Reports and publications

Growing Social Innovation: A guide for policy makers

7 April 2015 | Authors: Anna Davies,

The international community increasingly recognises the need for new approaches to address our most pressing social challenges. In order to stimulate innovation, this report suggests a number of approaches which policy makers can take, drawing on examples taken from around the world. The report draws

Growing Social Innovation in Northern Ireland

12 April 2013 | Authors: Catherine Russell, Declan Mackin, Karen Clarke, Will Norman,

There is a growing recognition that new and innovative approaches are required to meet the social, economic and environmental difficulties we are facing. The field of social innovation is developing rapidly. Across the world, millions of people are creating new

Growing interest? Mapping the market for social finance in the youth sector

1 August 2011 | Authors: Bethia McNeil, Cynthia Shanmugalingam, Sophie Moullin,

The 11,000 organisations that comprised the voluntary and community youth sector (VCYS) in 2010 were (and are) under unprecedented pressure. This report considers the potential for social finance to not only address under-capitalisation, but also to grow the capacity and

Growing Community Organising

16 May 2013 | Authors: Mandeep Hothi,

We define community organising as the process of supporting individuals to come together to improve their communities by putting pressure on institutions, businesses and governments to act. Community organisers work to identify local leaders, bring together local groups and develop campaigns and actions

Grow Your Own: How local authorities can support social enterprise

1 November 2011 | Authors: Mandeep Hothi, Sophie Hostick-Boakye,

Social enterprises have long been established in Britain, providing a range of products and services whilst also delivering social value. In 2011, as a sector, social enterprise was still emerging but attracting more attention – largely driven by public spending

Grit: The skills for success and how they are grown

1 May 2009 | Authors: Yvonne Roberts,

Grit: The skills for success and how they are grown argues that Britain’s schools need to prioritise grit and self-discipline. Drawing on evidence from around the world it shows that these contribute as much to success at work and in

Good Neighbours

5 July 2007 | Authors:

The “Strong and Prosperous Communities – 2006 White Paper” outlined central government’s commitment to localism and community empowerment. At the time, many housing associations were not working in close collaboration with local authorities and Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) despite the

Good days & bad days: stories of ageing in the community

1 November 2011 | Authors: Carmel O’Sullivan, Diana Gerald, Jacques Mizan, Will Norman,

The demographics, statistics and predicted trends surrounding ageing can make fascinating, and sometimes alarming, reading. However, all too often researchers, policy-makers, and service providers can become transfixed by the numbers and lose sight of the individual experiences of the people

Going green and beating the blues

1 December 2009 | Authors:

All over the world communities are grappling with two different agendas: on the one hand how to make their areas environmentally sustainable; on the other how to promote the wellbeing of local residents. Sometimes these agendas reinforce each other. But

Getting by in Barcelona: A portrait of life before basic income

12 March 2019 | Authors: Amanda Hill-Dixon, Hannah Davis,

This report explores the lives and experiences of the residents in three neighbourhoods of Eix Besos in North-Eastern Barcelona. Since December 2017 these communities have been part of a radical experiment to tackle urban poverty and social exclusion in the

From Growing Interest to Interest Grown: Is the youth sector ready for social investment?

31 March 2013 | Authors: Gemma Rocyn Jones,

Being a young person in the UK today is tough. Unemployment, failures in the education system and high levels of young people not in education, employment or training are being compounded by cuts to youth services and funding for voluntary youth sector

Framework of outcomes for young people

1 July 2012 | Authors: Bethia McNeil, Julie Rich, Neil Reeder,

Young people are living, learning and negotiating transitions to adulthood and independence in an increasingly complex and challenging world, in which they face greater levels of choice and opportunity, but also unprecedented uncertainty and risk. This calls for empowered, resilient