The UK Association for Science and Discovery Centres (ASDC) is delighted to announce the launch of Phase 4 of Explore Your Universe, in partnership with the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). Explore Your Universe: Phase 4 ran from 2019 - 2021 and will increase the reach, impact and legacy of the current successful national Explore Your Universe programme.
“Science and discovery centres in the UK are doing some excellent community engagement. Explore Your Universe 4 is an opportunity to build on that to create a truly participatory process that will have a longer term impact on both organisations and communities. It has the potential to kick-start a radical shift in ways of working, and change the public perception of the role of science centres in society. It is both exciting and a privilege to be part of it.”
Piotr Bienkowski, Culture Heritage Museums and Director of Our Museum
You can download the full evaluation report here EYU Phase 4 Evaluation Report
Over the 2 ½ year programme, our mission is to identify the practices that successfully build sustainable partnerships between science centres and community-based organisations, in order to truly involve families in areas of socio-economic deprivation and encourage equitable participation with communities who may not currently engage with our science centres.
Phase 4 is, at its heart, an audience-driven programme, focussed on participatory methodologies and working with the same families multiple times to build trust and truly include and involve those who may not currently walk through the doors of our centres.
Together, we aim to identify the practices that successfully build lasting and equitable participation and support science capital with our local communities, particularly in areas of higher socio-economic deprivation.
Explore Your Universe Phase 4 will enable a focus on depth rather than breath of engagement, and we are all looking forward to the journey!
The following Science Centres participated in Explore Your Universe Phase 4:
Aberdeen Science Centre
Cambridge Science Centre
Dynamic Earth
Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre
Science Oxford
Techniquest
Xplore! Science Discovery Centre
W5
Project Vision: To engage, inspire and involve families with school-age children across the UK with the amazing stories, science and people of STFC’s world-leading research, specifically focussing on what successfully builds interest, confidence and supports science capital with children and families in the 40% most deprived regions of the UK.
Project Mission: To deliver an inspirational and exciting national hands-on science programme in partnerships between Science Centres and community-based organisations, through multiple interactions, using a range of participatory methodologies, and to evaluate the impact of various methodologies to produce clear guidance on what works and what needs to change to truly involve families in the 40% most socioeconomically deprived areas of the UK.
For more information on this programme, please contact:
Shaaron Leverment
Deputy CEO and Project Director
s.leverment@sciencecentres.org.uk
STFC is part of UK Research and Innovation, a national funding agency investing in science and research in the UK funded by the UK government. ASDC thank STFC for having the vision to fund Explore Your Universe which we believe has made a step change to the quality and reach of hands-on engagement with the latest physics and engineering in the UK. For more information visit the STFC website.