Geographers at the University of Exeter have developed new place-based and person-centred approaches for building self-sustaining micro-communities of health professionals, volunteers, and service users to tackle social challenges.
Issue
The constraints of austerity combined with increased demand on social services in the last decade has led to the reduction in state services and greater responsibilities for individuals to take community action. This has provided impetus for research into new approaches and tools that support social innovation.
Approach
Geographers at the University of Exeter have undertaken research on diverse aspects of Cornwall’s voluntary, public service, and charitable sector. This has focused on tackling loneliness and isolation, building community capacity and mobilising volunteering as a pathway to employment.
The work has focused on person-centred, place-based, and community-led approaches to understanding social problems and proposing solutions through co-producing knowledge with individuals, agencies, and businesses. This has included development of the Guided Conversation tool which uses an individual’s needs and aspirations to help them participate in community innovations.
Impact
For individuals, the benefits have been improved health, wellbeing and – for some – a return to education or employment, for example through Living Well to Work, a scheme aiming to re-engage a diverse group of economically inactive participants in training, employment, and volunteering.
For health, charity, and voluntary sector organisations, the benefits have been a more joined-up approach, greater efficiency, cost savings, new roles created and increased access to funding.
Taking a place-based and person-centred approach, the researchers have developed practical tools and advice for enhancing health and wellbeing, transforming the landscape of volunteering in Cornwall, and creating self-sustaining micro-communities in which every individual matters.
More information
Institution: University of Exeter
Researchers: Professor Catherine Leyshon, Professor Michael Leyshon, Dr Tim Walker, Dr Shukru Esmene, Laura Colebrooke7