On 24 August, the University of Sydney's Social Sciences and Humanities Advanced Research Centre (SSSHARC) partnered with the Westpac Scholars Trust to bring together researchers, higher degree research students, and Westpac Social Change Fellows for a collaborative workshop exploring how research and social enterprise can work together to create meaningful social impact. 

The event brought a diverse group of researchers working in disability inclusion, education, youth wellbeing, climate resilience, Indigenous knowledge, social cohesion, entrepreneurship, health, arts and culture, and community development and enabled them to meaningfully engage with current and former Westpac Social Change Fellows, including leaders of Gather My Crew, Xceptional, The Youth Impact Foundation, and Sameview.

The workshop was facilitated by University of Sydney academics, Dr Olga Boichak and Professor Alice Motion, who are both Westpac Research Fellows, with assistance from Dr Ed Johnson, a 2021 Westpac Social Change, and Dr Clare Cooper from the School of Architecture, Design and Planning.

Through facilitated discussions and small-group activities, participants reflected on the challenges of translating research into practice and explored how social enterprises can benefit from evidence-based approaches, evaluation frameworks, and academic expertise. The event produced valuable insights into the realities of implementing change on the ground and helped surface issues that matter most to communities and practitioners. 

Rather than relying on traditional presentations, the workshop was intentionally designed to create collaboration. Through creative reflection exercises, facilitated small-group discussions, storytelling activities and a Research Impact Canvas exercise, participants worked side-by-side to explore challenges, test ideas and learn from one another's experiences. The format encouraged researchers and social entrepreneurs to move beyond introductions and engage in genuine problem-solving conversations, helping participants identify shared goals and potential pathways for future partnerships. 

Participant feedback consistently highlighted the value of this collaborative approach. Attendees were grateful for the opportunity to work with individuals from different fields and with different goals. As one participant remarked "it's so important to get people from different disciplines in a room. Diversity of thinking is powerful.”

The workshop's creative elements also helped participants engage with unfamiliar perspectives. One participant described it as "so lovely to do something fun and creative," while another commented that "the craft and the canvas combo definitely had different parts of the brain firing." These activities encouraged attendees to step into the shoes of different stakeholders, reframe challenges, and develop a deeper appreciation of how research, evidence and lived experience can come together to support social impact. 

Several participants also noted that the workshop helped them recognize common challenges across sectors. As one attendee observed, "There are many shared challenges researchers, social enterprises and entrepreneurs face. It helps to share ideas and perspectives." Another takeaway was the importance of understanding audience needs, with participants reflecting on the value of designing solutions collaboratively with input from multiple perspectives. 

For many attendees, the workshop deepened their understanding of the role research can play in driving social impact. Participants highlighted the importance of evidence, research translation, and building partnerships that enable ideas to move beyond academic outputs and into communities, organisations and policy settings. Several endorsed how research can help social enterprises strengthen their programs, demonstrate impact, and develop compelling narratives for change. 

By the end of the day, participants had begun identifying opportunities for future collaborations and left with new connections, fresh perspectives, and practical tools for turning ideas into action. The workshop demonstrated the significant potential that exists when academic expertise, lived experience and entrepreneurial thinking come together to achieve social change.