Thought leadership and policy shaping
At the Randal Foundation, we are committed to driving long-lasting change through thought leadership and policy-focused projects that address the root causes of social challenges.
Through strategic partnerships, research and collaboration, we aim to help shape effective solutions, influence systems change and ensure that evidence and lived experience inform decisions that improve outcomes for communities.
Central to this work is the leadership of Dr Nik Kotecha OBE DL, our Chairman and Founder, who plays an active role in championing thought leadership and policy change at a national level, engaging regularly with the media, government ministers, parliamentarians and policymakers at Westminster to help ensure that evidence-led solutions are translated into action.
Through the engagement with leaders across government, healthcare, academia, business and the charitable sector, Dr Kotecha helps to shape national conversations around society’s most pressing challenges. By sharing insights gained through the Foundation’s grant-making and partnerships, Dr Kotecha advocates for practical, scalable solutions that not only improve lives but also influence wider policy and practice.
“At the Randal Foundation, we are proud to support thought leadership and policy-focused programmes that drive national change in the UK.
By investing in research, collaboration and innovative ideas, we help shape evidence-based policies that address the root causes of our greatest challenges, delivering lasting impact for people and communities for generations to come”
Dr Nik Kotecha OBE DL
Alongside direct intervention, in the UK we support work that drives long-term, systemic change by influencing policy, shaping public debate and strengthening the evidence base for reform.
This includes funding research, thought leadership and partnerships that address complex social challenges, from welfare and employment to mental health, health inequalities and rehabilitation.
Our work in this area brings together charities, policymakers, journalists, practitioners and communities to develop practical, evidence-based solutions.
For example, our partnership with the Centre for Social Justice has contributed to the development of new economic inactivity and welfare policy proposals designed to promote work, wellbeing and independence, with the potential to improve millions of lives.
We also support initiatives that deepen understanding of social issues and inform more effective interventions, including research into mental health and suicide prevention, and programmes that address structural inequalities in health and opportunity.
By supporting organisations that bridge the gap between evidence and implementation, we help ensure that successful approaches can be scaled, embedded and sustained in to national policy over the long term.
Thought leadership and policy shaping work
CSJ: Welfare project 2030
There are currently 9.1 million economically inactive people in the UK, with around 5,000 people signing onto long-term sickness benefits every day. While approximately 1.8 million people say they want to work, many face significant barriers including ill health, a lack of skills, and limited local opportunities.
In this fast-paced, challenging world, the Randal Foundation is proud to support the Centre for Social Justice’s Welfare 2030 project, which develops practical, evidence-based reforms to help more people overcome these barriers and move towards employment, independence, and long-term wellbeing.
Through research and engagement with employers, policymakers and frontline charities, the project aims to create a fairer, more sustainable welfare system that improves opportunities and quality of life for millions across the UK.
Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys
Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50. Our partnership with the Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys has the ambition of reducing male suicide by 10% over the next five years.
The Randal Foundation is proud to support the Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys whose pioneering research is developing new approaches to prevent male suicide by identifying and strengthening community-based programmes.
Through our partnership, this research builds a stronger evidence base for policy and practice by evaluating successful interventions, understanding what drives engagement, and producing practical recommendations that can be implemented at local, regional and national levels.
British Asian Trust
The Randal Foundation is proud to support the British Asian Trust as it expands its work to tackle health inequalities affecting British Asian communities across the UK.
The British Asian Trust is establishing a dedicated UK health programme that brings together healthcare professionals, policymakers and community organisations to develop innovative, community-led solutions that improve health outcomes and reduce inequalities.
Our Randal Foundations support is establishing the foundations for this work by supporting a dedicated team, strategic partnerships and the development of the Trust’s first UK interventions.
With a focus on prevention, early intervention and evidence-based policy, the programme aims to create sustainable, scalable solutions that improve access to healthcare and deliver lasting benefits for British Asian communities.
De Montfort University
The Randal Foundation is proud to support De Montfort University’s Talent Unlocked and Employing Potential projects, which create new pathways into employment for people with convictions.
By combining creative skills development, employer engagement and evidence-based policy, the projects help break down barriers to work while challenging the stigma surrounding people with criminal records.
Our support has enabled the return of the Talent Unlocked prison arts festival, which develops creative, entrepreneurial and employability skills, alongside Employing Potential, a programme that equips employers with the knowledge and confidence to recruit people with criminal records.
Together, these initiatives promote rehabilitation, improve wellbeing and create scalable models that can expand employment opportunities for people leaving the criminal justice system.
Centre for Mental Health
The Randal Foundation are proud to support The Centre for Mental Health in their research exploring how digital engagement affects the mental health of children and young people. By placing the voices of young people – particularly those from marginalised backgrounds – at the centre of the research, the project will provide vital evidence on both the benefits and risks of the digital world, helping to shape balanced, evidence-based policy and practice.
Our partnewship supports research, youth engagement and the co-production of practical resources designed to inform policymakers, practitioners and educators.
Through a national policy report, digital resources and stakeholder engagement, the project aims to influence future decision-making, ensuring that young people’s lived experiences help create more effective approaches to supporting children’s mental health in an increasingly digital world.
CSJ: Addiction programme
The Randal Foundation supported the Centre for Social Justice’s work to tackle addiction by driving evidence-based policy that improves access to treatment and recovery services.
Our partnership directly helped underpin research and engagement with government that contributed to the largest increase in drug treatment funding in England for 15 years, including an additional £80 million, as part of a wider £149 million package, for treatment services and further investment in initiatives to tackle drug-related crime and support recovery.
This important work helped to address the root causes of addiction and its devastating impact on individuals, families and communities.