Community Development

COVID-19 has disproportionately affected the vulnerable, and will continue to do so in the economic downturn. Karen McArdle, co-author of 'The Impact of Community Work', champions the role of community work in frontline support as well as giving people a voice to be active citizens in the future.…Read more

Sue Kenny, co-editor of 'Populism, Democracy and Community Development', tracks the narratives underlying the dominant responses to COVID-19 and how, although seemingly contradictory, all in some way feed the populist agenda.…Read more

Alison Gilchrist and Marilyn Taylor, authors of 'The Short Guide to Community Development', discuss the challenges COVID-19 has caused for community development, and whether the pandemic will lead to a renewal of interest – and investment – in community and in public life.…Read more

Kirsty Forrester and Sue Briggs, co-authors of 'The Impact of Community Work', discuss how community work has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the challenges community workers are likely to face when moving out of lockdown without a clear route map.…Read more

Marjorie Mayo, author of 'Community-based Learning and Social Movements', explores the rapid increase in mutual aid groups in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges they are likely to face and whether they will help to build more hopeful communities for the future. …Read more

A decade after the AHRC launched the Connected Communities Programme, Dr Keri Facer, Professor of Educational and Social Futures, University of Bristol reflects back on some of the key learnings from this transformative national programme.…Read more

Ed Garrett, co-author of 'The Impact of Community Work', discusses why community work matters now more than ever, and how it is only through actually being out there in communities that we can really support marginalised voices.…Read more

Julia Downes discusses the increase in domestic violence during the COVID-19 lockdown and how transformative justice and mutual aid can help to address this harm in our communities. Includes a link to a resource kit with information, tools and practical tips to help individuals and mutual aid groups.…Read more

Katie Phillips, John S. Lee, Mark Casson and Catherine Casson, authors of 'Compassionate Capitalism', show how entrepreneurs in medieval Cambridge were practising social responsibility, offering lessons we can learn in relation to contemporary challenges.…Read more

Sue Cohen, a long time community development worker, reflects on her time working on co-produced research projects and the different opinions often held by academics and community practitioners.…Read more