About the call
EPIC Futures NI aims to contribute towards a prosperous and sustainable future for Northern Ireland.
By working in partnership with academia, policy, community and voluntary sector to jointly co-design policy and programmes that will help remove the barriers that people face to fair and meaningful employment.
The EPIC Futures Policy Commissioning Call is seeking proposals to examine a range of thematic issues related to economic activity and topics which have relevance for the NI skills and employability landscape.
The overall aim of this commissioning call is to build a robust evidence base exploring key themes that can contribute towards a more inclusive and sustainable labour market in Northern Ireland.
We strongly encourage proposals which are in collaboration with stakeholders from different backgrounds and disciplines. Bringing unique and innovative approaches to place based challenges and provide insights into the lived experiences of individuals facing skills and employability challenges.
Who will be interested in this call ?
This will be of interest to:
- Academics and researchers
- Policy makers
- Community and voluntary sector
- Skill and economy sectors
- Special educational needs and disability sector
- Children and young people/ childcare sector
- Health and social care
- Individuals working in the climate and environment sector
Key dates
Call opens
Friday 18th October 2024, 12pm
Call closes
Monday 18th November 2024, 12pm
Queries
Email to EPICFutures@ulster.ac.uk by Friday 1st November 2024, 12pm
Guidance
Please read the full guidance document before applying to the fund.
Applications will be accepted via our online form, which will be available from Friday 18 October at 12pm.
Any missing information will exclude applicants from the process.
Please ensure all supporting documentation is attached to the application. Any missing information will exclude applicants from the process.
Themes for Phase 1. Policy Commissioning Call
The call will cover 9 key themes that have been identified through the consultation and co-design process with stakeholders. The call is seeking all types of explorative approaches to the 9 themes including scoping studies, literature reviews, benchmarking, and empirical studies (quantitative and qualitative). Pilot studies, in preparation for potential Call 2 applications will also be considered.
We suggest that applicants cover one topic within one theme in their proposal. There will be cross cutting elements to some themes. Applicants may decide to cover more than one topic however, this is at the discretion of the applicant.
- Understanding how to better support individuals with disabilities
- Pathways to work
- Knowing what works
- The caring economy
- Quantifying the benefits of work
- The role of employers
- The role of ‘place’
- Health and work
- Inclusivity and Green Sector Skills
Project Funders
EPIC Futures NI is a Local Policy Partnership (LPIP) hub, led by Ulster University and funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Innovate UK and the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
