Reports and publications

Weathering the storm – Negotiating Transitions in Britain Today

30 January 2010 | Authors: Beth Watts,

This report looks at how people manage difficult and traumatic transitions. For some transitions such as leaving prison or care, unemployment or the end of a relationship can trigger a positive change. For others a difficult transition can undermine and

Ward councillors and community leadership: A future perspective

1 November 2007 | Authors:

This report explores the findings from a study for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation by the Young Foundation and Local Government Information Unit. In 2007 when this report was released, the role ward councillors were expected to play in community leadership

Volunteering and wellbeing during the Coronavirus pandemic

7 June 2021 | Authors:

We were delighted to have worked with The Wales Centre for Public Policy to undertake a rapid scan and synthesis of the evidence which has emerged over the last year on the relationship between volunteering (both formal and informal), and

Valuing Place: The importance of place for understanding inequality and taking action in Wales

7 February 2017 | Authors: Mary Hodgson,

Amplify Cymru was a programme of interconnected research and innovation support funded by the Welsh Government. Amplify Cymru helps people take action together to create fairer communities where everyone can thrive. Our research into the lived experience of over 350

Valuing Family, Valuing Work: British Muslim Women and the Labour Market

30 October 2008 | Authors:

This report on second generation British Muslim women showed that although most want to work only 49% of them have a job – and the rest face severe barriers. The report uses previously unpublished data of the employment levels of

Valuing and enabling citizen science: lessons from the Citizen Science Exploration Grant programme

14 August 2022 | Authors: Siân Whyte,

Exploring UKRI-funded projects, this report makes recommendations for future ‘citizen science’ research and funding design. 

Uttlesford Community Action Zones Report

11 April 2018 | Authors:

As part of our work in Essex, the “Uttlesford Community Action Research – Community Action Zones” project took a strengths-based approach to understanding social isolation and loneliness; focusing on people’s social connections and networks, rather than assuming social deficit. Drawing

URBACT GeniUS! Open Final Report

10 June 2015 | Authors: Tricia Hackett,

This report investigates open innovation as a method of engaging citizens to identify and solve urban challenges. It is built on insights from the GEniUS! Open innovation project which was part of an URBACT programme which enables the exchange of

Unravelling the Spiral of Debt

15 January 2018 | Authors:

Access to credit can be a major challenge for many households and lead them to turn to unaffordable alternatives that trap them in a spiral of deepening debt. Read about the findings from our year-long mixed-methods study carried out in

Unequal Nation: The case for social innovation to work for a gender equal future

16 July 2015 | Authors: Ceri Goddard,

This report presents an up to date picture of gender inequality in the UK, and explores how gender equality and social innovation actors can come together to create a positive, gender equal future for men and women. We looked at

Understanding neighbourliness and belonging

1 September 2008 | Authors:

Understanding neighbourliness and belonging: A scoping paper for the Neighbourhood Action Network (published September 2008, updated in August 2010) In recent decades increased mobility, longer life expectancy, the breakdown of the extended family and an increasingly diverse and rapidly changing

UK public perceptions and readiness for a just transition to net zero

22 September 2022 | Authors:

The Institute for Community Studies’ survey explores public views and concerns.