Session 52: The River Mersey clean water challenge: localising outreach and public engagement

Abstract

Session overview:

This session will explore the value of drawing on the local environment to situate university outreach and public engagement. In 2023/24 the Absolute Chemistry Research Group (ACRG) designed and delivered The River Mersey Clean Water Challenge. This project saw over 150 learners aged 9-12 from six Liverpool City Region (LCR) schools challenged with a local problem within a global context: investigating the River Mersey to advance their understanding of UNSDG6: Clean Water and Sanitation. 

Participating schools received a mock ‘sample’ of River Mersey water and were challenged to purify it through scientific procedures. Each school received three outreach sessions to support their investigation which situated learning in a Liverpool context, including a school visit by Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) staff, a teacher-led series of practical activities and a Gala Day visit to the LJMU campus. This Gala Day saw learners take part in enriching science enhancement activities and share their approach to purifying the simulated river water. Each sample was tested for purity by an expert panel of chemists at LJMU. The Water Challenge was successful in engaging learners from socioeconomically deprived backgrounds; offered school-aged learners experience of the LJMU campus and supported interactions between young people and current LJMU Student Advocates, providing positive role models for HE.

This session will reflect on the advantages and limitations of adopting a localised approach to outreach and public engagement, drawing on evaluation data and research literature, and offer advice to others who might wish to localise their outreach and engagement activities. 

Key learning points from this session:

This session will offer insights into the practice of outreach and public engagement, including advantages and challenges of undertaking activities with a local focus. The session will demonstrate the capacity to draw on the local environment to serve local communities in line with LJMU Student-Focused, Community, Courageous and Inclusive values.

The River Mersey clean water challenge: localising outreach and public engagement PowerPoint. Only LJMU staff and students have access to this resource.