‘Being Involved in Community Based Research; Lessons from the Objective 1 South Yorkshire Context’

This article reports the findings of a qualitative investigation into community based research within the Objective 1 Programme, South Yorkshire. Based upon semi-structured interviews with participants undertaking community based research and then developing action plans based upon the research findings, the study highlights the issues associated with involvement in such research from participant’s perspectives. Beginning with an examination of involvement in research and then moving on to discuss the wider issues of involvement in regeneration and partnerships, the article argues that despite the increased policy focus on bottom-up approaches, involvement is complex and conceptualised in a number of different ways and therefore requires further investigation

Locally Directed Policy and the Fostering of Social Capital Within Regeneration: The Case of Objective 1 South Yorkshire

This article reports the findings of a qualitative study on the impact of community-based research within the South Yorkshire Objective 1 Programme. Based upon semi-structured interviews with participants who conducted community-based research, the study highlights the social capital impacts arising from the use of such research within development practice particularly in terms of the formation of networks and the development of trust. Although community-based research can enhance social capital, the study demonstrates that this is a complex process and as such is not an easy tool to harness and use within the policy-making process

Using community-based research within regeneration. The role of the researcher within community-based approaches - exploring experiences within Objective 1 South Yorkshire

Much attention has been given in recent years to involving community members in research within a number of fields including community development. Indeed, there is a large amount of literature outlining what this process involves and describes the benefits and problems of doing such research across a range of contexts. There has also been some discussion of the different approaches that can be applied under the umbrella of community-based research and their relationship to the outcomes associated with both successful and positive community development. Yet very little attention has been paid to the actual experiences of these lay researchers involved in community-based research in relation to their roles. The nature of the researcher's role as work thus requires critical consideration. This article examines the role of lay researchers within four different approaches to community-based research used for the development of community action plans within the Objective 1, South Yorkshire context. This article reports upon differential roles and types of work in relation to both experiences and outcomes. The article, therefore, addresses what these different researcher roles tell us about community-based research and outlines the implications in relation to community development. © 2013 Taylor & Francis

The community health apprentices project-the outcomes of an intermediate labour market project in the community health sector

This paper reports on the outcomes of the Community Health Apprentices Project, an intermediate labour market (ILM) project delivered in two neighbouring areas of Bradford, England. The project was illustrative of current UK policy in its attempt to both address unemployment and health inequalities. The aim of the paper is to improve understanding of the type and range of outcomes that can result from ILM projects based in the community health sector. A qualitative evaluation was undertaken and interviews were carried out with three groups of stakeholders: the community health apprentices, key informants in the placement organisations and the delivery partners. Findings show that both anticipated and unanticipated outcomes occurred in relation to increased skills for work, improved health and well-being and improved organisational capacity. While there are contextual factors which make this project unique, the findings illustrate the potential range of outcomes that can be achieved when social and emotional support is offered in tandem with work experience. The findings further highlight the organisational benefits of investing in local people to deliver community health work. The paper concludes that in order to build an evidence base for ILM approaches, a broader understanding of outcomes needs to be developed, taking into account social and health outcomes as well as economic indicators

Evaluating a gender-specific intensive intervention programme: young women's voices and experiences.

Disadvantaged young women in England have been documented as having unmet needs. This has resulted in the growth of gender-specific intensive intervention programmes in which a more holistic women-centred service approach is still being implemented. Gender matters because structural inequalities (bias and disadvantaging societal conditions) that girls are born into influences health, their outcomes and associated inequalities. Policy-makers frequently call for the outcomes of intervention programmes to be quantified and whilst this is important it can miss opportunities for critical insights into the subjective experiences of participants as well as the context and circumstances within which change occurs. This paper reports evaluation findings from a prototype project (The Way Forward) with a remit focused upon holistic improvement, using gender specific methods and approaches to promote health for disadvantaged young women within a community setting. This paper documents the voices of young women within the project, illustrated through their creation of storyboards within focus group discussions, and interview data from their support workers (Engagement Workers). Findings illustrate the importance of the relational dimension of one to one support in achieving future positive changes in the lives of young women, as well as the complexity associated with attempts to improve their health. This paper therefore presents the young women’s perspectives and experiences as well as an accompanying narrative discussing how the service enabled them to make health-related improvements with its main contribution being in the user voices

Neoliberal salvation through a gendered intervention: A critical analysis of vulnerable young women's talk.

Within the United Kingdom (UK) in recent years, disadvantaged young women have been documented as having unmet needs and experiencing inequalities resulting from their gender. Gendered social divisions are important because the structural inequalities that girls are born into influence their life chances. In response, UK policy-makers have funded intensive interventions for these ‘at-risk’ young women. This paper presents a post-structuralist, feminist analysis of young women’s talk about their journeys through a gendered support project. The project was specifically women-centred and aimed to promote early intervention and resilience working with relatively disadvantaged young women defined as being in risky life circumstances. The project used holistic, individually-focused, wrap-around support systems to engage vulnerable young women and meet their specific needs. Focus groups were carried out with the young women using creative methods of data collection. The young women were asked to make a storyboard illustrating their journey through the project and the impact it had had on them. They were then encouraged to reflect on, and talk about, their experiences. The young women took up various discourses in order to make sense of their life experiences and their involvement in the project. These include neoliberal discourses such as talk of self-improvement, reinvention and aspirations of self-control. The social and political implications of the analysis are discussed including a key argument that the young women’s discursive practices reinforce hegemonic gendered identities, neoliberal ideology and existing structural inequalities

Evaluation Framework Review Open Doors: Help through Crisis (GIPSL and Getaway Girls)

The Open Doors, Help Through Crisis Project (HTC) was set up in 2017 as a partnership approach between three third sector, community based organisations within Harehills and Gipton. The three partner organisations are: 1. GIPSIL (Gipton Supported Independent Living Limited), providing accommodation and housing-related support, an advice service and support to access and sustain employment, education and training, principally to young people (16-24); 2. Archway Resource Centre in Harehills (a project of Renew), providing 1-1 support, counselling, family work and mediation services as well as floating support to young people living independently; 3. Getaway Girls in Harehills, enabling vulnerable young women aged 11-25 to build confidence, develop new skills and take positive risks in an environment which offers co-operation and support. This report presents the findings from an evaluation framework review of Open Doors (HLC) conducted by the Centre for Health Promotion Research, Leeds Beckett University. It presents evidence about our methodological review and recommendations that emerge from this