Susan Coan

To date, open science, particularly open data, in psychology has focused on quantitative research. This article aims to explore ethical and practical issues encountered by UK-based psychologists utilising open qualitative datasets. Semi-structured telephone interviews with eight qualitative psychologists were explored using a framework analysis. From the findings, we offer a context-consent meta-framework as a resource to help in the design of studies sharing their data and/or studies using open data. We recommend secondary studies conduct archaeologies of context and consent to examine if the data available are suitable for their research questions. This research is the first we know of in the study of “doing” (or not doing) open science, which could be repeated to develop a longitudinal picture or complemented with additional approaches, such as observational studies of how context and consent are negotiated in preregistered studies and open data.

This case study describes how an established peer research approach was adapted from face-to-face to remote delivery in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. It will introduce the benefits and challenges of peer research in general and how this translates to the virtual domain. We will highlight strengths of a remote approach as well as reflecting on how to compensate for key components of participatory work which usually require the academic researcher to be physically present in the area. The peer research project discussed here was part of an evaluation of a national empowerment programme in areas experiencing disadvantage. In two previous rounds of peer research, peer researchers took part in two days of face-to-face training and a one-day workshop to analyse the data. This project involved peer researchers exploring residents’ experiences of ‘gatekeepers’ in their community (‘gatekeepers’ were defined as anyone who makes decisions on whether others can access services, support or funding). Training, support, data collection, and analysis had to be adapted to be remote, with specific attention to building trust, tailoring content for shorter online training, and the ethics of a) whether it was appropriate to carry out research at all during the pandemic and b) how to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of the peer researchers and research participants. This case study is a collaboration between the academic researcher and community worker involved in the project and serves as a means of reflecting on the process of participatory research and to further build on the partnership.

Communities have a vital role to play in physical & mental health & wellbeing & promoting healthy behaviours. Universities have a wealth of resources and are a significant player in building healthier communities. In the current climate of austerity where funding is scarce, universities can support charities to deliver services the local authority can no longer offer Leeds Beckett community-campus collaborations place emphasis on a community-centred approach for health and wellbeing, as social connections & influence on local decisions are major factors in good health.

This paper draws on a secondary analysis of qualitative data from ten years of evaluation work with gender specific (women only) Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) providers, delivering feminist interventions in support of vulnerable women and girls, with complex needs. This paper addresses the research question of what works for women and girls, from their viewpoints. The interventions evaluated varied from local to national level however, the comparative analysis of women’s voices across these, distils common factors for success, illustrating practice transferability via the representation of a model of support, based on six key themes:. . a women-centred and gender-specific service;. being heard;. a holistic, client-led approach;. being able to connect with others in a safe and supportive environment; flexibility of delivery and support and, finally, the VCS location of services. This evidence-based women-centred model informs policy makers of what works for women, accessing VCS support.

A Community Research project was co-produced with community members who received training and support from a Leeds Beckett University researcher. Four people chose to become Community Researchers on this project: 3 Afghan men living in temporary hotel accommodation in Bradford and one British woman who volunteers with a housing association. They attended 3 training sessions on research, survey design, and research ethics. The Community Researchers created a survey with the Leeds Beckett researcher and then used the survey independently. The male Community Researchers spoke to other Afghan men and the female Community Researcher spoke to Afghan women. The women felt more comfortable answering as a group. The group had 5 weeks to collect information using the surveys. The Community and University Researchers analysed the information from the survey together and the findings are summarised in this report.

The Key project was set up in 2013 as a prototype approach aiming to support disadvantaged and vulnerable girls and young women, aged between 13 and 25 within the Leeds area. The project is located within Womens Health Matters, a charitable provider of gender-specific services in Leeds. This report presents the findings from an evaluation of The Key conducted by the Centre for Health Promotion Research, Leeds Beckett University. It presents evidence about the project’s journey, the outcomes for young women as a result of working with the project and overall learning from the project.

Background: Domestic abuse is a public health issue, and increasing evidence suggests that young women are more likely to suffer than older women, yet limited evidence exists in England about educational programmes and programmes for young women at risk. Study’s objectives: To evaluate a gender specific (women-only) programme aimed at educating young women aged 13-25 about abuse and staying safe in one English city. Setting: A third sector (charitable) organisation, aiming to improve women’s health across one English city delivered the programme over a three-year period, funded by the Big Lottery. Young women received both peer and one to one support, to educationally inform them, develop their skills and improve their capabilities in responding to abuse. Method: This qualitative evaluation captured the perspectives of young women accessing the programme (n=33), exploring the positive difference that it made to their lives. We also captured the views of internal stakeholders in 2018 (n=2), then followed up in 2020 (n=3), and external stakeholders referring young women to the programme (n=8). Results: The programme met its aims. Self-reported changes in young women’s lives included increased knowledge about staying safe and being happier. Some young women gained or retained custody of their children, and others exited harmful relationships. Young women identified a range of mechanisms of success including a non-judgemental approach from workers, peer support and a trusted space in which to meet and learn. The programme increased young women’s skills to stay safe whilst improving their mental wellbeing. Conclusion: The programme worked well for young women who accessed it. However, it could not reach all of those in need, was only funded in the short-term, and tended to individualise the responsibility for staying safe. Further research is needed into other community-based educational programmes to provide evidence of their effectiveness as well as transferrable models for workers in other contexts.

Small amounts of funding at a very local level were easy to apply for and processed rapidly. The funding model used as part of this project supported a tailored approach with a personal touch, so workers felt able to provide people within their communities of interest with what they needed. The model of delivery involving trusted organisations and community members working together to respond to Covid19. The model was described favourably by all evaluation participants. The peer support aspect of the model was unique and welcome. Learning about what other groups were doing improved professional practice, provided feedback and moral support, and promoted referrals/signposting as well as collaboration and partnership work. Project outputs funded by the grant scheme were described positively by professionals and included the delivery of small-scale projects and the development of resources. Evaluation participants identified important outcomes from the project as a whole such as the creation of a supportive network and capacity building; shared learning and tailored support from Forum Central and Leeds City Council as well as increased partnership working. Some participants discussed how the grant scheme had raised morale, at a time when this was much needed. Community members also described positive benefits from being involved in the grant scheme. For example, learning new skills (IT); developing skills (working professionally); delivering projects that they tailored to support their own community of interest; improving their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of others in the community; and communicating up to date Covid19 information about safety through their own local networks. Participant characteristics were intersectional.

This paper draws upon a three year longitudinal qualitative evaluation of a voluntary sector strategic partnership and delivery project involving eleven women-centred organisations. The consortium worked together to support the most vulnerable women and girls across a city in the north of England over a four year period (2017-2021), funded by the Big Lottery (charity). The partnership of 11 different women-centred and female led organisations delivered front-line services which aimed to enable women and girls to lead safer and healthier lives. Partners combined their expertise to support women with multiple needs including: mental health, domestic abuse, sexual violence and exploitation, experience of the criminal justice system, sex work and substance misuse. The project aimed to achieve 3 outcomes: 1. Improved and extended access for vulnerable women and girls across the city to the services and support they want, when they choose 2. A holistic response to ensure that the needs of women and girls with multiple and complex issues are better supported 3. Women and girls will be empowered to support their peers and influence service delivery, development and design across the city Our evaluation placed the project staff, partners, stakeholders and service users at the centre of qualitative data collection, drawing upon a co-produced Theory of Change approach to data collection. Our sample of 34 service users, 54 professionals (19 of which were repeat interviews) and monitoring data shows that the project successfully met its objectives and developed a model of practice that can be used in other contexts to support and empower women in need. This paper will describe key lessons from the evaluation focusing on the model of the project (service delivery) within the partnership setting. The service involved complex needs workers supporting women holistically for up to 9 months; an outreach community engagement service; the development of a virtual service directory; women and girls’ hubs; and peer support. Paper is of interest: This paper reports evaluation findings from examining the largest gender-specific consortia in the UK who came together specifically to support women and girls across one city, drawing upon feminist principles to empower those defined as the most vulnerable. This was a successful model of support (service) within a problematic partnership.

This case study considers moving health promotion evaluation practice online to allow the continuation of data gathering safely in Covid19 and the implications of this for all of those involved; researchers and participants alike. We outline the methods that we used to conduct a commissioned evaluation online because of the Covid19 restrictions imposed in England at the time of our study. Evaluation is an activity that remains central to health promotion practice because it is concerned with assessing whether interventions are effective (Green and South 2006). This evaluation focused upon qualitatively assessing the Third Sector and community response to Covid19 across one city in the North of England. We aimed to use a people centered approach to our data collection to explore the impacts and outcomes arising from small grants awarded to different communities (young people, ethnically diverse groups, older people, Travelers, men) by capturing the importance of service user experiences in our work. We learned to be flexible, to consider the importance of offering a variety of mechanisms to facilitate participant involvement and to expand our ethical considerations because of the implications of online data gathering.

Breathing Space was a women-centred project, funded by the Tampon Tax Fund through the Department of Digital Culture Media and Sport. It aimed to reduce distress and the harmful impact of domestic abuse on women and their children. The focus of this project was support for women who have suffered complex trauma and are experiencing difficulties in their lives as a result. WHM provided safe space for women to “stabilize”, helping women to access internal and external resources and develop stress management skills and so address the critical first stage of trauma recovery. Breathing Space ran from August 2017 until March 2020. This report documents the findings from an independent evaluation of Breathing Space, drawing upon qualitative and quantitative data collected throughout the delivery period of the project.

The Key Project receives Big Lottery funding to support disadvantaged girls and young women (aged between 13 and 25) deemed to be at high risk of abuse within the Leeds area, aiming to work with 324 individuals. The Key is hosted by a voluntary sector provider of gender-specific (women-only) health focused programmes. This paper presents the interim findings from an on-going longitudinal evaluation of The Key. The evaluation draws on data collection from creative focus group activities with young women, semi-structured interviews with project staff and referrers, as well as desk-based analysis of internal monitoring data. The Key model of delivery provides young women with peer support (weekly group sessions) and additional one to one intensive support where required, to educate them and develop their knowledge and capabilities in being better able to identify and respond appropriately to abusive relationships. The Key aims to increase young women’s skills to stay safe and to improve their mental wellbeing. In the evaluation data so far, young women report a variety of positive outcomes as a result of their engagement with The Key, including being better able to recognise abuse, increase their safety and capacity to be in control. Many reported increased self-confidence.

This case study considers the use of creative methods that have been used in evaluation research to capture and explore the views of service users receiving support in the context of two gendered interventions. We outline the use of a cake metaphor and a simple writing exercise as creative data collection tools to use with focus group scenarios. The cake metaphor enabled women to describe one thing (the way a group worked) by using the analogy of another (the baking of a cake). The writing activity was a useful tool to report the stories of some women in an exact form, with words that came directly from them. These activities were designed to give service users voice, by more actively engaging them within data-making whilst we explored serious and emotional subject matter. We applied these methods as they are in keeping with the feminist values that underpin our approach to research, and they were viewed positively by our funders. The use of creative methods described here was combined with other traditional methods, not discussed in depth in this case study. The results from the writing activity were captured in photographs as well as a slide show with accompanying narrative. The metaphor work is more traditionally presented with descriptive themes as well as a photograph. We learned to be flexible, and to consider the importance of both purpose and timing in using such tools.

The Key Project received Big Lottery funding to continue its work in 2017, aiming to work with disadvantaged girls and young women at high risk of abuse aged between 13 and 25 within the Leeds area. The project is located within Women’s Health Matters, a charitable provider of gender-specific services in Leeds. This report presents the overall evaluation findings from a longitudinal co-produced model of data collection conducted by the Centre for Health Promotion Research, Leeds Beckett University.

A REPORT ON A SIX SESSION TASTER COURSE OPEN TO PEOPLE CONSIDERING UNIVERSITY STUDY OR WITH AN INTEREST IN KNOWING MORE ABOUT LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY FOR UNDER-REPRESENTED GROUPS.

Report of Leeds ACTS seedcorn funding collaboration between Leeds Beckett University and Health For All

In 2021, Starks Consulting Ltd, in partnership with Leeds Beckett University, was commissioned by the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership (WYHCP) to report on the merits and challenges of delivering online courses for parents across West Yorkshire. This report provides the WYHCP with the findings from the research, which was conducted over four months from October 2021 to January 2022.

This chapter details a case study of a place-based model of funded feminist leadership in one city, in Northern England. Feminists recognise that traditional and historical models of leadership have often excluded women because economic, social and political power has been male dominated (Batliwala, 2021). For the purposes of this chapter feminist leadership is viewed as a transformative space where women can, and do, lead in counter-traditional ways. Using data from a 3-year qualitative longitudinal evaluation, this chapter assesses the contributions and challenges of a collective feminist partnership involving eleven organisations of varied sizes. Partners joined together to secure Big Lottery funding, from the Women and Girls Initiative. Frontline services focused upon project delivery, using specialist workers to support women with complex needs (mental health, sex workers, domestic abuse survivors, newly arrived migrant women, and women who had children removed), awareness raising in community settings via educational sessions, and spaces for women to contribute to strategic decision making via hubs. Intended outcomes were to improve and extended access for vulnerable women and girls the services and support they wanted, when they chose; to create a holistic response to ensure that women’s complex and multiple needs were better supported, and to empower women and girls to support their peers and influence service delivery, development and design across the city. A model of feminist collective, relational leadership was implemented in geographical place to deliver these gender-specific services, create evidence of gendered need, advocate for women and secure further funding. These achievements were based on local city knowledge, historical work by voluntary and community sector organisations (VCSOs), integration with the statutory sector, and feminist commitment to making gender specific improvements. This chapter discusses the model of leadership, outlines the external successful impacts arising from feminist leadership in place and, using a feminist lens, offers critical analysis of internal power dynamics within the leadership team. Positive impact masked multifaceted internal disagreements and tensions, challenging leadership spaces, and barriers to an equal collective. Attempts were made to resolve these issues with varying degrees of success. Feminist values were applied to collective leadership to support partner organisations smaller in size, with limited access to resources and mechanisms of local power. However, despite commitments from all involved to centre women’s issues in place, the internal leadership dynamics reflected wider societal power relations and hidden hierarchies, underpinned by a neo-liberal competitive funding environment. Our critical analysis shows that internally within the partnership, white, predominantly middle-class women led on everything. This book chapter discusses feminist place-based leadership in practice and its role in promoting justice and equality, considering issues of ethnicity, class, and other characteristics, and concludes by outlining lessons for the Voluntary and Community Sector as well as recommendations for partnership leaders and areas for future research.

People from the Global South, including women who migrate, have neglected experiences in research. After consultation, this project aimed to explore Global Southern migrants’ experiences with housing. Study 1 surveyed 158 migrants (75% female) revealing mixed conditions (e.g., 27% poor heating), challenges with housing providers (11% intimidation) and housemates (21% hid religion/ sexuality). Study 2 through peer-led interviews and focus groups with 25 migrant students (68% female) also highlighted mixed experiences including family accommodation support against racism, bureaucracy and isolation (e.g., “[I wish there was] a way that [I] can still like make friends”). Attending to these experiences not only challenges psychology’s colonial dominance but also emphasizes the critical importance of decent housing, especially for vulnerable groups like migrant women.

In the context of on-going high rates of domestic abuse in England, the voluntary and community sector increasingly provides specialist domestic violence and abuse (DVA) services to support women in local community settings. This paper discusses a qualitative evaluation of one programme, working to support female survivors with mental health needs. A locally based support programme worked with women in one city in England over a two-year period. 34 service users, and 8 professionals contributed to interviews and focus groups in support of the evaluation. Our framework analysis identified key themes using survivor voice in respect of the importance of trauma-informed support, adding to the evidence base about effective recovery work in the voluntary and community sector. The defining features of trauma-informed support, safety, trust, choice, collaboration and empowerment were evident in the service model, which led to positive outcomes for survivors who engaged with the programme. The model of provision discussed here is transferrable beyond the voluntary and community sector. Learning from the programme suggests that DVA services can focus on the mental health needs of survivors, using trauma-informed support to enhance recovery.

This case study discusses an evaluation research project that used mixed methods to explore the impact of a National Health Service (NHS) pilot clinics that were set up to treat non-pregnant women with Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in England in 2019. The key aim of the evaluation was to determine whether the clinics improved the health outcomes of non-pregnant women with FGM, and this was addressed by using a mixed-methods approach to analyse internal quantitative data and generate qualitative data. Quantitative data analysed included the numbers of service users supported 2019-2021, descriptions of symptoms treated, and procedures undertaken. Qualitative data was generated through remote interview methods, using a semi-structured schedule. Interviews with professionals (n=42) involved in the delivery of the clinics, and survivors (n=12) who had accessed the pilot clinic support were included in the evaluation. Ethical approval was granted through university procedures. This case study focuses specifically upon the qualitative data collection that was undertaken remotely with survivors of FGM. 12 women were interviewed in English via telephone or video-conferencing methods (MS Teams), according to participant preference. It is the process of these remote interviews, and the advantages as well as challenges associated with them that this case study details.

Background and objective: A UK university collaborated with an NGO which provides housing and support services in a neighbouring city to conduct some participatory research. The NGO invited volunteers and the people they support through the Afghan Relocations and Assistance scheme to undertake some peer research (also called community research). Methods: Four people chose to become Community Researchers on this project: 3 Afghan men living in temporary hotel accommodation and one British woman who volunteers with the NGO. They received training and support from a university health promotion researcher; three training sessions on research, survey design, and research ethics. They chose to do some research on the mental health of Afghan people living for long periods in hotel accommodation. They designed a survey to investigate meaningful occupation that promoted good health and then spent 5 weeks collecting data. The Community and University Researchers analysed the data from the survey together. Results: The Community Researchers spoke to 14 men individually and 15 women in a group. The respondents were aged 16 to 65. Cultural norms meant that the men could not ask women questions directly, so the female volunteer spoke to a group of women with an interpreter. Respondents reported physical activity, social interaction and developing skills as the most significant factors in maintaining good health. Barriers to taking part in activities to promote health included language, caring responsibilities, and a lack of money. The Community Researchers produced recommendations regarding support which included: offering more opportunities to learn English; supporting independence through use of public transport; and facilitating connections with local people. Conclusion: Community Researchers are experts by experience and bring important community knowledge. They gained a range of skills and increased confidence through the project and provided the NGO with practical advice on how best to support their community’s health.

Employment is a key determinant of health and is consistent with a range of positive health, social and economic outcomes for individuals and communities. This paper focuses on an innovative skills and employment project undertaken in Leeds, a large metropolitan city in the United Kingdom. It sought to create an employment pathway from the community into hospital-based employment, mirroring theoretical aspects of the health-promoting hospital philosophy, or more broadly a settings approach to health promotion which seeks greater levels of social justice. Using qualitative methodology with key constituents of the programme, the research identified an approach to connecting local communities with paid employment roles in a local hospital. The research focussed on the conception, design and delivery of the programme and has showed the elements required to increase the likelihood of success. This includes providing a bespoke support and tailored intervention package for individuals and strong partnership working between delivery partners and strategic groups. While the focus of the research is not on outcomes, there are examples of instances where individuals had gained employment and skills; increases in confidence; and evidence of the programme raising aspirations for themselves and others.

Objective: This paper reports on a programme which sought to engage individuals and groups who are underrepresented in the UK labour market. The programme aimed to improve access to employment opportunities and provide practical support in job applications. The focus was on encouraging people to seek employment in the health and social care sectors and on tackling health inequalities in the region. Design: Qualitative inquiry. Setting: Leeds, UK. Method: Using focus groups and interviews, the paper explores key learning from the programme and the experience of programme delivery, both from the perspective of the professionals working on the programme and the individuals participating. Results: A co-ordinated strategic partnership where key agencies share common purpose is critical. The value of a localised strategy to engage communities was an important mechanism for success. Targeting schools and businesses provided opportunities to reach individuals who might usually find employment services difficult to access. The programme sought to put people’s aspirations at the heart of delivery, offering choice and tailored opportunities to develop their careers. This could include developing specific skills or raising awareness of potential careers. The programme promoted opportunities by removing barriers in the job application process. A range of positive health outcomes were reported for participants engaging in the programme that require further exploration. Conclusion: Meaningful employment is an important health determinant, but some communities face barriers to employment and consequently find the labour market difficult to access. Findings suggest a range of ways to engage people in meaningful employment and support.

This presentation will share learning from two educational and support programmes relating to domestic violence delivered by a non-governmental organisation. The programme evaluations used mainly qualitative methods to explore the participants’ experiences of attending the programmes and the role education plays in recovery from and prevention of domestic abuse. What did the programmes do? They provided structured sessions in a safe women-only space for women/girls who had experienced or were at risk of domestic abuse. Education around types of abuse, staying safe and improving wellbeing were provided to prevent (further) abuse. What worked/what are the challenges? Education delivered in group settings allows the opportunity for peer support which reduces isolation and peer learning which can be more effective than learning from professionals. A youth work or ‘informal learning’ approach is taken so that the women/girls feel comfortable in a non-judgemental environment where they are supported to develop skills to stay safe. Delivering programmes through an NGO with staff who are trained in trauma-informed practice and community development/youth work approaches is a key factor in reaching women and girls who have experienced/are at risk of domestic violence. Many of the programme participants had had previous negative experiences with statutory bodies and formal education. Some of the main challenges are that these programmes don’t reach all in need, they are only funded in the short-term and they tend to individualise the responsibility for staying safe. Lessons learnt on education around violence against women and girls and evaluation of provision: More mainstream education is needed and targeted work for women who are not being reached. The independence of the NGO is important in engaging young people and those with negative experiences of statutory services. Evaluation and programme development needs to involve women/girls in the design and delivery.

This small-scale study looked at what community members know about the role of trustees and the decision-making processes in voluntary organisations. The discussions with community members were then used to produce a short survey for trustees of voluntary or community organisations.

Homeshare is a scheme in which older people – ‘Homeowners’ - provide an affordable home to young professionals or possibly students – ‘Homesharers’ - in exchange for help or support with everyday tasks (e.g. shopping and cleaning), and companionship. This pairing is intended to be mutually beneficial, whereby older people are provided with help and support to live independently and young people are offered a much needed home. There are similar schemes in London, but nothing like this is currently in place in Leeds. This report presents findings from a research project conducted in Leeds to investigate the demand for this service and the feasibility of this type of scheme. The research was funded by Leeds Metropolitan University and Leeds City Council.

Aims: Co-production is an emerging field in public health practice. We aim to present evidence of what works well to support co-production and what can be improved based upon learning from our evaluation of a co-production project implemented by Rape Crisis England and Wales (RCEW). RCEW designed and delivered a national co-production project called Weaving the Web, to inform the development of an online support service for women who have experienced sexual violence. Methods: We qualitatively evaluated the RCEW co-production approach. The specific objectives of our evaluation were to assess the increased role and voice for women and girls in co-producing services and provide better quality of evidence for what works in empowering women and girls. The evaluation was conducted in two phases: Phase 1 was the observation of co-production events (n = 8), with findings from this used to develop an interview schedule for Phase 2, where semi-structured interviews (n = 26) were conducted with a range of stakeholders (staff, partners and service users). Results: Staff supporting the co-production project were highly committed to the work, investing time, money, and preparation, and having a good understanding of co-production. Service users were less familiar with the approach and felt alienated by some of the language used. Most service users described participation as empowering and, in some instances, important in their own recovery. They were keen to stay involved beyond the creation of the online resource. Conclusion: The data from our evaluation illustrate that co-production on a national level is challenging. While RCEW used values-based practice, and provided a supportive culture to underpin the co-production of their online service, transformative engagement and true participation were not achieved. Learning from this project is drawn out here to outline transferrable lessons for practitioners intending to use models of co-production in other public health settings.

The joint housing and health pilot project was set up in September 2015 as a prototype approach aiming to improve the health and well-being of people with complex health needs within the Batley and Spen Valley localities. The project was co-commissioned by Locala, a provider of NHS community services and Connect Housing, a charitable housing association based in the voluntary sector. This report presents the findings from an evaluation of the joint pilot project conducted by the Centre for Health Promotion Research, Leeds Beckett University. It presents evidence about the project’s background, the outcomes for service users, the Health and Support Worker role, multi-agency working, reductions in health service usage costs, and maps the evaluation evidence against Care Closer to Home Key Performance Indicators as well as overall learning from the project.

The contribution that housing associations have made to public health in recent years is recognised within research and policy literature. This paper examines a partnership pilot intervention implemented by one housing association and one community healthcare service provider that aimed to improve the health and well-being of people with complex needs living in social housing stock in one area in England. The pilot delivered co-commissioned personalised support using a holistic model of care. This paper describes the pilot intervention and associated findings drawn from a mixed methods evaluation. The findings illustrate positive service user reports, including improved health and well-being, increased independence and reduced social isolation. The intervention was also associated with reduced use of community healthcare services; with an estimated potential local net saving of £20,818 during the year of the pilot. In conclusion, this small-scale pilot intervention supported clients with complex health needs whilst reducing demands on community health care services. Despite more research being needed in this area, particularly from larger and longer-term studies, this paper contributes to the evidence base by illustrating an effective health and housing practice-based partnership approach.

The Eatwell and Livewell Programme was set up in 2014 to provide support in the malnutrition pathway for older people within two Yorkshire areas. This report presents the findings from an evaluation of the programme conducted by the Centre for Health Promotion Research, Leeds Beckett University. It presents evidence about the project’s background, its progress in relation to target outputs, the outcomes for service users, and learning from both delivery sites.

The contribution that housing associations have made to public health in recent years is recognised within research and policy literature. This paper examines a partnership pilot intervention implemented by one housing association and one community healthcare service provider that aimed to improve the health and well-being of people with complex needs living in social housing stock in one area in England. The pilot delivered co-commissioned personalised support using a holistic model of care. This paper describes the pilot intervention and associated findings drawn from a mixed methods evaluation. The findings illustrate positive service user reports, including improved health and well-being, increased independence and reduced social isolation. The intervention was also associated with reduced use of community healthcare services; with an estimated potential local net saving of £20,818 during the year of the pilot. In conclusion, this small-scale pilot intervention supported clients with complex health needs whilst reducing demands on community health care services. Despite more research being needed in this area, particularly from larger and longer-term studies, this paper contributes to the evidence base by illustrating an effective health and housing practice-based partnership approach.

The contribution of feminist approaches to health promotion research is discussed throughout this chapter. We start by outlining the principles that underpin feminist research and discussing how such approaches distinguish themselves from more traditional and mainstream study techniques. Drawing out the links between feminist research strategies and their overlap with health promotion research, we reflect upon our own practice as feminist evaluators examining interventions that support social change and health improvement for vulnerable women in England. We highlight examples of the numerous ways in which we have drawn upon feminist principles to do data collection as part of our evaluation work, aiming to give voice to seldom heard women, and to privilege their lived experiences. Continuous reflection on our work has led us to critically analyse the ways in which feminist research remains challenged within a neoliberal context, is affected by researcher positionality and is a form of emotional labour for all involved. These challenges are relevant for other health promotion researchers, engaged in evaluation work and data collection with vulnerable groups.

CITY KNOW-HOW: Worrying trends in terms of human health and planetary health are receiving increasing global concern. City leadership, planning and development all place the constraints on urban behaviours and lifestyles, usually accelerating the problems. It is imperative that human health and environmental impacts become core foci in urban policies around the world. Changing our trajectory will require concerted action. Cities & Health aims to be part of that change; it is dedicated to supporting the flow of knowledge, in all directions, to help make this happen. We support better communication between researchers, practitioners, policy-makers, communities, and decision-makers in cities. This is the primary purpose of this City Know-how section of the journal. ‘Research for city practice’ disseminates lessons research, allowing researchers to explain new knowledge and key messages arising from their studies for city leaders, communities, and the professions involved in city policy and practice. ‘City shorts’ provide glimpses of what is being attempted or achieved ‘on the ground’ and ’case studies’ are where you will find evaluations of interventions. Lastly, ‘Commentary and debate’ extends the conversations we are having to develop and mobilise important and innovative thinking. We invite you to join these conversations. In order to strengthen communities of interest, we would like to include many and varied voices, including those from practitioners, politicians and policy-makers and researchers who are supporting health and health equity in everyday urban lives. Whether you are a just starting out on your journey, or an old hand, we would love to hear from you!

We are 3 feminist researchers, with a track record of evaluating gender-specific interventions located in the voluntary and community sector. Over the last 10 years we have evaluated 8 gender-specific health promotion interventions using feminist methods. Our evaluation data illustrates key themes underpinning successful service delivery in the sector, which works effectively to support women in a transferrable model of practice. Our most recent evaluation of Women’s Lives Leeds (project and partnership) offers unique insight into a partnership underpinned by feminist values, yet challenged by internal power differences, and external competition for funding to ensure organisational survival. We use creative, and participatory methodological approaches in our work to try and diminish the power gaps between us as researchers and the women we work with, valuing their lived experiences. However, challenges remain in terms of models of co-production, participation and the acceptability of such qualitative data as evaluation evidence.

The Institute for Sustainability Leadership at Cambridge University (CISL) is carrying out research on how supermarkets can support community health and wellbeing. The CISL researchers were keen to understand what support really looked like on the ground, and what difference it made. It was really important to them that the voice and experience of community members was included in the research and so a team from the Centre for Health Promotion Research at Leeds Beckett University supported a group of residents from a town in Cambridgeshire to do a community research project. To explore their research topic, Leeds Beckett researchers used a peer research approach. They trained community members to carry out a research project and the Community Researchers chose the topic of the research: experiences of living in the Cambridgeshire town. This report shares the findings from the research project.

The Institute for Sustainability Leadership at Cambridge University (CISL) is carrying out research on how supermarkets can support community health and wellbeing. The CISL researchers were keen to understand what support really looked like on the ground, and what difference it made. It was really important to them that the voice and experience of community members was included in the research and so a team from the Centre for Health Promotion Research at Leeds Beckett University supported a group of residents from East Leeds to do a community research project. To explore their research topic, Leeds Beckett researchers used a peer research approach. They trained community members to carry out a research project and the Community Researchers chose the topic of the research: Community Voice. This report shares the findings from the research project.

This chapter reports learning from students participating as peer researchers in a pedagogically focused study. The chapter documents the peer research model used, its challenges, and its successes, to add to the evidence base about the reality of using participatory approaches, specifically with and for students. The chapter details findings from a study about the lived experiences of postgraduate students as they transition into learning at master's level. By exploring experiences qualitatively through the voices of students, lessons about the ways in which these inform lived experiences, enable better understanding of the wider circumstances affecting postgraduate student transitions, and their associated support needs are detailed. This chapter adds to the evidence base around postgraduate student transitions.

This chapter reports learning from students participating as peer researchers in a pedagogically focused study. The chapter documents the peer research model used, its challenges and its successes, to add to the evidence base about the reality of using participatory approaches (Warwick-Booth et al, 2021), specifically with and for students. The chapter also details findings from this peer research about the lived experiences of postgraduate students as they transition into learning at masters level. By exploring transition experiences qualitatively through the voices of students, the study findings enable better understanding of the wider circumstances affecting postgraduate students and their associated support needs. Morgan (2014) highlights the need for institutions to identify students experiences and expectations as a way to improve their experiences of postgraduate taught study. This chapter adds to the evidence base around postgraduate student transitions in two specific ways. Firstly, the data gathered by the peer researchers provides useful insights into lived experiences of transition, to inform teaching practice that can better enable transitions into postgraduate study. Secondly, by detailing the process of peer research the chapter outlines the ways in which participation in such work enables postgraduate transitions through joining a community of practice.

This paper presents findings from our qualitative evaluation of one Third Sector response (grants programme) to Covid19 across Leeds, funded by the local city council. This partnership between statutory services and the Third Sector involved power sharing, and a delivery model based upon trust. The response aimed to reach into communities of interest who were vulnerable and most at risk for example, older people and people from deprived areas. Our paper outlines the delivery model, the project outputs across communities of interest, as well as lessons for a new way of working between state and voluntary sector partners on inequalities.

Hive, a Shipley based charity, run a variety of creative courses. Three of their programmes - Thrive, Flourish and Make@Hive – are run for people with low to moderate mental health problems by project workers and volunteers, with the aim of improving wellbeing. The Centre for Health Promotion Research (CHPR) at Leeds Beckett University (LBU) were asked to evaluate the impact of these programmes on service users.

The cost-of-living crisis has led to many people across the UK struggling to pay for essentials such as heating or eating. For those who were already living in poverty, increasing costs have brought additional challenges. Calderdale Council recognised the added challenges local people are facing and implemented a number of initiatives to support them. One initiative funded Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations to provide Warm Spaces. Warm Spaces, or warm hubs, are safe and friendly places where someone can go to keep warm during the day, throughout the winter months.

The cost-of-living crisis has led to many people across the UK struggling to pay for essentials such as heating or eating. For those who were already living in poverty, increasing costs have brought additional challenges. Calderdale Council recognised the added challenges local people are facing and implemented a number of initiatives to support them. One initiative funded Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations to provide Warm Spaces. Warm Spaces, or warm hubs, are safe and friendly places where someone can go to keep warm during the day, throughout the winter months.

Peer research is about academics and other professional researchers working with and training non-researchers to do research on issues that they have lived experience of and that involves collecting data from people like them—their peers. In health promotion specifically, peer research is a form of community-based participatory research and is based on a recognition that community members are experts on their own lives and so are best placed to identify and plan to solve their own health problems. Peer researchers are able to leverage their insider status within a community to improve research findings and knowledge production compared to nonparticipatory approaches. The act of involving community members as peer researchers can also support social justice and health promotion outcomes. However, there are practical, ethical, role, epistemological, and emancipatory challenges with peer research. In this chapter, strategies to support implementation of peer research in health promotion research are discussed, including involving peers as early as possible, clarifying roles and responsibilities, paying peer researchers for their contributions, and providing training and ongoing support to peer researchers. However, the relative newness of peer research as a research methodology means that a lot of questions remain about its operation and effectiveness; the majority of evidence about the method comes from informal evaluation, academic researcher observations, and feedback from peer researchers. More systematic investigation is needed to understand the utility of peer research in different health promotion contexts.

This study contributes to ongoing reflections and debate on the legacy of the Ottawa Charter by illustrating how contemporary forms of intersectoral collaboration can be mobilised to address persistent health inequalities. Collaborations involving organisations from diverse sectors are often viewed as well-positioned to tackle complex health challenges, yet they frequently encounter political, organisational and cultural barriers that hinder their effectiveness. This paper uses a longitudinal approach to explore issues in relation to the formation and sustainability of a multi-sector collaboration in one geographic area in the UK, working under the banner of the Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) – a programme which seeks to further understand health determinants and to improve health outcomes in communities. Through qualitative interviews at two time points – 12 months apart – with constituents of the collaboration, the data demonstrated a clear and shared vision for the collaboration and a neat ‘dovetailing’ of skill-sets related to community brokerage; academic rigour; and statutory legitimacy. While the collaboration under focus here was in its infancy, cultural and practical tensions in ways of working; trust issues; pace of working; and philosophy were predicted to, and indeed did, emerge and required careful monitoring to ensure intended outcomes were not derailed.

With growing evidence for the positive health outcomes associated with a plant-based diet, the study’s purpose was to examine the potential of shifting adolescents’ food choices towards plant-based foods. Using a real world setting of a school canteen, a set of small changes to the choice architecture was designed and deployed in a secondary school in Yorkshire, England. Focussing on designated food items (whole fruit, fruit salad, vegetarian daily specials, and sandwiches containing salad) the changes were implemented for six weeks. Data collected on students’ food choice (218,796 transactions) enabled students’ (980 students) selections to be examined. Students’ food choice was compared for three periods: baseline (29 weeks); intervention (six weeks); and post-intervention (three weeks). Selection of designated food items significantly increased during the intervention and post-intervention periods, compared to baseline (baseline, 1.4%; intervention 3.0%; post-intervention, 2.2%) χ2(2) = 68.1, p < 0.001. Logistic regression modelling also revealed the independent effect of the intervention, with students 2.5 times as likely (p < 0.001) to select the designated food items during the intervention period, compared to baseline. The study’s results point to the influence of choice architecture within secondary school settings, and its potential role in improving adolescents’ daily food choices.

A diet dominated by plant foods, with limited amounts of refined processed foods and animal products conveys substantial health benefits. This study sought to explore adolescents’ attitudes and perceptions towards plant-based foods. Semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with adolescents (age 14–15 years) (n = 29) attending an inner city school in Yorkshire, UK. Using a grounded theory methodology, data analysis provided four main categories and related concepts revolving around adolescents’ perspectives on plant-based foods: food choice parameters; perceived drivers and benefits of plant-based foods; environmental food cues; barriers to plant-based food choice. In the emergent grounded theory, a clear disconnect between plant-based foods and the parameters that adolescents use to make food choices, is highlighted. Further, key barriers to adolescents adopting a plant-based diet are differentiated and considered with respect to practice and policy. The analysis offers a framework to remodel and re-present plant-based foods. In this way, it is proposed that a closer connection is possible, with consequent shifts in adolescents’ dietary behaviour towards a more plant-based diet and associated health benefits.

Welcome to the concluding final evaluation and learning report for the Women’s Lives Leeds (WLL) Project. The Women’s Lives Leeds (WLL) Project was a Big Lottery, since renamed National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF), Women and Girls Initiative Funded 4-year Project that delivered a range of opportunities including frontline services that enabled women and girls to lead safer and healthier lives and was created by a partnership of Women’s led and centred organisations in Leeds, who joined together to form the “WLL Partnership” in May 2015. The Partnership included Asha Neighbourhood Centre, Basis Yorkshire, Behind Closed Doors, Getaway Girls, Hooner Kelah, Leeds Women’s Aid, HALT (who have since merged with LWA), Nari Ekta, Shantona Women’s Centre, Together Women, Women’s Counselling and Therapy Service, and Women’s Health Matters. Between them they have a collective of over 250 years’ experience supporting the most vulnerable women and girls across the city of Leeds who experience multiple needs including; mental health, domestic abuse, sexual violence and exploitation, experience of the criminal justice system, sex work and substance misuse. The focus of the work was on providing support to the most disadvantaged communities in Leeds, with the aim of reaching greater numbers of the most vulnerable women, ensuring they receive holistic, joined-up support no matter where in the city they live. As one, they applied to the Big Lottery’s, Women’s and Girls Initiative fund, to fund the WLL Project and later that year were successful. The partnership was granted over £2.2mil over a 4-year timescale. The WLL Project focussed on Women, Young Women and Girls and identified specific target groups: young women, women with complex needs and recently arrived new migrant communities and was based on initial research completed in December 2015 that identified current needs. The Project aimed to achieve the following 3 outcomes: 1. Improved and extended access for vulnerable women and girls in Leeds to the services and support they want, when they choose 2. A holistic response to ensure that the needs of women and girls with multiple and complex issues are better supported 3. Women and Girls will be empowered to support their peers and influence service delivery, development and design across the city The Executive Summary was completed in November 2020 and has already been shared with all stakeholders, partners and commissioners including Leeds City Council, Public Health and Clinical Commissioning Groups. The purpose of this report is to detail the learning, challenges and successes taken from project delivery throughout its lifespan and its achievements with the aim for this to be shared to inform other providers in their service development. This report has been informed by views from service users, external stakeholders, ongoing external evaluation, staff and the WLL Alliance gathered over the last four years.

The RNIB Eye Health Champion project, funded by the Department for Health’s Health & Social Care Volunteering Fund (HSCVF), aimed to reduce the rates of sight loss caused by diabetic eye disease. The Centre for Health Promotion Research (CHPR) at Leeds Beckett University (LBU) was commissioned to evaluate the project, starting in January 2015. This is the final report, covering the context of the project, the intervention, the evaluation methodology and findings reported thematically. The project ended in November 2017.

The work was done to support the Yorkshire Dales National Park (YDNP) Authority’s Access & Engagement team in developing and refining their Theory of Change (ToC) and to produce an evaluation framework. This should enable the Authority to better understand and articulate the impact of their work and assist with the planning of their future delivery.

This paper responds to challenges around how to generate robust evidence in keeping with the principles of an asset-based approach based on mobilization of community strengths. The design of a collaborative evaluation of a multi-site Asset Based Community Development program is described and emergent learning discussed. A qualitative mixed method design was used to capture changes at community and program level drawing on diverse sources of evidence. Shared principles on the conduct of the evaluation were developed with program leads and community practitioners and opportunities for shared learning were built in. The paper distils learning on evaluation into six design features including the asset-based model as a framework, understandings of evidence and outcomes, ethical conduct, and the centrality of a collaborative and developmental approach. The paper concludes that these features form a coherent approach to asset-based evaluation which can link the theory and practice of Asset Based Community Development.

A mixed methods evaluation of a Leeds youth organisation. Methods included; qualitative interviews, a survey of young people attending plus an SROI.

The report shows the impact of the community project since its inception in 2017, during its early growth, through the pandemic and looking to the future. By consulting with the local community, partners and co-workers this report shows the project’s impact on local people’s health and wellbeing, the growth of strong partnership working and the solid financial footing The Old Fire Station demonstrates. The trustees intend that this report shows the clear advantages of the investment made, the return given and the power of partnership working.

This summary focuses on information from the Leeds Beckett ABCD evaluation about the effect of Covid-19 on the Leeds ABCD programme and how ABCD sites responded to the crisis.

A summary of the evidence on neighbourhood-based Asset Based Community Development (ABCD). It includes information from scientific journals and evaluation reports. The evidence review was done for Leeds City Council as part of Leeds Beckett University’s evaluation of the ABCD programme in the city.

This report reviews recent research on Asset Based Community Development (ABCD). ABCD is part of a broader group of asset-based approaches which have been applied in different types of community and settings. This report focuses on evidence about neighbourhood-based ABCD practice, which is the approach being taken in Leeds. Recent research studies are reviewed, building on previous reviews on asset-based approaches. The report summarises the evidence on key topics around ABCD theory, how the approaches work, implementation, evaluation and outcomes.

Background Despite growing interest in understanding complex systems and public health interventions, research methodologies that take account of system-wide action are relatively underdeveloped. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is steered and conducted by people with lived experience of the issues being researched. This paper explores the value of CBPR in complex public health intervention evaluations. The ‘Local People’ and ‘Local Conversations’ programmes use a community empowerment approach in 50 communities across the UK experiencing social disadvantage to increase social connections and collective control, improve health and wellbeing, and reduce inequalities (linked to SDG 3 and 11). Methods Evaluation of the programmes followed a mixed-methods design, including qualitative case studies, longitudinal survey, process appraisal, and CBPR. Residents from 10 communities across the programmes each undertook 2 rounds of CBPR. These projects resulted in written reports, which were analysed thematically alongside other data sources. Results There was some variation in the scope and design of the 20 completed CBPR projects. Whilst projects did not generally extend beyond the scope of the overall evaluation, peer research provided information from residents that were inaccessible to other data collection streams. Gathering community (lay) knowledge improved understanding of local priorities and actions within the programmes. However, the utility of CBPR was less consistent for community-researchers and local communities, often failing to support project development. Some community-researchers felt unprepared for the activity despite support from the academic team. Conclusions Conducted appropriately, CBPR can elicit data that would be less accessible through externally led research. This study highlights the value of CBPR in complex programme evaluations, enabling a deeper understanding of social context in which interventions occur.

A summary presenting findings from Leeds Beckett University’s evaluation of an Asset Based Community Development programme in Leeds.

This report presents findings from the Leeds Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) programme evaluation. ABCD is a neighbourhood-based community building approach that uses community organising methods to identify, mobilise and strengthen the capacities or asset of individuals, families and communities (Kretzmann and McKnight, 1993). At the time of the evaluation. 12 ABCD pathfinder sites operated in Leeds neighbourhoods, the majority established in 2019. The model consists of: • Community Builders - paid workers hosted by Neighbourhood Organisations • Community Connectors - individuals living locally who may organise and support local activities • ‘Small Sparks’ grants - funds for groups and individuals to support local activity. Using mainly qualitative and participatory methods, this collaborative evaluation involved working with Leeds City Council and the Community Builders to gather evidence of what works and how. The findings show that the pioneering Leeds ABCD pathfinder model is still relatively new in its development and shifting to citizen-led activity takes time. Nonetheless the evaluation presents strong evidence on how ABCD works and the mechanisms of change thus demonstrating how a city-wide approach can be implemented. There is strong evidence for better social connections and the pathway to community change. Promising evidence for increased friendships, the social value of the pathfinder model, change in communities and other additional outcomes also exists. A series of recommendations and issues for consideration are presented to inform programme development.

Background Peer-research is steered and conducted by people with lived experience of the issues being researched. This paper explores the value of peer-research in two complex public health intervention evaluations in the UK. Methods Reports from 18 peer research projects, completed by residents from 12 communities in the UK taking part in two community empowerment interventions, were analysed using cross-case analysis. Results Undertaking peer research helped to build the evaluation and research skills within individual projects as well as providing data on other outcomes related to the programmes Theory of Change. Some peer researchers, however, felt unprepared for the activity despite support from the academic team and were unsatisfied with project outcomes. While peer research projects provided more opportunities for local residents to engage with the overall evaluations, there was an overreliance on people closely connected to the programmes to be peer researchers. The peer research projects explored topics that were broader than the aims and objectives of the overall programme evaluations. All provided insight into the context in which projects occurred, while some also informed understanding of programme change mechanisms. Conclusions Including peer research as part of complex public health intervention evaluations can help uncover important contextual and ecological details beyond the reach of more traditional evaluation data collection. Peer research can also empower and build research/evaluation capacity within communities, which is particularly pertinent for community empowerment interventions.

Background The ‘Local People’ programme operates in 29 UK communities experiencing disadvantage and economic stressors that impact on population wellbeing. The programme uses a community empowerment approach to increase social connections, and collective control, improve health, and reduce inequalities. This links to SDGs 3 and 11. Mechanisms include a decision-making group led by residents, a project lead, funding, and support from a national charity. Methods A mixed method evaluation was conducted (2017-19) to identify processes and assess outcomes and impacts. This presentation outlines the findings from five in-depth qualitative case studies (c140 interviews) with emphasis on one post-industrial UK town suffering from the effects of industrial decline. A within case and cross case qualitative analysis was undertaken using a thematic framework. Results Priorities set by local areas focused on increasing community involvement and connections between people. A wide range of activities took place including regular classes and community events. The five case studies found strong qualitative evidence of increased social connectedness, community spirit and a sense of purpose, along with the area becoming a better place to live. People involved in project delivery gained confidence and skills, improved their wellbeing and gained a sense of control. There is, as yet, limited evidence that increased involvement has influenced the wider determinants of health. In the post-industrial town, people’s social networks expanded, enriching their lives and providing missed companionship. Participants in the programme reported improved mental and physical health, as well as increased confidence and skills. Involvement gave a voice to marginalised older people in the area. Conclusion Empowering communities and putting residents in control can lead to improvements in connectedness and some aspects of health and wellbeing, even in post-industrial towns facing considerable and complex challenges.

Community empowerment interventions, which aim to build greater individual and community control over health, are shaped by the community systems in which they are implemented. Drawing on complex systems thinking in public health research, this paper discusses the evaluation approach used for a UK community empowerment programme focused on disadvantaged neighbourhoods. It explores design choices and the tension between the overall enquiry questions, which were based on a programme theory of change, and the varied dynamic socio-cultural contexts in intervention communities. The paper concludes that the complexity of community systems needs to be accounted for through in-depth case studies that incorporate community perspectives.

The Centre for Health Promotion at Leeds Beckett University were commissioned to review existing literature on the impacts of mega-sporting event volunteering and to undertake a qualitative study to investigate the experiences of volunteers at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games (known as ‘clyde-siders’). The study also set out to explore the experiences of those who applied to be a clyde-sider but were not successful with their application (referred to as non-clyde-siders). The literature review identified process issues as significant factors in the delivery of a mega-sporting event that results in a positive experience for volunteers. The review also found that mega-sporting event volunteering yields health and social outcomes both for individual volunteers and the host community. The weight of evidence in this review suggests that the process of mega-sporting event volunteering is relatively well understood. However, gaps remain with regard to the longer-term outcomes of mega-sporting event volunteering for individual volunteers (and those who apply but do not go on to become volunteers) and for communities. Qualitative exploration with clyde-siders and non-clyde-siders identified important assets that they brought to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Existing skills and experiences from their professional life or other volunteering roles; a personal touch reflecting commitment and approachability; and local knowledge of the city were important attributes that were highlighted. The research highlighted that while volunteers added to the success of the Games and its delivery, they were also able to draw on the event for their own personal benefit. Positive outcomes included increased confidence and knowledge, and the development of skills for future employment. These outcomes were often more pronounced in clyde-siders than non-clyde-siders, but this was not always the case as some non-clyde-siders drew benefits from applying for the role. The development of friendships and the value that people placed on meeting new people was a particularly prominent finding for both clyde-sider and non-clyde-siders. This included ‘bridging’ with others across social and cultural boundaries. The link between place, participation and the social impacts of volunteering at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games is a distinctive finding from the research. For clyde-siders, benefits were derived from the formal volunteering role and from being part of the collective experience in the city during the Games. These benefits could not be solely attributed to being a volunteer, as non-clyde-siders also reported gaining from being part of the friendly atmosphere generated by hosting the Games. Implications for strategic planning for mega-sporting events are outlined in the report.

Issues presented by COVID-19 to community resilience are located at individual, community and system level. In this paper, we reflect on WHO Europe propositions on what makes resilient communities, and explore how communities and systems with varying capacity have responded to the pandemic by absorbing and adapting to challenges. In our research we are seeing local responses at all three levels, which challenge current assumptions about the respective roles of citizen, local voluntary sector and state. This paper presents opportunities and challenges to translating this reactive social movement into proactive resilience-transforming change in how local systems work in the future.

This summary presents the results of a trial study to estimate the social value for one site taking part in Leeds City Council’s Asset Based Community Development programme.