Al Mathers
BA Hons, Dip LA, PhD

Expert in participatory research & community-led change

I help organisations define their strategic approach to change, build their research and evaluation capabilities, and embed inclusive and participatory approaches.

Photo of Al Mathers
Photo of mushroom at Longshaw Estate, Derbyshire

About me

Having worked across the academic, charitable and practice sectors for over 20 years, I have held national leadership roles in the charitable sector, including Director of Research at The Young Foundation, Director of Research and Learning at The RSA and Head of Research at Good Things Foundation. Before moving to the charity sector I worked in academia, where my work focused on research partnerships with underrepresented groups redesigning participatory approaches to landscape architecture and urban design. I am committed to cross sector impact, and improving understanding and collaboration between policymakers, academia, businesses and charities for people, places and the planet.

As an expert in participatory research and digital inclusion, I hold a number of advisory board positions including steering group membership of the Public Voices in AI programme, INCLUDE+, Developing a minimum digital living standard for households with children, DigiAge: Equity for the Older: Beyond Digital Access, expert grant panel membership of the Oliver Bird Fund and panel member for the Co-Production Futures Inquiry. I am committed to cross sector impact, and improving understanding and collaboration between policymakers, academia, businesses and charities.

Selected publications

All publications
Photo of tree in Graves Park, Sheffield