Local Authority Research Link (LARK)

The aim of a Local Authority Research linK (LARK) is to support an on-going, two-way communication exchange between different parts of the National Institute for Health Research infrastructure and PaRC academics. There is a LARK for every Local Authority in the Yorkshire and Humber region

The knowledge exchange network of LARKs with their academic partners will:

• Increase access to training and continuing professional development
• Increased access to evidence based resources to inform practice
• Increase involvement in projects that could have an impact on the health and well-being of local populations
• Support access to grant and research income into the LA
• Have a say in what and how research gets conducted in the region
• Will be the main point of contact within the LA in which they are based and NIHR infrastructure.
• Advocate and contribute to raising the research profile and widening ongoing engagement across Local Authorities
• Support appropriate engagement in research and research implementation activity that is relevant and useful to their organisation
• Support coordination of research priority setting activity
• Disseminate research findings, learning events, and actionable tools within their organisation
• Co-ordinate feedback on the usefulness of learning events, actionable tools and other implementation activities
• Identify key participants for engagement in research and implementation projects
• Support the coordination of research activities and share good practice
• Additionally, some LARKs are acting as a ‘research champion’ in their Local Authority, and are working with the Yorkshire and Humber Applied Research Collaborative to build research strategy for their organisation.