The Centre for Collaboration in Community Connectedness (C4) will bring together partners from across the UK in the research, community, policy and civil society sectors, to develop and scale up successful community leadership approaches. 

The Centre will find and share the most effective community action strategies, providing invaluable insights for both local and national policymaking, to help create equal opportunities wherever people live. 

Funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) as part of its work to create opportunities and improve outcomes, the Centre will examine the diverse landscape of community activities, analysing what works, and what doesn’t. The goal is to establish robust evidence and infrastructure, enabling successful approaches to be scaled up and replicated.

The Centre's research will focus on key areas including:

• Community: where people live and their connections with their neighbours
• Relationships: identifying which social interactions are most meaningful in tackling poverty, isolation and mental health
• Social Capital: looking at the benefits derived from networks and relationships.

This ambitious project is led by Sheffield Hallam University in collaboration with regional and national partners - Queen’s, Clackmannanshire Third Sector Interface, Darnall Well Being, Local Trust, London Metropolitan University, The Brixton Project, University of Stirling, Black Mountains College and The Young Foundation. 

Five new hubs, or catapult sites, will be created in Alloa, Belfast, Brixton, Sheffield and Talgarth, to help ensure successful initiatives are captured and shared across the UK.

Professor Kathryn Higgins, Director of the Queen’s Communities and Place (QCAP) initiative, said:

"QCAP and our community partners in the Market Development Association, are delighted and privileged to be part of this truly groundbreaking initiative. Our research with communities in Northern Ireland will significantly benefit from this excellent UK wide collaboration.

"Queen’s involvement in the project also allows evidence from Northern Ireland to feed into the National Agenda, ensuring that Northern Ireland's unique insights contribute to the broader UK framework."

Sarah Pearson, Professor of Social Research in the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research at Sheffield Hallam University, said:

"Connected communities are defined as those with high levels of social bonds and cohesion, where people have good relationships, a sense of pride and belonging, and the ability to cooperate within and between places to address challenges and seize opportunities.

"The Centre represents a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between academic research and community action. By working closely with communities and decision-makers, we aim to create a more connected and resilient society."

The Centre for Collaboration in Community Connectedness is one of five UKRI-wide 'creating opportunities, improving outcomes' themed initiatives, aimed at harnessing the full power of the UK’s research and innovation system to tackle large-scale, complex challenges.

Media

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