CTSI is delighted to be involved in C4, one of the largest-ever social connectedness research pieces ever undertaken and involving communities and research bodies across the UK. It has a vision to establish a Centre to transform policy and practice and develop connected communities across the UK. 

It is accepted that there is a rich landscape of community action in the UK but learning is uneven and partial and there is a lack of an evidence base. This is important, as connected communities with high levels of social bonds and cohesion, where people have good relationships and a sense of pride and belonging, express trust in each other and have access to resources and opportunities to participate, tend to be less reliant on statutory services, are healthier and have reduced poverty. If community connectedness is not strong, people are more likely to experience poverty and have lower levels of employment and skills and higher levels of illness. In more connected communities people may be able to mobilise local resources to respond to crises.  

The Centre’s research will be led by Sheffield Hallam University and involves four other learning establishments, London Metropolitan University, Queen’s University Belfast, University of Stirling and Black Mountains College, along with the Local Trust and Young Foundation.  

The Centre is rooted in community-led investigation and delivers co-produced and theoretically-informed research and so alongside each learning establishment, there is a community catapult – and in Scotland that is CTSI. Other catapults are the Brixton Project, an arts-based charity; Market Development Trust, a place-based community anchor in Belfast, Darnell Wellbeing, a health charity in Sheffield and Black Mountains College and its local area.  

Alongside our academic partner, Professor Peter Matthews from University of Stirling, in each community catapult we will have our own Community Researcher.

Dr. Nic Dickson – Clackmannanshire’s Community Researcher