Pioneering Partnership: These Hands Academy and Loughborough University Join Forces via KE Hub

Two weeks on from the inspiring Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards in London, where innovation, partnership, and local impact were at the heart of the celebrations, we’re excited to spotlight a new initiative that embodies those same values.

These Hands Academy, a social enterprise dedicated to improving care sector outcomes through accessible, hands-on training, has initiated a groundbreaking project in collaboration with Loughborough University, supported by the KE Hub’s Short Project Scheme.

A Challenge-Led Collaboration

At the heart of this initiative lies a real-world challenge: how to co-design impactful training and tools that better equip frontline care staff. These Hands Academy, as the BIG Challenge proposer, has put forward the concept and is driving the vision. Partnering with academic minds and student innovators from Loughborough University, the project blends lived experience, applied practice, and research rigour.

This project, Health Monitoring in Care Homes: A Time-Based Predictive Study​investigates how the National Early Warning Score (NEWS2), when used in care homes alongside analysis of wider determinants of health, can proactively manage deterioration in residents with long-term conditions and reduce unnecessary hospital admissions.

The collaboration will see a student, guided by a university academic supervisor, work closely with the Academy over a 12-week placement. Together, they’ll develop solutions rooted in Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) ensuring the work is ethical, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of the care sector.

Backed by the KE Hub

The KE Hub’s Short Project Scheme acts as the catalyst, providing a framework and support to bring community-focused ideas to life through university partnerships. This project proposal outlines a clear plan of action, from on-site visits to joint problem-solving, all aimed at generating social and systemic value.

Local Impact, National Relevance

This initiative aligns closely with themes highlighted at the recent LGC Awards, where the Connected Care Programme project was commended for its originality, cross-sector collaboration, and local impact. Just as those awards celebrated councils and organisations making a real difference, this partnership between These Hands Academy and Loughborough University reflects a commitment to practical innovation in the care space driven by community need and elevated through academic collaboration.

What Comes Next?

As the project nears its completion, it sets the stage for a model of co-creation that could be scaled or replicated across other sectors. It also serves as a clear example of what’s possible when social enterprises, local expertise, and academic institutions unite around shared purpose.

From a collaborative standpoint, the project is a These Hands Academy led initiative, seeking to leverage the KE Hub’s infrastructure to partner with Loughborough University through student placements and academic supervision. The Academy initiates the challenge, guides its framing, and offers real-world grounding and support. Loughborough University provides research rigour, innovation, and student talent to co-develop meaningful outcomes.

This collaboration aims to create impactful, research-informed, socially responsible solutions while also offering development opportunities for students and tangible benefits for the Academy’s mission.

These Hands Academy is proud to lead this initiative and looks forward to sharing its progress and outcomes as the work unfolds.