Workshops

The Activism, Influence and Change Programme conducts research on how citizens, grassroots organisations and institutions influence for change, and works with change-makers to learn from and support their practice. It will be running several workshops over the next six months, the details of which are below.

Thank you for your interest in our courses! To help us plan, please submit your interest by 15 September. Registration links will be sent after the deadline. Please note that all courses will be held in person.

Two Day Research for Impact MasterClass

DATES: 18-19 November 2025

This participatory workshop will cover why and how researchers can integrate impact into the entire research cycle, from research question and design, to knowledge exchange and dissemination. Throughout, participants will use practical tools to help them build a research influencing strategy based on their own research ambitions, and they will be given top tips from facilitators with a wealth of experience. The workshop will deep dive into:

• Research Partnerships and Curating an Audience
• Cultural Competency for Researchers
• Unlocking the Research Excellence Framework
• Knowledge Exchange for Impact
• Why Journal Papers Rarely Matter

Facilitators

Professor In Practice Duncan Green (LSE and former Head of Research and Strategic Advisor Oxfam DB, author of How Change Happens)

Jess Crombie (LSE, University of Arts London, Consultant, Former Director Save the Children’s Global Content, self-described story telling geek)

Dr Edward Ademolu (King’s College London, Lecturer in Cultural Competency, qualitative and visual research specialist) (TBC)

Dr Peter Evans (Executive Director of University of Oxford’s The Practical Politics Platform, former DFID/FCDO research team leader, Director of U4 Anti Corruption Resource Centre, and REF impact assessor)

Prices

One-Day Scholar Activism Surgery

DATE: 25 November 2025

This course will provide a space for academics and researchers within civil society organisations to discuss the tensions between producing robust research and creating change on pressing social problems. It will cover how to match research interests with the needs of communities, activists, and organisations; how to co-create research with them; and why storytelling is often at the heart of having impact with diverse audiences. Throughout, space will be given for peer-to-peer exchange and critical reflection. Topics to be covered in depth include:

• From Research Interests to Activism
• Building Networks and Finding Partners
• Co-creating Research
• The Story of Why Your Research Matters
• Managing the Trade-Offs and Tensions of Scholar Activism

Facilitators

Professor In Practice Duncan Green (LSE and former Head of Research and Strategic Advisor Oxfam DB, author of How Change Happens)

Jess Crombie (LSE, University of Arts London, Consultant, Former Director Save the Children’s Global Content, self-described story telling geek)

Dr Edward Ademolu (King’s College London, Lecturer in Cultural Competency, qualitative and visual research specialist) (TBC)

Prices

One-Day Activism, Influencing and Change for Impact MasterClass

DATE: 4 November 2025

This course will help change makers to navigate contemporary upheavals and be more intentional strategists, whilst not losing sight of the complexity that defines many of the issues they seek to address. It will provide ways of thinking and tools for doing this, and for identifying the right mix of public and private influencing tactics to have impact. It will also touch upon the new technologies that they can harness and why storytelling matters now more than ever. Topics covered include:

• Systems Thinking and Power Analysis
• Problem Analysis and SMART Asks
• Public Narratives and Private Tactics
• Storytelling for Impact
• Possibilities and Pitfalls of New Tech

Facilitators

Professor In Practice Duncan Green (LSE and former Head of Research and Strategic Advisor Oxfam DB, author of How Change Happens)

Jess Crombie (LSE, University of Arts London, Consultant, Former Director Save the Children’s Global Content, self-described story telling geek)

Dr Vivienne Francis (Director One World Media, Social Justice Journalist, mentor for Women in Journalism)

Prices

For more information about Duncan's work, please visit his website.

Let me start this post with a round of applause for Prof. Duncan Green and Dr. Tom Kirk for a superb one-day workshop on Systems Thinking, Power Analysis, and Research Impact in LSE. Their session was practical, relevant, and deeply applicable to the work I’m doing in community building. I even took some time afterward to share snippets of their insights with my engagement team at my office, Docquity. Session after session, it felt like they were handing out pure gold. Honestly, by the end of the day, my brain felt bruised in at least seven places, so much to absorb, so much to reflect on. I’ve been processing the content days later, mapping it to what I’ve been tackling in Komunitas Dokter Tanpa Stigma. I found myself rereading, sketching, scribbling thoughts in my journal, rereading again, re-scribbling again and so on. That’s how stimulating it was. And yet, every single concept was delivered in such a clear, structured, and logical way. The workshop left such a strong impression on me that I started thinking… maybe I should apply for a Master’s at LSE, just to get a full course from them.