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Community Engagement

A Fair Deal - Creating an environment for a thriving third sector in the East of England 2009/2014

Author: COVER | Published: September 2009 | 544.51KB

The East of England public sector is underfunded and, as a consequence, the third sector in the East of
England is underfunded in comparison with other English regions. Central government funds, national
lottery funds and trust funds all direct money away from the region to areas perceived nationally to be of
greater need.

The primary purpose of this document is to highlight the main development issues facing the third sector
in the East of England over the next decade in terms of creating a thriving sector.

A Picture of Performance

Author: Alison Crouch | Published: July 2005 | 62.18KB

This report provides an insight into the development of Community Empowerment Network (CEN) activities in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

There are clearly positive advancements being made by CENs and this report captures many of them, particularly those around representation, inclusivity, influence and how CENs are working together with LSPs.

Active Citizenship in the 21st Century - Literature Review and Resource List

Author: North East Empowerment Partnership | Published: March 2010 | 135.13KB

Literature and Resource List to accompany the 21st Century Citizen Report.

Civic Society Advice Sheet - An Overview

Author: Civic Society | Published: July 2006 | 25.16KB

Many civic societies were formed in the 1950s and 60s in response to concerns about what was happening to our cities, towns and villages as a result of post-war development.

Today?s civic societies are faced with many challenges: not least of these is the need to be able to demonstrate that they continue to have broad engagement with all sectors of their local community.

Communities and computers: Learning from the Residents.net Project

Author: Jeni Edge, Nicole Fuller and Iain Springate - Volcom | Published: March 2006 | 933.43KB

This is an evaluation of the 3 year Residents.net project, a network which was created by giving free PC's, training and support alongside subsidised internet access to community groups in Hull through funding from the Home Office's Active Communities Unit.

Communities, Perceptions and Civic Participation - a survey of public attitudes and activity

Author: Yorkshire Futures | Published: August 2008 | 1.6MB

This is the full report of the Communities, Perceptions and Civic Participation.

The study, the first using the Yorkshire and Humber Citizens Panel, investigated community participation and civic engagement. The region has opportunities to heighten both, and better understanding of citizen activity and viewpoints will help inform how to respond.

Communities, Perceptions and Civic Participation - a survey of public attitudes and activity - Summary

Author: Yorkshire Futures | Published: July 2008 | 108.42KB

The study, the first using the Yorkshire and Humber Citizens Panel, investigated community participation and civic engagement. The region has opportunities to heighten both, and better understanding of citizen activity and viewpoints will help inform how to respond.

Community engagement and community cohesion

Author: Geraldine Blake, John Diamond, Jane Foot, Ben Gidley, Marjorie Mayo, Kalbir Shukra and Martin Yarnit | Published: 2008 | 280.92KB

Governance and diversity: fluid communities, solid structures? What are the key questions and why is it so important to address them at the present time?

Devolution, democratic decentralisation and community engagement have emerged
as strategic themes across a range of policies to modernise public services,
improving public service delivery through the promotion of citizen participation and community empowerment.

This research project set out to explore these questions in order to inform policy and practice debates and, most importantly, to identify promising ways forward in the current policy context as this has developed in England.

Community participation - Who benefits?

Author: Joseph Rowntree Trust - Paul Skidmore, Kirsten Bound and Hannah Lownsbrough | Published: 2006 | 504.08KB

Politicians are interested in finding new ways to involve people in making decisions
about the way public services in their area are run. In the UK and in many other parts of the world, community participation in governance has moved from the margins towards the mainstream.

In Britain, new structures seek to promote community participation in the governance
of services like health (e.g. Foundation Hospital boards), economic regeneration (e.g. New Deal for Communities boards) and housing (e.g. tenant management organisations).

Through a review of the academic evidence and original research in two deprived neighbourhoods, the question it sought to address was ?Do policies to promote community participation in governance build social capital??

Engagement in Local Area Agreements

Author: South West Forum | Published: July 2008 | 552.95KB

In partnership with Government Office SW and Black SW Network, South West Forum conducted research on voluntary and community sector engagement in Local Area Agreements in 2008.

Essays on the Yorkshire and Humber Region

Author: Leeds Metropolitan University - John Shutt, Roger Henderson and Steve Johnson | Published: September 2006 | 926.02KB

This collection of essays on the regional economy provides an insight into the important applied research and consultancy work undertaken in the Yorkshire and Humber region by three centres within Leeds Metropolitan University: the Centre for Urban Development and Environmental Management (CUDEM); the European Regional Business and Economic Development Unit (ERBEDU) and the Policy Research Institute (PRI).

The collection demonstrates the wide ranging nature of activity undertaken in the units, such that the individual papers do not fit neatly into coherent themes. Nevertheless, three thematic areas are identified which reflect core areas within the work undertaken: Community and Enterprise; Labour Market and Sector Research; and Spatial Studies.

Heartland Territory

Author: Linda Joy Mitchell and Helen Bush | Published: June 2005 | 253.42KB

Heartland territory is how one voluntary and community organisation decribed the involvement of the sector in all those quality of life, anti-poverty strategies and inclusion projects that are known as public health.

The Regional Forum has been working to find out what the sector needs to boost its engagement in the public health agenda. A small grant from the Regional Public Health Group (in Government Office) and the Health Development Agency provided initial resources to commission a study.

Mapping the Contribution of the Voluntary and Community Sector in Yorkshire and the Humber

Author: The Regional Forum, Graha,m Lewis | Published: May 2001 | 214.26KB

The Regional Forum's research providing regional level data on the sector's contribution, focusing on number of organisations, employment, volunteering, and contribution to regional economy.

Opportunities for All: Widening Participation through the Adult and Community Learning Fund in Hull

Author: Iain Springate - Volcom | Published: June 2002 | 184.58KB

This report focuses on the running of an Adult and Community Learning Fund project run by Hull CVS. It draws out the good practice from the perspective of participating community groups, and highlights lessons to be learnt from the project.

Powerful Connections

Author: Linda Joy Mitchell and Helen Bush | Published: September 2004 | 206.45KB

This report presents key findings from the Powerful Connections research into how public agencies connect with the voluntary and community sector to influence policy and strategy.

Project Evaluation - Mindful Exercise

Author: The College of Chinese Physical Culture | Published: March 2003 | 155.34KB

The Mindful Exercise Project is using an innovative and challenging programme of holistic exercise.

It is developing the learning potential, health, fitness and life skills of disadvantaged people through a balanced mix of fun and training, which incorporates movement, dance and gymnastic-based exercise.
The Project commenced in July 2002 and is ended in March 2003. Well-qualified tutors of the College of
Chinese Physical Culture (CPC) are facilitating the Project in various community-based organisations in North East Derbyshire.

The aim of the Project is to give people without basic or key skills who have not participated in learning for some time and who have no or low levels of qualifications the opportunity to improve their life styles generally and to enhance their employability.

Promoting Inclusion and Partnership (PIP) project

Author: David Reid Sheffield University | Published: July 2006 | 309.24KB

This report provides an overview of the activities and outcomes of the Promoting Inclusion and Partnership (PIP) project. The final report on the PIP project delivers a commentary on how each of the project objectives was approached and tackled.

Refugee Engagement with Regional structures

Author: the social business company | Published: May 2006 | 91.09KB

The aim of this study was to examine Refugee Community Organisations (RCOs) and Refugee Community Foras? (RCF) participation in, and influence on, regional decision making structures in Yorkshire and Humberside, and how they can influence these more effectively.

Report of the Support Needs Audit

Author: Shirley Macredie | Published: March 2007 | 482.68KB

Through the Regional Forum, a grant was secured with Capacitybuilders to audit the support needs for LGB groups and
organisations in the Yorkshire and Humber region. This was the first time that an audit specifically for LGB communities had been undertaken.

Self Assessment Toolkit for Refugee Forums

Author: Dr Archana Choksi | Published: April 2006 | 40.24KB

This Toolkit offers a range of tools and ideas to guide Refugee Forums in developing strategic aims and objectives, establishing good practices, prioritising their activities, and continually improving and developing their work.

So What? Community Engagement Research in Yorkshire and Humber - Digest 1

Author: Regional Forum | Published: January 2006 | 83.41KB

This first research digest produced by the Regional Forum, with funding from the Active Citizenship Centre draws together a range of community engagement research from across our region.

It focuses on two themes:

Clarity of Purpose of Community Engagement

A Stronger Voice for the Voluntary and Community Sector

The debate amonsgt researchers, policy makers and community engagement practitioners was to identify practical ways in which community engagement processes could be improved. This digest captures those actions and suggestions for implementation.

So What? Community Engagement Research in Yorkshire and Humber - Digest 2

Author: Regional Forum Together we Can | Published: April 2006 | 102.53KB

The second digest from the Regional Forum. This digest focuses on Evidencing the Value & Impact of Community Participation and alternatives to the way we currently do Engagement.

Stepping Forward - Evaluation

Author: The College of Chinese Physical Culture | Published: October 2002 | 182.88KB

The Stepping Forward Project used an innovative and challenging programme of holistic exercise.

It developed the learning potential, health, fitness and life skills of young people and adults through a balanced mix of fun and training, which incorporated movement, dance and gymnastic-based exercise.

This evaluation is an assessment of individual impact.

Sub-Sectoral Research - Yorkshire and the Humber

Author: Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Forum in BME VCS Regional Panel | Published: 2007 | 119.85KB

This study builds on existing knowledge within the voluntary and community sector in Yorkshire and the Humber by identifying the main VCS sub sectors that exist in the region and the extent to which their support needs are being met through existing generic and specialist infrastructure. It will also identify any links to ChangeUp/Capacitybuilders activity. The regional VCS networks in all
9 English regions are undertaking the same research.

Taking Stock

Author: Creating Excellence | Published: March 2010 | 530.37KB

An overview of the learning from Empowering Communities, the SW Regional Empowerment Partnership, projects and research 2007-2010.

The 21st Century Citizen - Civic Activism in the North East

Author: North East Empowerment Partnership | Published: March 2010 | 1.01MB

The aim of this research was to establish why we in the north east are less likely to engage in civic activism than in the other English regions and to identify the barriers to standing for office in a political or voluntary capacity.

The research outputs will offer stakeholders an insight into public perceptions of civic participation which will help them target resources and recruitment more efficiently and effectively based on an informed understanding of the barriers to participation and a consideration of how these can be overcome.

The development needs of refugee communities in Leeds, Bradford & South Yorkshire

Author: Dr Archana Choksi with Marzieh Berenjin, Hlabera Chirwa and Dorine Nakuti | Published: July 2008 | 765.4KB

Refugee Community Organisations (RCOs) are seen as an essential agency for refugee integration. They act as a vital bridge between the refugee community and host society. They adopt a wide range of roles that include acting as intermediary, interpreter, educator, campaigner, negotiator,representative and advocate for refugee individuals or whole communities (Home Office 2005; Refugee Council and Refugee Action 2007).

This research set out to generate information about the current roles played by RCOs in the region, to
understand their current capacity in relation to meeting the demands placed
upon them and investigate their understandings, expectations and roles as the sector becomes more professionalised in its approach to policy influencinghow in the Yorkshire and Humber region, (Y&H).

Usual Suspects

Author: Regional Forum and Bradford University | Published: November 2004 | 136.86KB

An analysis of the online discussion facilitated by Bradford University's International Centre for Participation Studies and the Regional Forum's Active Partners Unit. This paper has been prepared by Heather Blakey of the International Centre for Participation Studies at University of Bradford.

62 people signed up to the week of debate largely, though not exclusively, people with a professional focus on promoting involvement and participation either through consultancy or paid work. 21 people actively participated in the discussion.