We are pleased to share an update on our partnership with Inspire the Nations and Sheffield’s Congolese community. Since 2025, we have held two workshops together and had many conversations that are helping shape our research.
About Inspire the Nations
Inspire the Nations is a Sheffield-based charity that supports people in need, including those affected by age, ill-health, disability, or financial hardship, both in the UK and across the Great African Lakes region. They provide support, advice, and guidance to refugees and immigrants settling in the UK. They also run educational and community clubs across Sheffield for people who face language barriers or other disadvantages.
Their focus on community and inclusion makes them a natural partner for our work.
How the Partnership Began
We began working with Inspire the Nations and the Congolese community in Sheffield in 2025. Reverend Nzayi Dean and Dr Delphin R. Ntanyoma have been central to making this happen. They have worked closely with us to organise and set up both workshops, and we are very grateful for their support and dedication.
Our Workshops
First Workshop: 13 December 2025
Our first workshop, on 13 December 2025, was about getting to know each other. Over several hours, we sat down with members of the Congolese community to introduce ourselves and our work.
We gave a short presentation covering who we are, what we are researching, and why it matters. A key part of that was the problem of lack of diversity in neurotechnology: who is included in research, who benefits from the technology, and who is often left out. This gave the community a clear picture of why we were there and what we were hoping to do together.
From there, the session became a conversation. We wanted to hear what the community was interested in, what questions they had, and how they thought about brain health. The answers helped us understand how to shape our future work and what to focus on in the next workshop.
Second Workshop: 27 February 2026
Armed with what we had learned in December, our second workshop on 27 February 2026 took a more hands-on approach. We addressed some of the questions that had come up in the first session and brought in experts to give a live demonstration of neurotechnology, so that community members could see it in action and ask questions directly.
We also ran focus groups to explore attitudes towards taking part in research. What makes people willing or reluctant to get involved? What would need to change for neurotechnology research to feel relevant and accessible to this community? These conversations are feeding directly into how we think about widening participation in our work.
What We Have Learned
The most important thing we have learned is that trust takes time. For many people at the workshops, this was their first time seeing neurotechnology. Having experts present to explain things clearly, and making space for open questions, helped make the sessions feel approachable.
We have also seen how much it matters to have community leaders involved from the start. Working alongside Reverend Nzayi Dean and Dr Delphin R. Ntanyoma has made a real difference to how these workshops have felt and what we have been able to learn from them.
Looking Ahead
We look forward to continuing this partnership. The welcome we have received from the community has been wonderful, and we are committed to making sure that what we learn together leads to real changes in how neurotechnology research is designed and who it reaches.
To find out more about Inspire the Nations, visit theinspires.org.
