Repository
A curated and searchable collection of community-related research reports, case studies and publications
Evidence of the lived experiences of poverty in the UK
Published: 2024
This synthesis report outlines The Young Foundation’s work exploring the nature of poverty and low income in the UK since 2009. It feeds into a thematic review compiled for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation by GMCVO.
The Civic Journey: introducing the idea
Published: 2023
The Civic Journey is a transformational two-year youth-led programme that was launched in September 2021. Against a backdrop of increasing evidence concerning social polarisation and community fragmentation, the programme focuses on illuminating and unleashing the civic potential of young people to reinvigorate communities, identify innovative …
Lessons in community-led housing
Published: 2023
In 2017 Power to Change launched its Homes in Community Hands programme, to support community led housing (CLH). Focusing on five urban areas across England, the programme has helped plan and develop individual housing projects, develop enabler organisations, and capitalise other investment and funding mechanisms. These three reports summarise …
Young People in Community Business: A legacy report from the #iwill programme
Published: 2023
This report is the legacy of the #iwill project, funded by the Dulverton Trust in partnership with the #iwill Fund (a joint investment between The National Lottery Community Fund and Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport), and delivered by the Plunkett Foundation from 2022 to 2023 – to help community businesses engage, involve and …
Five years of Empowering Places: Evaluation report
Published: 2023
Empowering Places was designed by Power to Change as an experiment to explore what happens when local anchor organisations are supported to catalyse community businesses in deprived communities in England.
This evaluation report is the final in a series of six reports and several short
ethnographic films. The interim reports took a formative a…
Third Sector Trends in England and Wales 2022: Full suite of reports
Published: 2023
Third Sector Trends has been running since 2008. The study has been surveying the sector every three years since 2010 and as such is the largest survey of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in England and Wales.
In 2022, 6,071 responses were received across England and Wales (an average of ~600 responses in each region). Des…
How can events help build connected, happy and thriving communities?
Published: 2023
This inquiry was set up on the tenth anniversary of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in order to learn the lessons of past events and to identify how we can capitalise on the power of events to facilitate and encourage wider social and economic change.
Chaired by Sir Tom Hughes-Hallett, the Inquiry’s 25 members have taken evidenc…
Space for community: strengthening our social infrastructure
Published: 2023
The British Academy and Power to Change commissioned the Bennett Institute for Public Policy and the Institute for Community Studies to undertake two related research projects. The first of these explored examples of international policy interventions that aim to strengthen social infrastructure to draw out learning for UK policymakers. The sec…
Communities doing it for themselves: Celebrating a decade of the Community Shares Unit
Published: 2023
It has been a decade since the Community Shares Unit launched in 2012 with over £210 million raised using this unique form of finance. This report aims to provide a detailed and inspiring update on the community shares market while celebrating key milestones, innovations and learnings over the last ten years.
Community perceptions of social infrastructure
Published: 2023
‘Social infrastructure’ is a phrase often used by policymakers and academics to refer to those spaces – both physical and digital – that people use to come together. In its 2021 report, Backing our Neighbourhoods, Power to Change, the independent trust that strengthens communities through community business, made the case for a more coh…
Durability in the community business sector
Published: 2023
Durability – concerning the conditions and qualities community businesses might possess to enable their long-term operation in a community – is thought to play an important role in the success and sustainability of the community business sector. This report summarises findings from a desk-based review of 18 publications commissioned by Powe…
Evaluation of the Next Generation programme for Community Energy – innovation Year 3
Published: 2023
Year 3 report and summary findings about the innovation strand of the Next Generation programme for community energy businesses, by Power to Change. The report covers the processes used and impacts, as well as sharing learning from the programme for the benefit of community groups, policy makers and other community energy stakeholders.