Patterns of community involvement: what are they and can they be changed? Kirby Swales, Survey Research Centre

1 Key questions What is ‘community involvement’ and why should we be interested in it? What are the overall patterns of involvement ? Can change and policy impact be tracked ?

2 What is community involvement Volunteering in a local geographic context Distinct from ‘neighbourhliness’

3 Why encourage it? Better local decision-making Higher levels of cohesion Better social and economic outcomes Greater well-being ‘Collective efficacy’

4 What has or is being tried to support it? Neighbourhood regeneration programmes (e.g. Single Regeneration Budget), Taking Part Neighbourhood Planning Community Rights Community Organisers Community First National Citizens Service Other ‘Big Society’ and local initiatives

5 Understanding Society survey Complements Community Life survey Larger sample size (e.g. ethnic minority boost) Multi-purpose – helps put in context Can match on local area variables Key topics: volunteering, membership of organisations, neighbourhood attitudes module, voting Longitudinal analysis **

Some headline findings 1.

7 Membership of organisations

8 Neighbourhood attitudes

9 Sub-group analysis

Can change be tracked? 2.

11 Change over time (Community Life Survey)

12 Evaluation evidence ‘interventions have not had such an apparent impact on broader community social capital indicators’ Evaluation of New Deal for Communities programme – final report

13 Summary Active community involvement in UK society appears a relatively marginal activity but there is evidence to be more optimistic Actual involvement varies more than attitudes Challenging to identify any change: measurement or reality?

If you want further information or would like to contact the author, Kirby Swales Director, Survey Research Centre T E. Visit us online, natcen.ac.uk Thank you