Repository
A curated and searchable collection of community-related research reports, case studies and publications from the Institute for Community Studies and other organisations.
Understanding local patterns of volunteer activity during COVID-19
Published: 2021
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport commissioned The Young Foundation to undertake an initial scoping study to identify some of the ways in which volunteers were mobilised at local levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the research was:
to identify some of the ways in which volunteer groups operated and develo…
The Community Business Market in 2021 – Summary
Published: 2021
This report summarises the seventh Power to Change annual report into the structure, size, shape and outlook for the community business market in England. It finds that community business are bouncing back from the impact of the pandemic more financially confident and economically stronger.
The Community Business Market in 2021
Published: 2021
This is the seventh in a series of annual reports published by Power to Change on the state of the community business market. This iteration is the fifth researched and written by CFE Research. It uses survey and interview data to describe a community business market bouncing back financially from the worst of the pandemic, diversifying t…
Empowering Places? Measuring the impact of community businesses at neighbourhood level
Published: 2021
Empowering Places is a programme of place-based investment that aims to demonstrate the role that concentrated clusters of community businesses can play in improving local areas and reducing inequality. To measure the impact of the programme, Power to Change commissioned Kantar in 2020 to conduct six ‘hyperlocal’ extensions of the gove…
Community Business Climate Action Programme Scoping Study Literature Review
Published: 2021
This rapid literature review was undertaken by CAG Consultants in late 2021 as part of a scoping study to inform Power to Change’s new Climate Action Programme under development. It takes a wide perspective of available data to provide an overview of development needs/opportunities, funding and support gaps for community businesses …
Understanding vaccine hesitancy through communities of place
Published: 2021
A new UK-US collaborative study examining vaccine engagement highlights the importance of tapping into local knowledge and leadership in efforts to improve Covid-19 vaccine take-up.
The research was funded by the British Academy, the Social Science Research Council, and the UK’s Science and Innovation Network in the&…
Routes into community influence
Published: 2021
This project was carried out by a team of Community Researchers in Lawrence Hill, Bristol between May-August 2021, with support from Wellspring Settlement’s Economic Resilience and Community Inclusion teams and researchers from the University of Bristol. The project was funded by the UKRI QR Strategic Priorities Fund, administered by the Univ…
Rapid research COVID-19 Briefing #15: Community responses to COVID-19 – Changing community needs and looking to the future
Published: 2021
The pandemic has been accompanied by a searching analysis of its multi-faceted challenges, uneven consequences and intensifying social needs. Looking ahead, it is thought that a ‘long shadow’ of impact will be cast over the coming ‘COVID decade’. But how are needs experienced at community level identified and understood? This briefing a…
Levelling the land: Social investment and ‘left behind’ places
Published: 2021
Local Trust commissioned independent advisor and researcher Dan Gregory to explore whether social investment in its current forms could support the regeneration of the most deprived or ‘left behind’ neighbourhoods across the country or, as our experience with the Big Local programme was suggesting, new models were needed, and if so, what th…
Leading to Net Zero – Evidence review of communities pioneering low carbon standards
Published: 2021
The consultancy firm Hoyle and Dean was commissioned by the Community Land Trust Network to undertake a “soft touch” review of the approach various community-led housing development teams take towards sustainability and carbon reduction for housing developments within their operating areas. The purpose of the review was to find the overall …
How to enable Community-Led Housing: Learning Brief 2 – Building Positive Relationships with Hub Stakeholders
Published: 2021
As part of the ongoing evaluation of Power to Change’s Homes in Community Hands programme, this learning brief shares key insights on how to enable community-led housing. It draws on evidence from five enabler hubs funded through the programme in 2020-21, revealing how hubs are building an environment in which community-led can grow. This bri…
How to enable Community-Led Housing: Learning Brief 1 – Enabling and catalysing community-led housing
Published: 2021
As part of the ongoing evaluation of Power to Change’s Homes in Community Hands programme, this learning brief shares key insights on how to enable community-led housing. It draws on evidence from five enabler hubs funded through the programme in 2020-21, revealing how hubs are building an environment in which community-led can grow. This bri…