Current and future research

Through our research programme we investigate the experience of those organising in their communities, to share good ideas, and to provide evidence to develop policy and influence Government. We carry out research on our own, and also work with others to get the most from different experience and expertise.

Between now and April 2012 Urban Forum is working on a number of interesting new research projects:

We're embarking on new research into what the government's Big Society policies means for small, informal community groups in deprived areas, what the lessons are from recent regeneration efforts, the perspectives of community groups on different community organising approaches, and what these mean specifically in relation to policies on neighbourhood planning, the Community Organisers national programme, transparency and open data, and community rights. This work is funded by the Office for Civil Society (OCS).

We are working on two action research projects

In Dudley we have joined forces with Urban Forum member, Dudley CVS, to research attitudes and awareness around the community rights agenda and to work with local activists and the council to develop and implement an action plan for community rights in Dudley. The project will work through till March 2011. This work is funded by Barrow Cadbury and the Dept of Communities and Local Government (CLG) Empowerment Fund.

In Manchester we are working with the Centre for Local Economic Strategies to research community resilience of neighbouring boroughs of Cheetham Hill and Broughton, and to work with community groups, councillors and local authority officers to identify how new alliances and ways of working can support existing community activity and build on this. This work is funded by Tudor Trust, and Manchester City Council.

If you want to talk to us about our research please contact our Head of Policy and Research, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

For details of previous research click here