Community Development: Connected Communities Cumbria (2017-2020)

‘Connected Communities Cumbria’ trained 120 children and young people as community researchers to conduct 646 doorstep interviews with residents from four low-income coastal communities. The research used a survey tool developed by the University of Lancashire to understand residents’ social networks, resources, health and well-being, and perceptions of the local community (Parsfield et al., 2015). The young researchers shared their results at public events and collaborated with community stakeholders to co-create interventions to meet the community’s needs identified by the research. The research findings shaped a co-produced ‘Children’s Charter’ adopted by Copeland Borough Council and informed the creation of three new organisations, collectively raising over £10,000 for community projects. Moreover, opportunities for children and young people to build relationships with the local authorities and other significant stakeholders promoted social inclusion.

Outputs and Impact:

  • Celebrating Connected Communities: Social Inclusion Festival: 3rd November 2019, The Beacon, Whitehaven.
  • Connected Communities with Cumbria Constabulary: Tuesday 27th November 2018, University of Lancashire Westlakes Campus, Moor Row.
  • Wilson, S., Ridley, J., & Morris, D. (2024). Understanding the impact on children’s citizenship of participating in community-based action research. Citizenship Studies, 1-21.
  • Wilson, S. and Morris, D. (2023). Ormsgill Stronger Together. Project Report.
  • Wilson, S. and Morris, D. (2023). Moorclose Stronger Together. Project Report.
  • Wilson, S. and Morris, D. (2020). Connected Communities Mirehouse. Project Report.
  • Wilson, S. and Morris, D. (2020). Connected Communities Woodhouse. Project Report.
  • Wilson, S. (2019). Child poverty is at a 20-year high – but in one English community, children themselves are intervening. The Conversation, 15.04.2019. Available at: https://theconversation.com/child-poverty-is-at-a-20-year-high-but-in-one-english-community-children-themselves-are-intervening-115177 [accessed on 14.09.2021]
  • Wilson, S. (2019). Let’s teach our children to connect as well as count – why schools need more community in the curriculum. The Conversation, 16.08.2019. Available at: https://theconversation.com/lets-teach-our-children-to-connect-as-well-as-count-why-schools-need-more-community-in-the-curriculum-119758  [accessed on 14.09.2021].
  • Wilson, S. (2019). "Police are people too": Revised perceptions and critical reflections of police-community identities. In: Identity, Diversity, Community Cohesion and Conflict: What Now?, 26 June 2019, University of Central Lancashire, Preston. Available at: http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/28851/ [accessed on 14.09.2021].
  • Wilson, S. (2019). Cultivating Citizenship though Community Capital. In: XVI European Congress of Psychology 2019, 2-5 July 2019, Moscow, Russia. Available at: http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/28852/ [accessed on 14.09.2021].
  • Wilson, S. (2019). Developing an Intergenerational Approach to Social Isolation through Connected Communities in West Cumbria. In: ODESSA PROJECT SYMPOSIUM: Towards Ageing-in-place: Policy and Practice Options, 1 March 2019, Royal Institute of British Architects, London. Available at: http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/28849/ [accessed on 14.09.2021].
  • Wilson, S. and Williamson, E. (2019). Cultivating Citizenship through Connected Communities: Challenging Intergenerational Loneliness through Youth Led Co-Production. In: Communities for Change Seminar, 26 June 2019. Available at: http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/28853/ [accessed on 14.09.2021].
  • Wilson, S. (2018). Community Capital: The Value of Connected Communities. In: The British Psychological Society Annual Conference 2018, 2-4 May 2018, East Midlands Conference Centre. Available at: http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/28847/ [accessed on 14.09.2021].
  • Wilson, S. (2018). Cultivating Citizenship through Community Capital. In: 5th Conference in Community Psychology in Slovakia, 3-4 December 2018, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava. Available at: http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/28848/ [accessed on 14.09.2021].
  • Wilson, S. and Morris, D. (2017). Community Capital: The Value of Connected Communities. In: British Psychological Society Community Psychology Festival 2017, 15th to 16th September 2017, Arnolfini Centre for Contemporary Art, Bristol. Available at: http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/20667/ [accessed on 14.09.2021].
  • Wilson, S. (2018). Community Capital: The Value of Connected Communities. In: The British Psychological Society Annual Conference 2018, 2-4 May 2018, East Midlands Conference Centre. Available at: http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/28847/ [accessed on 14.09.2021].
  • Wilson, S. (2018). Cultivating Citizenship through Community Capital. In: 5th Conference in Community Psychology in Slovakia, 3-4 December 2018, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava. Available at: http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/28848/ [accessed on 14.09.2021].
  • Wilson, S. and Morris, D. (2017). Community Capital: The Value of Connected Communities. In: British Psychological Society Community Psychology Festival 2017, 15th to 16th September 2017, Arnolfini Centre for Contemporary Art, Bristol. Available at: http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/20667/ [accessed on 14.09.2021].
  • Winner of the 2019 Golden Apple Award for Best Community Initiative

Public value was achieved locally by supporting the establishment of new community organisations (Ormsgil Stronger Together, South Whitehaven Youth Project) and contributing to the generation of income for existing community organisations. Moreover, the research lead the development of a co-produced policy adopted by Copeland Borough Council (Children’s Charter).

Partners, collaborators and active networks