In 2017 I took a leap of faith and went to a conference in Bristol run by a woman I’d met on an RCT. (Don’t know what an RCT is? More here)

I enjoyed that conference so much I joined the committee to organise the following year’s conference, and I’m still there.

As you know, I don’t work for a University research team, or NHS, or the social services, but I still really enjoy the Knowledge Mobilisation Forum conference. It challenges me to think differently about how we can get knowledge learned and shared around organisations.

I’ve seen successful knowledge sharing through board games and poetry, lego and junk-modelling and there have been *a lot* of opportunities for conversation and sharing of experiences (I’ve also heard a lot of jargon and competitive framework-design but nothing is perfect). I’ve met people who work with charities and human rights organisations, as well as those researching in universities and working at the frontline in NHS, and people from all over the world.

It’s certainly not the kind of knowledge sharing and learning you get in the mainstream legal sector or at a conference aimed at law firms’ or big business’s KMers.

I mightn’t suggest poetry as a means for knowledge sharing amongst lawyers, but being challenged in this way certainly makes me think a bit harder about my own practice.

So if you think you would benefit from a bit of shaking up, and think a bit of challenge and stimulation for your Knowledge and Learning practice would be beneficial, consider coming along. It’s also very reasonably priced and tries to be Green/sustainable.

The next conference will take place in Birmingham on 17th-18th March, 2020, so save the date.

Bit unsure? Have a look at the twitter moment from this year’s conference in Newcastle. It’s going to be hard to top – highlights were a beautiful and thought provoking key note from Ishbel Smith and an inspiring location at Seven Stories, the national centre for children’s books – but we have lots of great ideas!

What’s it all about? Who’ll be there?

The UK Knowledge Mobilisation Forum is an annual event for all those with a passion for ensuring that knowledge makes a positive difference to society. The Forum brings together practitioners, researchers, students, administrators and public representatives who are engaged in the art and science of sharing knowledge and ensuring that it can be used.

The Forum is designed as a space for learning and reflection, providing an opportunity for sharing knowledge, experiences and methods and access to some of the most up to date thinking and practice in the field. Expect conversations, creativity and collaborative learning…and if you’re wondering what we mean by ‘knowledge’ – we are as interested in practical know-how, skills and experience as in research findings or evaluation data.