Open Data Manchester are working with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to help understand how open data is currently being used by different sectors, what value it brings, what open data needs there are, and to find out any accessibility issues or challenges.

We’re hosting a series of focus groups aimed at business, academic and voluntary sectors, and we want you to be involved.

If you work in the voluntary and charitable sector, then we'd love for you to join us for one of these two sessions.

If you're in the the academic or voluntary/charitable sector, then we're running separate sessions, which you can find here:

• Business sector sessions
• Academic sector sessions

If you're unable to attend these sessions but would still like to participate, there is an online survey you can fill out here.

Background

In summer 2019, GMCA launched the Greater Manchester Local Industrial Strategy to help set long-term priorities for our regional economy, ultimately to ensure good jobs and better public services locally.

This was the first of such local plans in the UK, created after a consultation with local people and reviewed by expert analysts, and it highlights the importance of data – including its use and re-use – to places like Greater Manchester. In order to meet its ambition of becoming a top digital city region, Greater Manchester must focus on how it uses its data, and how it can encourage re-use. Increasing data re-use can help improve productivity, create innovative activity, and grow the economy.