Category Archives: Research

In search of Middlesex

24th September 2015Current and Recent Research Projects, Research NewsTony Chapman

Fred Robinson and Richard Else are undertaking an intriguing collaborative project about Middlesex. They’ve worked together on all kinds of things in the past, but nothing quite like this. They wanted to explore a place that’s important but usually ignored –and decided they would focus attention on the North West London suburbs, the area covered by the old County of Middlesex.

Many people think of this area as a boring, monocultural suburbia: Metroland. But actually it’s a complex set of communities. It is home to more than two million people and is, in many ways, a successful part of London. It’s ‘multicultural’ and economically vibrant; it includes Heathrow and Wembley, and also Southall and Enfield. Middlesex may not feature in travellers’ tales, but it actually has a lot going for it.

Fred and Richard want to celebrate the vitality, diversity and importance of this area in a book of photographs (by Richard) and accompanying text (by Fred). They’ve tramped around the area a good deal and gathered a lot of material.

Fred says: ‘We want to show people what the area is really like and why it is worth looking at and thinking about. We hope that the book, and perhaps an exhibition too, will appeal to a wide audience. We want people to think about changing cities and suburbs, geographies and cultures. And we’d like people to find Middlesex as interesting as we do’.

National Youth Agency’s Social Action Journey Fund brings benefits to disadvantaged young people

10th September 2015Research NewsTony Chapman

Young people who completed the National Youth Agency’s Social Action Journey Fund programme reported improved attitude and ability as a result of their involvement in the volunteering programme, a new evaluation has found. The programme which ran from January 2014 to March 2015, was funded by the Cabinet Office to increase the level of social action amongst young people. NYA’s project was delivered in partnership with O2 Think Big, who provided support for young people’s social action ideas.

By the end of the programme young people indicated they had benefitted from their involvement– demonstrating improved levels of cooperation, empathy and problem solving and also wellbeing, educational attainment and grit. The findings, from research carried out by Professor Tony Chapman at Durham University, are significant given the focus of NYA’s SAF project was young people from deprived or socially marginalised backgrounds who do not often engage in voluntary social action.

“Social action brings benefits to both young people and communities but it’s often perceived as being aimed at just a high achieving, middle class group. This evaluation shows that young people from all walks of life can benefit,” said Professor Chapman.

The challenge is that young people from marginalised backgrounds often need more assistance, the report states. “These young people often require more intensive intervention from youth work professionals, who need to compensate for the lack of support young people may receive from families, friends or school,” Professor Chapman continues.

The greater the support required, the more expensive the programme is to resource – but this must not be allowed to mean disadvantaged young people are overlooked in favour of young people who require less help, the report concludes. Amanda Fearn Think Big programme manager at the National Youth Agency said, “Social Action Journey Fund was a great programme because it allowed us to work with the young people who often get overlooked in social action.

“With government targets to increase the number of young people who regularly volunteer it’s important we continue to support social action for all young people not just a privileged few. Otherwise the benefits will only be felt by a small minority and not society wide as they should be.”

The summary report can be found at this website: http://www.nya.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/SAJF-NYA-PROJECT-EVALUATION-REPORT.pdf.

The full report can be downloaded here: SAJF NYA PROJECT EVALUATION REPORT (FINAL) 25th June

Northern Rock Foundation Third Sector Trends study finds that charities in poorer areas are struggling more than in rich areas

7th September 2015Research NewsTony Chapman

The final reports from the Third Sector Trends Study has now been published. This longitudinal study provides a unique insight into the state of the voluntary and community sector in the North East over five years from 2008/09 to 2014. The report, funded jointly by Northern Rock Foundation and the Community Foundation, Tyne & Wear and Northumberland shows that the voluntary sector has in large part managed to sustain its work, despite enormous challenges and funding pressures over the last five years.

However, a key finding, which has significance for all public and charitable funders of the sector, is that although the majority of voluntary organisations are keeping income levels stable and in some cases seeing some rises in income, this isn’t an even picture across the region. Voluntary organisations located in the poorest areas are 4 times more likely to have lost significant levels of income in the last two years when compared with the richest areas – 30% compared to 7%. Medium sized organisations (those with an income of £50,000 – £250,000) are the hardest hit.

At a time when grants are becoming fewer, with the expected closure of Northern Rock Foundation, voluntary organisations are also reporting increasing reliance on grants, and a decrease in their contract income. Only 16% of voluntary organisations are actively engaged in bidding for or carrying out contracts, reflecting the fact that in general only larger organisations are in a position to be involved in delivering public sector contracts.

These findings highlight serious pressures on voluntary organisations working in the most deprived parts of the region and the danger of major contraction and closure of services for vulnerable people. Penny Wilkinson, Chief executive of Northern Rock Foundation said: “The Third Sector Trends Study is a major part of the legacy of Northern Rock Foundation. Our investment in this study provides the evidence to help policy makers and funders make informed decisions about where and how to fund and support voluntary organisations in the future.”

Tony Chapman , author of the report said : “Charities have borne the pressures of austerity better than many expected over the last five years, but those which are based in the poorest areas are definitely struggling more to maintain funding than charities in rich areas: this is a matter of real concern as they generally deliver to the most needy.”

Rob Williamson, Chief Executive of the Community Foundation said: “Over seven years, the Third Sector Trends Study has provided invaluable data, and the Community Foundation was pleased to co-finance this last research round. Its findings present challenges for funders, policy-makers and voluntary organisations themselves. With Northern Rock Foundation’s expected closure, the Community Foundation is working with it and others on ways of addressing the sector’s needs. One area of particular focus, especially in the light of these findings, will be continuing to build funder relationships that may result in more resources coming to the region from London and elsewhere. We also hope to be able to enable research on the sector to be maintained in the future.”

The reports are available at this website: http://www.nr-foundation.org.uk/third-sector-trends.php

Young people and skills in Tees Valley

6th September 2015Research NewsTony Chapman

A seminar run by the Institute for Local Governance, Friday 22nd May 2015, Redcar and Cleveland College, Redcar

Producing a strategy to match the skills and needs of employers in Tees Valley with the skills and aspirations of young people is not a straight-forward issue. Much of the locally-owned institutional support for such an initiative has been eroded with the loss of once generously funded organisations such as Connexions Tees Valley, The Tees Valley Learning and Skills Council and Business Link Tees Valley.

The willingness of Tees Valley to tackle skills issues for young people is, arguably, stronger than ever through the work of its Local Enterprise Partnership, Tees Valley Unlimited, local authorities and the promise of the establishment of a Tees Valley Combined Authority to integrate effort across the areas five unitary local authorities.

This seminar aims to explore the complexities surrounding ‘supply’ and ‘demand’ issues operating in and around the Tees Valley region. Speakers have been brought together to open debate on: projected employer labour demand over the next few years; how employers’ skills needs can be met through local schools, colleges and universities; and, how the potential of young people (especially those from less advantaged backgrounds) can be harnessed.

Marshalling the aspirations and developing the employability of young people (aged 15 – 29) who have experienced significant periods of time not in employment, education or training (NEET) is a controversial and challenging area of discussion. Even when money is available to tackle the issue, solutions are often difficult to produce. Being positive about the prospects of these young people is, nevertheless, vital for the area economically and socially.

This is reflected in the Government’s recent launch of its first calls for Tees Valley projects under the 2014-2020 European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and European Social Fund (ESF). Projects are being sought to maximise SME job creation, but central to the concerns of this seminar is the Youth Employment Initiative for ESF across Tees Valley.

Shorter term initiatives, however valuable, only provide part of the solution – this seminar also aims to debate the roles of private sector, education sector and third sector organisations in tackling more widely skills challenges in Tees Valley over the next few years. The seminar will seek to engage the views and experiences of participants during the course of the event.

Speakers include: Professor Robert MacDonald, Social Futures Institute, Teesside University; Carl Ditchburn, Community Campus ‘87; John Lowther, Chair of Strategic Planning for the Board of Governors, Redcar and Cleveland College; Kate Roe, Principal, Darlington College; and, Sue Hannan, Employment and Skills Manager, Tees Valley Unlimited

The seminar is free to attend. Please register your attendance via: Janet Atkinson, Institute for Local Governance, Durham University. janet.atkinson@durham.ac.uk. The Institute for Local Governance is a North East Research and Knowledge Exchange Partnership established in 2009 comprising the regions Universities, Local Authorities, Police and Fire and Rescue Services.

Keeping things simple: how to work effectively with the third sector

5th September 2015Current and Recent Research ProjectsTony Chapman

keepingthingssimple In recent decades financial pressures on local authorities (LAs) has resulted in significant changes in the ways their services are provided through, for example, contracting out services, co-production, asset transfer, volunteering and establishing new types of organisation (such as social enterprises and mutuals).

Such developments have presented internal and external organisational, cultural and operational challenges for LAs when forging new relationships between commissioner, producer, and customer/citizen. Building on evidence-based hypotheses from previous academic and action research, this project will help LAs produce new solutions to increase the impact of social policy interventions.

The new two-year project, beginning in September 2015, will work with six local authorities in North East England to do this work, including: Darlington Borough Council, Durham County Council, Gateshead Council,, Northumberland County Council, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council and Sunderland City Council.

The project, jointly funded by the ESRC and Institute for Local Governance will be undertaken by Professors John Mawson (ILG), Tony Chapman and Fred Robinson of St Chad’s College, Durham University. The aim of the proposed programme of work is to assist LAs in navigating change in a complex political, social and economic environment which may demand fundamental change in the way that service delivery is conceptualised and effected. Esrc_logo

To do this, LAs need to consider and embed new ‘ways of thinking’ about their working relationships with external organisations. Their ultimate purpose is to reduce the costs and improve the quality of services through new approaches to delivery whilst at the same time engaging more directly community organisations and citizens in the process.

The work will address six areas of policy and service delivery where impact can be achieved by 2019:

1 Outsourcing of local authority services:

Considering different approaches to outsourcing including the establishment of LA wholly owned companies/social enterprises built from former in-house providers, to Third Sector/Private Sector consortia/partnerships, etc. Determining what factors contribute to good decision making on outsourcing – such as knowledge/evidence of good practice/economical delivery in-house or by external organisations. Exploring the factors which make outsourcing possible or not: involving exploration of issues surrounding LA organisational culture/history, configuration of local parties in the council, political climate, attitudes and beliefs of Members, etc.

2 Growing the ‘civic core’ through volunteering

Role and efficacy of current grant funding regimes and LA support for local community organisations. Assessment of the extent of volunteering in the area and recognition of most effective routes to volunteering via the LA, TSOs, faith groups etc. Raising awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of volunteer contribution, knowing where unmet demand currently exists and how to increase supply of volunteers, awareness of how to assess/understand the value of volunteering for the local area. Leverage LA has to contribute towards the civic core through employee supported volunteering schemes, pre-retirement planning, skills-share programmes, etc.

3 Partnership working and co-production

Assessment of LA’s willingness and potential to work as a ‘lead partner’, ‘consortia partner’ or ‘support partner’ in social interventions funded via external sources, shared resources or a mix of shared and external resources. Recognising the scope for and identifying practicable approaches to alternative service delivery models delivered in conjunction with other public sector organisations (particularly health, police and fire services) and Third Sector/Private Sector organisations. Approaches to investment in partnership building and the encouragement of partnership potential amongst TSOs in advance of potential initiatives.

4 Assessing the impact of interventions involving TSOs

Exercising effective judgement decisions on where impact measurement assessment should be employed. Producing transparent and achievable objectives for interventions which are realistically matched with levels of resource invested to achieve them. Knowing when requirements for impact assessment may or may not be achievable and the appropriate technical measures, recognising the need for innovative practice, knowing when calls for interventions to become sustainable are not realistic. Adopting principals and measures which allow for good judgements to be made on the social value of less measurable small-scale interventions.

5 Hearing the ‘voices’ of the Third Sector in the commissioning cycle:

Establishing/maintaining governance protocols and structures to ensure Third Sector representation. Structured engagement and involvement of Third Sector in identifying and setting local and strategic priorities via, for example: area committees, for a representing communities of interest, councils of interest, strategic planning groups (such as an LSP), etc. How to ensure that TSOs can contribute effectively to the design of innovative solutions in service delivery – and especially so when funded through a range of LA or non-LA sources.

6 Strengthening the confidence, capacity and capability of the Third Sector

Maintaining good intelligence on sector structure, dynamics and strengths upon which realistic decisions about investment can be made. Building LA understanding on the limits of Third Sector engagement/compliance with political/procedural preferences to allay expectations of ‘incorporating’ Third Sector organisations into LA policy and practice. Assessing the scope for and benefits to be accrued from investment in Third Sector capability and capacity to contribute to LA initiatives and understanding the limits of such investment. How effectively to communicate LA agreed priorities to the Third Sector, and devising mechanisms for signposting TSOs to other sources of funding and support in areas where the LA cannot/does not want to invest.

The Keeping it Simple report is available to download, together with a summary report – published October 2014:

KEEPING IT SIMPLE How to work effectively with the third sector (October 2014)

Keeping it Simple (Summary Report) October 2014

The final report from this study, and its sister project, Sharing the Responsibility, can be downloaded here: ILG How to work effectively with the third sector discussion paper March 2019

Charity Bank commissions study on borrowing in Cumbria

5th September 2015Current and Recent Research ProjectsTony Chapman

Professor Tony Chapman and Professor Peter Wells

P Logo-basic-for-in-house-use rofessor Tony Chapman, St Chad’s College and Professor Peter Wells, Sheffield Hallam University have been commissioned by Charity Bank and Northern Rock Foundation to undertake a study in Cumbria on the interest charities and social enterprises have in borrowing money.

The purpose of loans may include mortgages, investment in upgrading property, buying equipment, or for working capital. Professor Chapman is undertaking a quantitative study in Cumbria which will produce comparable data for charities in North East England and Yorkshire.

Statistics will be produced on the size of the marketplace for loans in Cumbria for different purposes, and the characteristics of organisations which may be prepared to take loans. Professor Wells will do interviews with key stakeholders across the county to find out what the incentives and barriers may be for borrowing money by charities.

The quantitative study report was published in January 2015 and is available to download: Assessment_willingness-Third_Sector

An academic article on this project, which drew on more recent data from Third Sector Trends has also been published:

Chapman, T. (2017) ‘The propensity of third sector organisations to borrow money in the UK’, Policy Studies, 38(2), 185-204.

Japanese Inward Investment in North East England

5th September 2015Current and Recent Research ProjectsTony Chapman

Professor Tony Chapman

This new study, funded by Institute for Local Governance will conclude with a regional seminar on Japanese inward investment in June 2015. It is hoped that this will take place at Teikyo University Durham. The study aims to get a better understanding of the ‘journeys’ Japanese companies have made in establishing themselves in the North East. In so doing, the intention is to examine:

Perceptions of the initial impetus to established plants in the North East, the welcome received by the region, and the subsequent efforts that have been made to embed industrial interactions and employee relationships in economic, political and cultural terms.
Perceptions about the relationships with other Japanese companies in the region and the degree of direct and indirect economic/business interaction with them and indigenous UK firms inside and outside of the supply chain.
Assess the potential for improving labour market conditions for young people in the region as employees and assess potential for encouraging enterprising activity amongst young people in the region.
Consider the contribution Japanese inward investment has made to strengthening social growth in North East England.

Interviews will take place with Japanese firms which are well established in the region together with Hitachi which is building a major new plant in Newton Aycliffe.

As the study is interested in cultural and political factors, it will also examine the extent of social assimilation of Japanese firms into North East England and consider the extent to which the indigenous UK population have capitalised on new opportunities (as partners, sub-contractors, local politicians and economic development strategists, employees and families, friends and neighbours).

Public sector and third sector relationships in Sunderland

5th September 2015Current and Recent Research ProjectsTony Chapman

City-Council-Logo-Paths

Sunderland City Council has commissioned Professor Tony Chapman to undertake a review of policy and practice in the city – looking at how well relationships work between the public sector and the voluntary sector. The enquiry will involve analysis of existing data sets, including the Northern Rock Foundation Third Sector Trends study, and a series of interviews and focus groups with key people across the city.

The study builds on recent work in Stockton on Tees, County Durham and Northumberland for the Institute for Local Governance and is helping to develop a clear understanding on how best to broker relationships between sectors with similar interests in addressing social problems but different ways of tackling them.

The study was completed in November 2014.

Third Sector Trends in Yorkshire and the Humber

5th September 2015Current and Recent Research ProjectsTony Chapman

Professor Tony Chapman

‘Involve Yorkshire & Humber’ commissioned a major survey of the third sector in Yorkshire and the Humber in the spring of 2013. The research was funded by Joseph Rowntree Foundation. An online survey ran from June to October resulting in responses from over 1000 charities, social enterprises and other voluntary and community sector groups and organisations.

The survey drew upon previous work with Northern Rock Foundation so that comparable data could be produced. Additionally, analysis from an earlier Third Sector Trends study by Professor John Mohan of Southampton University and David Kane from NCVO was extended to bring statistics up to date.

The findings from the study was published in May 2014. Third Sector Trends in Yorkshire and the Humber May 2014, a summary report is also available: third-sector-trends-2014-in-yorkshire-humber-executive-summary-final.

Voluntary sector support in Northumberland

5th September 2015Current and Recent Research ProjectsTony Chapman

logo Northumberland County Council is developing its strategy to support Third Sector organisations over the next three years. As a part of a major consultation process, Professor Tony Chapman was invited to undertake a series of 18 confidential in-depth interviews with key stakeholders in the sector in November 2013. The research follows an earlier commission to make recommendations for the development of infrastructure support in the County in 2010.