Meet the team

The Public Engagement and Research (PEaR) Team at the University of Staffordshire work to facilitate the environment for Connected Communities work across the University. This is done through a combination of engaging and collaborating with local and regional communities, local, regional, and national community organisations and partners and staff. 

Partnership working is at the heart of what we do, whether this is internal or external, to the university.  

Public Engagement and Research team

Nicola Gratton

Associate Professor of Community and Civic Engagement and Lead for Civic Engagement and Evaluation

Nic has extensive experience in community and youth work practice, as youth worker, strategic training and development manager and youth work consultant. Nic’s research specialism is the use of participatory action research to address social inequalities. Nic has taught on a range of short and post graduate courses, including overseeing the Get Talking participatory research short course.

Nic developed the Connected Communities Framework and has established Staffs CAN which sits at the heart of the framework.  

Staffs CAN

Staffs CAN and its members are at the heart of the Connected Communities vision. Staffs CAN connects the community with the university, helping to establish relationships and networks that can benefit our area.