The Policy Pod

• Mapping Southampton's food system: Towards a healthier and more sustainable future

  In this episode of The Policy Pod, we discuss Mapping Southampton's food system a Centre for the  south funded collaboration between the University of Southampton School of Biological Sciences and Southampton City Council. This work intended to shine a light on food inequalities at a local level, mapping the food system and listening to the voices of the community to inform policy. Dr Jenny Baverstock and Lucy Scullard discuss this work highlighting: The economic, health and environmental impacts of the local Food system in Southampton.  They discuss the fact that locally, almost 1 in 3 businesses in Southampton are part of the food system. These provide over 6,700 jobs and contribute up to £487.3 million to Southampton’s economy per year (Figures as of 2024). However, over 40% of local people have reported experiencing food insecurity (Figure for 2023) and rates of childhood obesity are significantly higher in Southampton than the average for England 2022/23. Whilst the food system is also linked to a third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. The Mapping Southampton's food system: Towards a healthier and more sustainable future set out recommendations and has led to the formation of a city wide Southampton food partnership which has, since 2024, become a member of the Sustainable Food Places network.   For further information of the work discussed get in touch Email: [email protected] and [email protected] or [email protected]   Get involved Southampton Food Partnership welcomes new members as it is very much an evolving group. Please get in touch to be added to the distribution list and receive updates and invites to meetings. [email protected]   For further information discussed in the Podcast please see the links below: Policy brief Tackling Childhood Obesity in Southampton Blog posts Southampton food partnership Southampton data observatory

  --------  

  33:39

  --------

  33:39
• Rehabilitating Probation: Rebuilding culture, identity, and legitimacy in a reformed public service

  In this episode of the Policy Pod, we spotlight the ESRC funded project Rehabilitating Probation and discuss it with Professor Harry Annison from the University of Southampton, Dr Matthew Millings from Liverpool John Moores University, and Cassia Rowland from the Institute for Government. Rehabilitating Probation explores the experiences and consequences of the unification of probation services in 2021 for managers, practitioners, partners, and service users. The research team has examined the lessons that emerged about how to rebuild culture, identity, and legitimacy in a reformed public service. They have conducted 340 interviews, across three annual sweeps, and run research-led workshops in and beyond their case study region. Read all the publications from the team here and find more details about their project on their website. snip

  --------  

  40:22

  --------

  40:22
• The Shaping Tomorrows Playbook - for everyone working at the intersection of climate science, policy, and leadership

  In this episode of the Policy Pod, we spotlight the Shaping Tomorrows Playbook - the main output of the Shaping Tomorrows Project, a project led by the Climate Coaching Alliance and funded by our New Things Fund. This episode features two of the Playbook’s key contributors -  Dr Ruby Campbell, executive coach, leadership consultant, author, and chief editor and project lead of the Shaping Tomorrows project; and Dr Wassim Dbouk, marine and maritime policy research fellow at the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute, project finance lead, and co-author. Together, they discuss the Playbook’s evidence-based approach and its value for climate coaches, researchers, and anyone working at the intersection of climate science, policy, and leadership, and how our universities can support their inner development process.  The Shaping Tomorrows Playbook introduces a structured, six-step framework designed to help readers navigate the political and organisational complexities of climate action by guiding them to develop the inner skills and capacities needed for effective leadership and change. It offers practical tools and reflective exercises grounded in current research to support impactful leadership and decision-making in sustainability contexts. The Playbook also encourages critical reflection, theory of change development, and interdisciplinary collaboration - key priorities for today’s research community. Download the Playbook here. Whether you are a climate coach, a researcher, or a professional working to advance sustainability and climate action, we invite you to listen to this discussion to explore how the Shaping Tomorrows Playbook can enhance your engagement with policymakers, and support the translation of evidence into meaningful climate action.

  --------  

  1:02:55

  --------

  1:02:55
• And Towns: Understanding the role of culture in place-based decision-making

  In this episode of The Policy Pod, we discuss And Towns, a series of AHRC-funded projects that develop culture-led solutions by working with places and communities. Dr Joseph Owen and Isaac Fravashi bring their knowledge and expertise on place-based approaches in the discussion of four different projects: Towns and the Cultural Economies of Recovery: a scoping project examining how English towns understood the role of culture in their recovery from the pandemic Feeling Towns: a knowledge exchange project exploring place attachment that uses creative methods to understand what pride means to different communities Neighbouring Data: an interdisciplinary research project analysing the use of qualitative and creative data in local authority and community-led decision-making Poetry, Policy and Place: a research project assessing the role of poetry as a tool for community engagement and for representing felt and lived experience

  --------  

  52:04

  --------

  52:04
• Southampton Coproduction Corner

  In this episode, Professor Lucy Green, Head of Engagement in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Southampton and Rebecca Kinge from Southampton Voluntary Services talk about Southampton Coproduction Corner. Coproduction is a term that is being used more and more these days; it is all about working together as equals to develop policy, and to design and deliver services, “doing with” rather than “doing to.” Lucy and Rebecca reflect on how this Community of Practice evolved, creating a space for people to share knowledge and develop their confidence around coproduced approaches. They mention the range of people that have been involved in Southampton Coproduction Corner and how everybody worked together to identify key principles and recommendations that are published in the Making Coproduction Meaningful Policy Brief. This work has received funding from the Centre for the South’s New Things Fund, HDRC Southampton, and has been possible thanks to the goodwill of many people who have given their time and energies to the project.

  --------  

  43:52

  --------

  43:52

More Education podcasts

Trending Education podcasts

About The Policy Pod