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
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 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
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
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 report examined the usefulness of two frameworks for assessing community participation in regeneration, and the practical difficulties involved in using them. A companion handbook combined and developed the original frameworks, drawing on the lessons learned.
Source: Danny Burns, Frances Heywood, Pete Wilde and Mandy Wilson, What Works in Assessing Community Participation?, Policy Press for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500) | Danny Burns, Frances Heywood, Marilyn Taylor, Pete Wilde and Mandy Wilson, Making Community Participation Meaningful: A handbook for development and assessment, Policy Press for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from Marston Book Services
Links: Summary | Summary (handbook)
Date: 2004-Jul
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 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 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 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
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
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
A new book examined the benefits and limitations of networks in supporting self-help, collective action and multi-agency arrangements; explored the concept of 'community' in relation to patterns of interaction, social identity and mutual influence; and advocated a new model of community development that promoted networking as a skilled and strategic intervention.
Source: Alison Gilchrist, The Well-connected Community: A networking approach to community development, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2004-Jan