{"id":1664,"date":"2026-06-24T08:52:43","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T07:52:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/publicengagement\/?p=1664"},"modified":"2026-06-24T08:52:43","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T07:52:43","slug":"launching-our-film-relational-practice-looking-after-ourselves-and-others","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/publicengagement\/2026\/06\/24\/launching-our-film-relational-practice-looking-after-ourselves-and-others\/","title":{"rendered":"Launching our film: Relational Practice \u2013 looking after ourselves and others\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">We\u2019re\u00a0delighted to launch a new film, Relational Practice \u2013 looking after ourselves and others, exploring\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">relational practice in public engagement.\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Watch the film, start the conversation, and\u00a0use our resources below to\u00a0reflect on what relational practice means in your work.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:180}\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Relational Practice \u2013 looking after ourselves and others\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/1198792263?h=2a8ad88b0a&amp;dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">Relational Practice \u2013 looking after ourselves and others<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"none\">, brings together voices from across public engagement to explore a way of working many of us already know but\u00a0haven\u2019t\u00a0always had the language to describe.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:180}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bath.ac.uk\/publications\/transcript-relational-practice-looking-after-ourselves-and-others\/\">Read the video transcript.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">If people are to be meaningfully involved in\u00a0research;\u00a0relationships matter. They take time, care, and commitment. But too often, the work of building and sustaining those relationships and the impact it has on the people doing it goes unseen.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:180}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">At a time when many are being asked to do more with less, this film shines a light on the emotional\u00a0labour, skill and dedication that underpin public engagement. It speaks honestly about the pressures: relational work is rewarding, but it can also be demanding, under-recognised\u00a0and heavy to carry.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:180}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cNothing happens without relationships.\u201d (Jill Cornforth)<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:2,&quot;335551620&quot;:2,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:180}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Relational practice asks us to rethink what we value. It challenges institutions to look beyond outputs and\u00a0recognise\u00a0the importance of trust,\u00a0time\u00a0and care. It invites a shift from transactional approaches to cultures rooted in compassion,\u00a0interdependence\u00a0and shared responsibility.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:180}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">For many, this will feel familiar. As Tigist Grieve puts it, \u201cthis isn\u2019t incidental, it is a skilled and deliberate practice.\u201d Naming it matters. It helps us advocate for it, strengthen it, and\u00a0challenge\u00a0the idea that this work is \u2018soft\u2019 or secondary\u2014when in reality, it is what makes meaningful engagement possible.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:180}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Why this matters now\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Relational practice cannot rely on individual commitment alone. It must be supported,\u00a0recognised\u00a0and resourced by the systems around us.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:180}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cI want us to think not about resilience, but about resistance\u2026 being hard on systems and soft on ourselves.\u201d\u00a0Bentley Crudgington<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:2,&quot;335551620&quot;:2,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:180}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">This is about building a culture of care\u00a0where public engagement professionals are supported, where relationships are properly valued, and where success is measured not just in outputs, but in the quality of the connections we create.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:180}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">A growing movement<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:180}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Relational practice is not new, nor is it unique to public engagement. Ideas such as \u2018culture of care\u2019 have long been used in other fields to examine how systems shape wellbeing. This work brings those conversations into public engagement with research\u2014and calls for change.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:180}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Take the next step<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:180}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Use the film to:<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:180}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Reflect on how you work and what you value<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Start conversations in your team or institution<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Explore what relational practice looks like in your partnerships and communities<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">To support this,\u00a0we\u2019ve\u00a0developed a\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bath.ac.uk\/publications\/a-quiet-guide-to-advocating-for-relational-practice\/\"><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">Quiet Guide to Advocating for Relational Practice<\/span><\/i><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0and a\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bath.ac.uk\/publications\/relational-practice-a-reflective-discussion-guide\/\"><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">Relational Practice - A Reflective Guide<\/span><\/i><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">, alongside further resources including our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bath.ac.uk\/publications\/relational-practice-and-welfare-and-wellbeing-in-research-settings\/attachments\/discussion_paper_relational_work_and_welfare_and_wellbeing_june_2024.pdf\">discussion paper<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bath.ac.uk\/publications\/relational-practice-and-welfare-and-wellbeing-in-research-settings\/attachments\/welfare_and_wellbeing_report_final_-_may_2024.pdf\">Welfare and Wellbeing Commission repor<\/a>t, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bath.ac.uk\/publications\/field-guide-to-public-engagement-and-culture-change\/attachments\/field_guide_july_2020.pdf\">Field Guide<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>This is essential work - and you are not alone in doing it.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">If\u00a0you\u2019d\u00a0like to continue the conversation, please email <a href=\"mailto:bsc50@bath.ac.uk\">Bentley Crudgington.<\/a><\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:180}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Thank you to everyone who contributed their insights, and to those who helped shape this work at <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/publicengagement\/2026\/02\/12\/engage-base-camp-2026\/\">Engage Basecamp<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We\u2019re\u00a0delighted to launch a new film, Relational Practice \u2013 looking after ourselves and others, exploring\u00a0relational practice in public engagement.\u00a0Watch the film, start the conversation, and\u00a0use our resources below to\u00a0reflect on what relational practice means in your work. &nbsp; Relational Practice...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2012,"featured_media":1665,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1664","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/publicengagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/130\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-23-at-08.55.21.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/publicengagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1664","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/publicengagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/publicengagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/publicengagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2012"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/publicengagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1664"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/publicengagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1664\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/publicengagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1665"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/publicengagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1664"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/publicengagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1664"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/publicengagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1664"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}