{"id":1630,"date":"2026-02-23T10:31:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T10:31:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/publicengagement\/?p=1630"},"modified":"2026-02-23T10:31:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T10:31:09","slug":"reflecting-on-connect-why-making-time-and-space-for-connecting-with-no-fixed-outcome-is-vital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/publicengagement\/2026\/02\/23\/reflecting-on-connect-why-making-time-and-space-for-connecting-with-no-fixed-outcome-is-vital\/","title":{"rendered":"Reflecting on Connect! Why making time and space for connecting (with no fixed outcome) is vital"},"content":{"rendered":"

As my time in the Public Engagement Unit ends, I\u2019ve been thinking a lot about the work that has meant the most to me over the last two years. One of the pieces of work that really stands out is the <\/span>Connect!\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/b>event series\u00a0which has been part of the\u00a0\u00a0ParticipatoryResearch@Bath<\/a>\u00a0<\/b>project funded by Research England.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I wanted to take a moment to reflect on what\u00a0we\u2019ve\u00a0created, what\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0learned, and why this work has felt so special.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is Connect?!<\/b><\/h3>\n

Connect! was born out of something both community groups and researchers told us:\u00a0\u2018<\/span>We need more informal, low\u2011pressure opportunities to meet each other.\u2019<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Inspired by UCL\u2019s Creating Connections events,\u00a0Connect! set out to create exactly that \u2014 spaces where researchers, creative practitioners, and community\u00a0organisations\u00a0could come together, share ideas, explore themes, and simply talk to each other as humans.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the last year and a half,\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0had the joy of producing these events in collaboration with Bath Spa University.\u00a0They\u2019ve\u00a0become vibrant\u00a0gatherings where sparks fly, ideas grow, and genuine relationships begin.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Connect! so far<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

In total,\u00a0we\u2019ve\u00a0run\u00a0five Connect! events, each with its own theme,\u00a0from green futures to tackling social isolation,\u00a0and hosted in\u00a0four\u00a0different locations.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A big priority for us has been hosting events in accessible, central community venues\u00a0to limit\u00a0barriers to attendance.\u00a0That\u2019s\u00a0why\u00a0we\u2019ve\u00a0popped up everywhere from the Percy Centre to Roseberry Road Studios. And to keep the community spirit (and\u00a0good food!) flowing,\u00a0we\u2019ve\u00a0been catered by\u00a0<\/span>Bath Community Kitchen,\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/b>a brilliant local social enterprise addressing food waste, poverty, and isolation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve\u00a0welcomed\u00a0researchers from both universities,\u00a0community organisations, creative practitioners from Bath and wider BANES,\u00a0people working directly in the themed areas,\u00a0regulars who come every time\u00a0and newcomers simply wanting to meet people outside their usual circles\u00a0and connections have happened both in the room and afterwards.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What I\u2019ve learned<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Making time and space\u00a0<\/span><\/b>just to connect<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0is vital<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0learned from this experience and the feedback I received is just how valuable it can be to curate relaxed, informal spaces where people can meet without the pressure of fixed outcomes.\u00a0\u00a0These settings allow relationships to develop organically, paving the way for meaningful connections and potential collaborations.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Not everything needs<\/em> to be evaluated\u00a0\u2013 the worth can be that these spaces exist<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve\u00a0also realised that\u00a0<\/span>not everything needs to be evaluated<\/span><\/i> to prove its worth. In fact, trying to measure impact too closely can create pressure for myself and participants to report something tangible \u2014 even when the value of the space lies precisely in its openness. Sometimes connections spark quickly; sometimes they evolve quietly in the background; sometimes we never hear about them at all, and I have learnt to accept that. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We know things have already happened because of Connect!\u00a0\u2014\u00a0people have told us so \u2014 but we also need to accept that many outcomes\u00a0won\u2019t\u00a0be traced back to a single encounter or might only become visible much later.\u00a0We\u2019re\u00a0fortunate at the PEU to have created structures that allow us this freedom: the freedom to create spaces for connection without insisting on immediate, demonstrable results. Sometimes the impact\u00a0<\/span>is<\/span><\/i>\u00a0simply that the space exists.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Less is more<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As the events evolved, we made changes based on feedback.\u00a0Our very first event had lots of\u00a0facilitated\u00a0discussions\u2026 and over time, we stripped things back. We realised that what people needed most was simply the\u00a0<\/span>space<\/span><\/i>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>time<\/span><\/i>\u00a0to talk.\u00a0Less structure = more connection.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The power of stories<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One of my favourite developments has been bringing storytelling into the format \u2014 inspired by professional storyteller Clare Murphy\u2019s Salons. Instead of formal presentations, we invite a few people beforehand to share something they\u2019re passionate about within the theme.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This gentle, story\u2011first approach has sparked some truly rich discussions.\u00a0We\u2019ve\u00a0heard about creative writing workshops with women in prison, living maps of ecological loss, community meals tackling isolation, and more. The mix of listening, talking, eating, and mingling has proven to be a simple but powerful recipe.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The future of Connect!<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

I\u2019m\u00a0genuinely delighted that\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>Connect! will continue beyond my time here\u00a0and will be returning in the spring. So please do keep your eyes peeled for\u00a0what\u2019s\u00a0next.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s\u00a0been a privilege to help shape this programme. Seeing people come together, spark ideas, and\u00a0build new connections\u00a0has been one of the best parts of my role. I\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0wait to see how Connect! continues to grow.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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