Northumbria University, The Relationships Project and The After Disasters Network are hosting a 90 minute Zoom meeting to talk about a Learning Network for academics, researchers and kindred spirits interested in relationships and relationship-centred practice. We believe that relationships matter in every corner of our lives. When they are nurtured, valued and prioritised, people are happier and healthier, communities are stronger and more resilient, and organisations are more successful and efficient. We know that we are not alone in believing this. We at the Relationships Project work with others to share learning about relationship-centred practice and support the application of the learning with communities of experience, tools and training.  Over the last couple of years we have had many conversations about knowledge and research in this territory. There is some terrific work going on but it is dispersed across many disciplines, terms can be differently defined, measurement is inconsistent and practice learning is often fragmented and underused. We have talked about an interdisciplinary learning network focused on Relationship-Centred Practice.  At the Relationship-Centred Practice Convening at Northumbria University we agreed to do something about it. This Zoom conversation is a first step. In time, we are hoping that the Network will be useful in three ways: First in connecting individuals, and individual projects. Second in sparking, and help to develop, new collaborations. Third, in working to build the field. Please see this briefing note for more detail. 

Professor Louise Bracken, (Northumbria University Pro Vice-Chancellor) will chair the launch event on September 21st and the scene will be set with three short presentations on aspects of relationship-centred practice from Professor Robin Banerjee (Sussex University),  Professor Fiona Verity and Nick Andrews (Swansea University) and Professor Ottar Ness and associate Professor Dina von Heimburg (Norwegian University of Science and Technology). 

We will then  learn a little about who else is in the room and explore together the idea of a Learning Network,  what might be most useful and how might it work.

Please join us! Don’t worry about whether your work “fits”. We can think about definitions together, but if relationships feel relevant to your work then this conversation needs to be relevant to you. Please reply here and spread the word. We look forward to hearing from you.