An article questioned whether the concept of social capital helped an understanding of why some communities had weaker networks compared to others (drawing on an empirical example from Belfast, Northern Ireland).
Source: Madeleine Leonard, 'Bonding and bridging social capital', Sociology, Volume 38 Issue 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2004-Dec
The government published a framework for community capacity building. It described the steps being taken by government to enable more communities to help themselves and engage more effectively with public bodies.
Source: Firm Foundations: The government s framework for community capacity building, Civil Renewal Unit/Home Office (020 7035 5305)
Links: Report (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Dec
A paper examined the revival of interest in community and neighbourhood in academic and policy literature and explored some of the different ways in which the idea of the neighbourhood continued to have resonance in the contemporary world.
Source: Ray Forrest, Who Cares About Neighbourhoods?, CNR Paper 26, Centre for Neighbourhood Research (0141 330 5408)
Links: Paper (pdf)
Date: 2004-Nov
Researchers examined the extent to which 'neighbouring' remained as a significant element of social interaction. Evidence for the widely held view that neighbourliness was in decline was found to be mixed.
Source: Gary Bridge, Ray Forrest and Emma Holland, Neighbouring: A review of the evidence, CNR Paper 24, Centre for Neighbourhood Research (0141 330 5408)
Links: Paper (pdf)
Date: 2004-Nov
A collection of papers (commissioned by the Home Office) developed initial thinking about the shape of an academic research agenda on civil renewal. There were four groups of papers, covering: theory, concepts and methods; communities and cultures; young people; and institutions and governance.
Source: Researching Civil Renewal, Civil Renewal Research Centre/ University of Birmingham, available from Active Citizenship Centre (duncan.prime@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk)
Links: Report (pdf) | ACC press release
Date: 2004-Nov
A new book argued that community development principles and processes could provide a solid foundation from which community cohesion strategies could address past and current inequalities. It examined the lessons that could be learned from thriving multi-ethnic communities, and provided examples of innovative projects.
Source: Alison Gilchrist, Community Cohesion and Community Development: Bridges or barricades?, Community Development Foundation (020 7226 5375)
Links: Summary (pdf)
Date: 2004-Oct
A report examined community conflicts, and the approaches open to social landlords, their tenants, and other local organizations and residents, to prevent and manage them.
Source: Gerard Lemos, Community Conflict: Causes and action, Lemos and Crane, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary
Date: 2004-Oct
The government published its response to all 24 recommendations of the Egan Review on skills for sustainable development. It accepted a proposal to establish a new National Centre for Sustainable Community Skills. (In 2003, Sir John Egan was asked by the government to review the skills and training required to deliver sustainable communities. His report was published in April 2004.)
Source: Government Response to the Egan Review - Skills for Sustainable Communities, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (0870 1226 236)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Aug
A study found evidence of some 1,000 'gated' developments. The paper argued that such developments could create a secondary set of problems that might affect their residents as well as those living outside, and that the scale of development highlighted the need for more informed debate about the relative social costs and benefits of gating.
Source: Rowland Atkinson, Sarah Blandy, John Flint and Diane Lister, Gated Cities of Today: Barricaded residential development in England, CNR Paper 21, Centre for Neighbourhood Research (0141 330 5408)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Aug
A report assessed the contribution of pre-schools to the overall strengthening of communities in areas of social and economic disadvantage. It concluded that, as well as providing high-quality services for children, pre-schools continued to have a strong emphasis on involving parents in the day-to-day running of the settings and supporting parents in their own learning and development. (Pre-schools are run by parents, alongside trained charity staff.)
Source: Veronica McGivney, The Impact of Pre-schools in the Community: A follow up study, Pre-school Learning Alliance (020 7278 9037)
Links: PSLA press release (pdf) | Definition of pre-schools
Date: 2004-Jul
A report examined ways of improving community planning in Scotland.
Source: Making a Difference: Community planning a year on - Report of the Community Planning Implementation Group, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: Report | SE press release
Date: 2004-Jul
A report by a committee of MPs expressed concern over whether a reorganisation programme would end the 'unmanaged decline' of the urban post office network. If decline continued, the government would need to give very serious consideration to underpinning the urban network in a similar way to its programme of support for rural post offices.
Source: The Post Office Urban Network Reinvention Programme, Seventh Report (Session 2003-04), HC 611-I, House of Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2004-Jul
A think-tank report called on local government to recognise the opportunities which interaction among citizens using new forms of social software (such as e-mail and the internet) could offer councils in their community leadership role.
Source: James Crabtree, William Davies and Anna Randle, Invisible Villages: Techno-localism and the enabling council, New Local Government Network (020 7357 0051)
Links: Summary (pdf) | NLGN press release
Date: 2004-Jul
New advice was issued to housing associations on the ways in which they could promote cohesive communities - communities where there was a sense of belonging for all, and where strong relationships were developed between people from different backgrounds in streets and neighbourhoods.
Source: Community Cohesion: iN business for neighbourhoods, National Housing Federation (020 7278 6571)
Links: Report (pdf) | NHF press release
Date: 2004-Jun
Researchers sought to evaluate the impact of the the Community Champions Fund, the aims of which are to: increase the skill levels of individuals to enable them to act as 'inspirational' figures, community entrepreneurs, community mentors and community leaders; and to increase the involvement of communities in regeneration and learning activity. They concluded that it was 'almost impossible' to identify common success factors through statistical analysis, because of the diversity of projects.
Source: Andrew Watson, Glyn Owen, Mary Crowder and Brian Ellis, Evaluation of the Community Champions Fund, Research Report 550, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2004-Jun
A new book examined the indicators used by the Audit Commission to measure local quality of life - including social capital and community cohesion.
Source: Gabriel Chanan, Measures of Community, Community Development Foundation (020 7226 5375)
Links: No link
Date: 2004-May
A new book explored the dynamics of community self-help in local neighbourhoods. It argued that self-help and mutual aid should be considered as the third main sector of social and economic organisation, alongside the state and the market.
Source: Danny Burns, Colin Williams and Jan Windebank, Community Self-Help, Palgrave Macmillan (01256 329242)
Links: Summary
Date: 2004-May
A report evaluated a three-year pilot initiative, aimed at developing local communities' capacity to respond to their own support and community care needs. Overall, the project was most successful in addressing broad community development issues, with communities prioritising issues such as community facilities and provision for young people. While some low-level health and social care benefits were achieved, it proved more difficult to develop specific care and support initiatives.
Source: Deborah Quilgars, Communities Caring and Developing: Lessons from Hull, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: Report (pdf) | JRF Findings 534
Date: 2004-May
A report described as 'innovative and valuable' pilot community leadership programmes in areas of multiple deprivation, designed to enable local people to play a determining role in the regeneration of their own areas.
Source: Community Leadership Training Pilots: Final report, National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (0116 204 4200)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Apr
A report summarised an evaluation of how successful 'people's juries' and 'people's panels' were as mechanisms for increasing community involvement and input into local decision making. It said that panels and juries could be effective methods for promoting community engagement and participation if they were used appropriately.
Source: Robert Stevenson, Evaluation of People's Panels and People's Juries in Social Inclusion Partnerships, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Date: 2004-Apr
Social landlords warned that new European Union guidance on housing design and crime prevention could lead to a rise in 'gated' estates and prevent the creation of vibrant, mixed communities. The guidance suggested introducing access control devices at the entrance to residential areas, and advised that the most secure road layout was the cul-de-sac.
Source: Press release 15 April 2004, National Housing Federation (020 7278 6571) | Prevention of Crime: Urban Planning and Design Part 3: Dwellings, European Union (+33 01416 28382)
Links: NHF press release (pdf) | Text of guidance (pdf)
Date: 2004-Apr
A report said that a number of serious tensions and concerns need to be addressed if gated communities were to be reconciled with wider governmental aims relating to social cohesion, mixed neighbourhoods and the promotion of affordable housing.
Source: Rowland Atkinson, John Flint, Sarah Blandy and Diane Lister, Gated Communities in England: Final report of the Gated Communities in England New Horizons Project, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (0870 1226 236)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Feb
A journal article explored the nature of community capacity building in the context of local development. It challenged some of the 'simplistic constructions' of community as a distinctive stakeholder with a shared set of values and clear identity. There were important differences in the way in which local people interacted with the organised voluntary sector.
Source: Peter Shirlow and Brendan Murtagh, 'Capacity-building, representation and intracommunity conflict', Urban Studies, Volume 41, No 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2004-Feb
Research found that post offices, despite a closure programme, remained at the heart of many communities. But while 94 per cent of customers continued to use a post office after their usual office had closed, they did so less frequently. A third also made fewer transactions at each visit.
Source: Assessment of the Urban Network Reinvention Programme: Research among post office customers, Postwatch (0870 162 5300)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | Postwatch press release (pdf)
Date: 2004-Feb
The government began consultation on the first draft of guidance for local authorities about ways in which local cultural and leisure services could contribute to the process of developing local authority community strategies. The draft guidance built on the experience of local authorities which had developed local cultural strategies.
Source: Guidance on Integrating Cultural and Community Strategies: Consultation draft 1, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (020 7211 6200)
Links: Consultation document (pdf)
Date: 2004-Jan
A report highlighted the contribution of local authority cultural services to meeting multiple needs of a diverse range of communities.
Source: Cultural Services and the Shared Priorities, Local Government Association (020 7664 3000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary
Date: 2004-Jan
The government published the results of a review of measures to promote community capacity building.
Source: Building Civil Renewal: Government support for community capacity building and proposals for change - Review findings from the Civil Renewal Unit, Civil Renewal Unit/Home Office (fax: 020 7035 5386)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Jan