EUKN - United Kingdom - Making connections: an evaluation of the Community Participation Programmes

Making connections: an evaluation of the Community Participation Programmes

Introduction

Presents the findings of an evaluation of the Community Participation Programmes (CPPs), which were set up as part of the government’s Neighbourhood Renewal strategy in the 88 most disadvantaged areas in England.

Description

This report:

presents the findings of an evaluation of the Community Participation Programmes;
provides some background information on the policy context, the CPPs and the evaluation framework;
looks at how the programmes were organised locally and what they did;
discusses their achievements and challenges; and
considers their future.

Background information

The research was commissioned to:

assess the extent to which the programmes were meeting the objectives of the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit’s Community Participation strategy;
assess the impact community participation funding was having on the delivery of the Neighbourhood Renewal strategy;
share good practice; and
inform future development.

The research for the report was conducted by the University of the West of England, COGS and the European Institute for Urban Affairs.

Methodology

The evaluation consisted of: a review of documentation about the programmes and interviews with key players, an email survey of all lead organisations for the three programmes and ten locality case studies.

Conclusions

The research concludes by identifying the CPPs’ main achievements, which include: building capacity, confidence and skills, providing an important new framework for networking and coordination at local level and involving the voluntary and community sector in governance. It also highlights some of the key challenges they face. Concludes that the programmes have the potential to achieve the goals set out by the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit. However, notes that the ability of local lead organisations and community empowerment networks to achieve this potential depends on three factors: time, context and sustainability.

Contact info

Neighbourhood Renewal Unit, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Phone: +44 8450 82 83 83
neighbourhoodrenewal@odpm.gsis.gov.uk

Publication date

01/03/2001

Project finished

Researcher

Marilyn Taylor et al, University of West England

Links

Neighbourhood Renewal Unit University of West England Communities and Organisations: Growth and Support (COGS)European Institute for Urban Affairs

Making connections: an evaluation of the Community Participation Programmes (PDF, Eng, 964KB)

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration

Keywords

Community development