Evidence with Purpose: Research as a Catalyst for Change - Strategy 2025-28

What does change look like, person to person? Head of Service for Research & Impact Robin shares his view…

CoLab’s new strategy positions research and impact as core to our work. Evidence is not just data to be collected but a tool for influence, system challenge, and improvement. We are embedding research into our identity as an organisation that wants to learn and to change the systems that we work in.

The strategy also outlines that data is also not just numbers. This challenges the tendency to value technical expertise over community knowledge, making sure change is shaped with the people most affected. CoLab defines impact not only by outcomes but by how change is achieved. Trust, collaboration, and equity are active choices, not words. Mixed method learning, where qualitative narrative sits alongside quantitative measures, create a broader understanding of what works and what doesn’t. We recognise that progress or change cannot be reduced to numbers alone but still hold ourselves accountable through evidence.

Going forward we also want an important part of CoLab’s role to be as a ‘critical friend’ to statutory partners. Research should be used not only to improve internal practice but to highlight where systems need to change. Combining data, evaluation, and storytelling strengthens the case for policy reform and system change. This dual role of deep collaboration and being challenging when needed is vital. We want to not just address the individual challenges our service users face but address the bigger picture.

Prioritising learning in all our work ensures research is not retrospective but a real time feedback mechanism. This dynamic approach allows responsiveness to shifting contexts: evidence informs not only what works but what is needed next.

Ultimately, CoLab’s approach exemplifies how voluntary, and community organisations can shape systems, not just services. Evidence is used to drive immediate improvements while advocating for structural reform. Our ambition is clear: to keep delivering vital and effective services while also being a civic catalyst, where learning drives change.

Strategies only come alive when people engage with them. How does this land with you?

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