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Community

Community work

Alongside our consulting and research, we run community services, host events, publish local writers, and build open resources. We believe a think tank should give back to the community it studies.

Events & venue

A space for the community

  • Community events – Movie screenings, trivia nights, poetry readings, karaoke, and other low-key cultural programming open to the public. Working toward a city where on any given night, anyone can go out and find something to do.
  • Venue for artists – Free for any artist or group holding events open to the general public. Heavily discounted for NGOs, and free for any partnering organisation discussing a research collaboration with us.
  • Bookable by anyone – The terrace and rooftop are also available for personal events: birthday parties, friend meetups, outdoor dinners, date nights, movie or karaoke sessions, and small gatherings.
  • What we provide – Portable projector and speaker, swingset, seating, picnic mats, fairy lights, party lights, cards and games, a mini-library of books, and plants. A 400 sq ft terrace and a further 500 sq ft rooftop space accessible by outdoor staircase.
  • Chapbook publishing – We print and publish copies of local writers' and poets' chapbooks for free, distributed at our community events.
Policy Lab terrace space set up for an evening event Policy Lab rooftop space

The terrace and rooftop at our office in Hulhumale.

Services

What we offer the public

CV screening & advice

Free CV and cover letter reviews with practical advice on improving applications. Sign up online, open to anyone looking to put their best foot forward when applying for jobs.

University application support

Guidance on university applications for Indonesian universities and other institutions, including application review and advice on strengthening candidacies.

Internships

Research internships for young professionals in the policy sector, with guided research projects, reading plans, and practical training. Four interns have gained research and professional experience with us so far.

Training courses

12-session practical seminars for government and NGO staff on topics that university programmes do not cover – policy implementation, M&E, data collection, and more. Online versions coming soon.

Chapbook publishing

We print and publish copies of any local writer or poet's chapbook for free, with copies distributed at our community events and available for pickup.

Open data & publications

All of our publications, data visualizations, service directories, and legislation timelines are free and open access – designed for use in research, presentations, academic work, and journalism.

Open resources

Data and tools for students, researchers, and journalists

Everything we publish is free and open access. The resources below are specifically designed to be used in research, presentations, academic work, and journalism – with attribution.

Data visualization gallery

Screenshottable charts and maps built from census, survey, and administrative data. Designed to be copied into reports, presentations, and papers.

Open gallery →

NutritionMV

The first open collection of nutrition profiles for Maldivian food, starting with hedhikaa (shorteats). Expanding to curries, rice dishes, sweets, and drinks.

Open NutritionMV →

Service directories & timelines

Every FCSC, health facility, police station, court, and CSO mapped across 20 atolls. An interactive timeline of social legislation from 1927 to 2025.

Open directory →

All publications

Every policy brief, analytical essay, and data analysis we publish is free and open access across all six domains.

Browse publications →