Opportunity profile: Community comes first in BSA wellbeing call

The British Science Association’s Ideas Fund promises a fresh approach to public engagement

Top tips

• This scheme is primarily for community groups but the association is very keen for researchers to get in touch.
• The scheme focuses on four areas in the north of England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, but researchers based elsewhere can also be involved.
• The focus is on ‘mental wellbeing’, rather than ‘mental health’, and projects are unlikely to take a clinical approach.
• Researchers can apply but will have to explain why they are doing so and show that their project idea was generated by the community group.

The British Science Association is billing its Ideas Fund, which is supported by the Wellcome Trust, as a new approach to public engagement: one that prioritises projects generated by communities rather than by scientists. However, researchers will be involved and the BSA wants academics who are keen to share their expertise to get in touch as soon as possible.