments from policy, practice, applied research or citizen-led organisations. This can help people build on current skills and experiences while also developing new ones, supporting the longer-term development of more ‘hybrid’ research-practice roles.
Description of Duties
- Based in a host organisation (one post in Edinburgh and one post in Aberdeen) and with the support of IMPACT’s national Facilitator lead, review and synthesise the evidence (including research, lived experience and practice knowledge) on the topic in question, co-design/deliver an evidence-informed improvement project, and participate as required in IMPACT’s internal evaluation
- Share learning from the project with others and support the embedding of lessons learned in policy and practice across the UK
- Be a full member of the IMPACT team, taking part in team meetings, informally contributing skills and experience to other aspects of IMPACT’s work as appropriate and helping to distil lessons that can shape IMPACT’s future ways of working in liaison with the country lead
- Share lessons around what helps and hinders the implementation of evidence-informed approaches in front-line practice with IMPACT colleagues and other audiences, contributing to the future evidence base
Essential Criteria
- First degree of a good standard relevant to this area of practice OR equivalent professional qualification OR sufficient experience to demonstrate connected knowledge and skills
- An understanding of public policy, public services, front-line practice and/or the realities of people’s lives – including of factors that enable or prevent change in such settings
- Experience of applied research and/or the implementation of innovation/new ways of working within a social care or related area of practice and policy. We recognise that candidates from applied research backgrounds may need more support to develop the skills to implement evidence in practice, while candidates from practice and policy backgrounds may need more support to work with different types of evidence
- A strong commitment to the principles of co-production and to embedding these in all aspects of their work
For further information, including a full description of duties, essential criteria and details on how to apply, please see www.stir.ac.uk/about/work-at-stirling/list/details/?jobId=4037&jobTitle=Facilitator%20(IMPACT%20Centre)
