Changing neighbourhoods: Lessons from the JRF Neighbourhood Programme

Description

This book shares the experience of a four-year programme that was set up to explore how neighbourhood activity could best be supported. It follows the progress of 20 very different neighbourhood organisations across three countries to explore the opportunities and challenges of neighbourhood renewal from a community perspective. As well as testing out 'light touch' ways of offering support to community organisations, the report explores how different policies are working out on the ground; what it is realistic to expect of local residents and what needs to happen at agency level in order to address the 'implementation gap'. It will be valuable reading for policy makers and practitioners in the field of community engagement and neighbourhood renewal, as well as students and others who want an overview of how groups and organisations work at neighbourhood level in England, Scotland and Wales.

Marilyn Taylor is Professor of Urban Governance and Regeneration at University of the West of England, Bristol. She has written widely for policy and practice audiences on community engagement and neighbourhood working. Mandy Wilson is a director of COGS (Communities and Organisations: Growth and Support), a research and training consultancy based in Sheffield. Her work aims to link policy and practice in the fields of community development, community involvement, and regeneration and renewal. Derrick Purdue is Senior Research Fellow in the Cities Research Centre at University of the West of England, Bristol. His work on social movements and community studies has been published widely. Pete Wilde is a director of COGS. He specialises in community-based evaluation and learning.