My experience in Leeds was life-changing, yet hopefully not just for me.

The “Incorporating Community Voices into Sustainability Education” project at the University of Leeds School of Earth and Environment combined photography, social justice, and sustainability to foster a community discussion in Seacroft, Leeds. More specifically, the university partnered with the LS14Trust community organisation to gather volunteers, help administer programming, and brainstorm beneficial outcomes for the area. The project developed iteratively culminating in a holistic project to redefine the image of Seacroft.

I interacted with the local community through loads of meaningful dialogue during the project. We collaboratively hosted workshops to support a period of photography revolved around the question: “What makes Seacroft, Seacroft?” To gain the most value out of the community’s participation, the second workshop had participants analyse their images as a collective. It was beautiful hearing what each member had to say.

Some shared outside insight on someone else's picture, while others shared insider info that I never would’ve inferred. For example, a photo within a grocery store could be about community gathering or common spaces, yet the intent was to display the lack of healthy food options in local markets. I learned a lot from the volunteers and what they deemed important in their culture and home. The unique set of volunteers outlined public aspects I likely wouldn’t have included, showcasing the value of diversity and transparency within the work. From there, I crafted the pictures into a detailed collage to showcase the beauty behind their participation. Images related to Sports and Recreation, Music and Art, Landscapes and Places, and Inequality and Improvement were grouped, additionally displaying the nuance of their conversation and themes that arose during the activity.

Such amazing community-engaged research and learning partnerships produce a multitude of public productivity and should be much more common than they currently are; universities need to do better. Previous university studies have involved extractive and unethical methodologies, and communities are routinely sought out and used for their insight and resources, perpetuating a system of inequality. Research (and learning) is a conversation and a partnership, and academia needs to take steps to ensure that projects are strictly regulated, positively intended, and benefit the local community. Regaining trust with community partners cannot happen overnight and without action from those in power.

From my exploration of the landscape, exchanging with community members, and grappling with research challenges, I’ve compiled a list of my five favourite takeaways:

• People are the best resources - without them, this project wouldn’t exist
• Exploration is a necessary part of research and fun - getting out and understanding culture helped me put discussions and lessons into context
• The hardest questions lead to the best conversations - being honest and transparent about motivations and procedures helps everyone understand and connect to the mission
• Don’t judge a space by its reputation - Seacroft generally has received a poor reputation, yet first-hand experiences should supersede any notion of outside negativity and ignorance
• Keep an open mind at all times - being in a new space is tough, but welcoming all people, activities, and ideas makes the transition easier and more enjoyable

As a message to other students, building relationships is the key to success. The relationship between the University of Leeds and the LS14Trust, the participants and I, and the volunteers between themselves has all facilitated beneficial research and learning which can come in any form you make it. It’s also very fun! 

About the Author

Major Richmond, Laidlaw Scholar and Environmental Science and Policy student, from Duke University, USA, visiting the University of Leeds between June 23rd 2025 and 1st of August 2025.

We use the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework to guide our activity. Our work on the Sustainable Curriculum is linked to the following SDGs: 

• Goal 4: Quality Education

Find out more about our impact on the SDGs.