Developing the CultureSpark Toolkit: A Framework for Co-Created Change in the Fire and Rescue Services

About the project

This project builds on the successful partnership between the University of Huddersfield’s Healthy Housing Initiative (HHI) and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS) to develop and refine the CultureSpark Toolkit — a framework designed to support cultural transformation across UK Fire and Rescue Services.

The CultureSpark Toolkit provides a practical, evidence-led approach to understanding and improving organisational culture, with the goal of enhancing staff wellbeing, leadership, and public trust.

Project overview

Building on our work with NYFRS, this project expands the development of the CultureSpark Toolkit through collaboration with Surrey Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS).

Using an action research approach, the project will co-create, test, and refine the toolkit through surveys, focus groups, and co-production workshops. This participatory process ensures that the toolkit reflects the lived experiences of fire service staff while providing leaders with actionable insights for sustainable cultural change.

By integrating learning from both NYFRS and SFRS, the project will produce an enhanced version of the CultureSpark Toolkit designed for broader adoption across the sector.

Aims and Objectives

• To co-create and refine the CultureSpark Toolkit with NYFRS and SFRS.
• To understand how the toolkit operates in practice, identifying successes, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
• To strengthen wellbeing and inclusion across Fire and Rescue Services.
• To build public trust through transparent, values-driven organisational change.
• To establish national best practices for cultural transformation in emergency services.

Our Approach

The project follows an action research model that prioritises collaboration, reflection, and continuous improvement.
Key activities include:

• Staff surveys to capture perceptions of culture, leadership, and wellbeing.
• Focus groups and workshops to co-produce solutions and shape change initiatives.
• Cross-service learning to compare experiences and share insights between NYFRS and SFRS.

This iterative approach ensures that cultural change is not imposed but co-created — rooted in evidence, reflection, and real-world experience.

Impact

By advancing the CultureSpark Toolkit, this project will:

• Support Fire and Rescue Services to better understand and shape their organisational cultures.
• Promote staff wellbeing, inclusion, and learning-focused leadership.
• Contribute to sector-wide improvement through shared understanding and best practice.

The long-term goal is to enable all Fire and Rescue Services to access practical, evidence-based tools that support cultural transformation and the wellbeing of their people

Looking Ahead

Findings from this phase will inform the next iteration of the Fire and Rescue Services Independent Culture and Wellbeing Monitor (the FireCulture Monitor) and guide the national rollout of the CultureSpark Toolkit.

Together, these initiatives will help ensure that UK Fire and Rescue Services continue to evolve as inclusive, supportive, and high-performing organisations — where every member of staff can thrive.