In this bonus episode, we look at running research programmes and explore the question of whether the nature of research can indirectly influence its findings and ask whether we can be both inclusive and accurate when researching people who are socially isolated.

Our guests this week are Sarah Wilkinson from the LGBT Foundation, who supported the Equalities Board to run equalities reviews of Ambition for Ageing, Dr. Sophie Yarker, a research associate at the University of Manchester and Jess Thorley an evaluation officer based at Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

A transcript of this podcast is available at www.ambitionforageing.org.uk/podcast

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Further reading

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· The Big Lottery Fund Equality Information Grantholders guide contains lots of information about the importance of collecting equalities information to help guide design, evaluation and research for community projects.

· The Equality and Human Rights Commissioned published Equality Act 2010: summary guidance on services, public functions and associations, to support the implementation of the Equality Act 2010 and discuss how protection from unlawful discrimination is provided by the Act.

· The LBGT Foundation, Monitoring: Sexual Orientation, Gender & Trans Status highlights the importance of monitoring for patients and service users in relation to equality of access to services. improved services more specific to the needs of LGBT people and how monitoring helps to create a culture of inclusivity and openness with the service provider. It is supported by the LGBT Foundation, Good Practice Guide to Monitoring Sexual Orientation, which provides guidance for services on how to implement monitoring.

· The Ambition for Ageing Evaluation: Why take part? document provided those who took part in activities information about why we collect the information we do and the benefits it will have.

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Ambition for Ageing is a Greater Manchester-wide cross-sector partnership aimed at creating more age-friendly places and empowering people to live fulfilling lives as they age. Ambition for Ageing is part of Ageing Better, a program set up by the National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.  Ageing Better aims to develop creative ways for older people to be actively involved in their local communities, helping to combat social isolation and loneliness. Ambition for Ageing is led by Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisation, the voluntary community and social enterprise sector support and development organisation covering the Greater Manchester city region. The theme tune for this podcast is Air by Iliya Troyanov, and any indents this season are taken from his track Tide. Both are used under a creative commons license from his album Fugue. Thank you for listening to this podcast. For more information about Ambition for Ageing and the work we do, visit ambitionforageing.org.uk.