Connected Communities — supporting inclusive recovery in London

Prof. Diana Stirbu, London Metropolitan University

Following the successful delivery of a our 12 months peer learning programme for regeneration and social integration officers in London’s local authorities (the Social Integration and Regeneration Learning Network), which was supported by the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority, Prof. Diana Stirbu was awarded funding in the range of £45,000 through London Metropolitan University’s Transformation Funding to expand the initiative to a research and knowledge exchange programme.

The project Connected Communities: Supporting Inclusive Recovery in London focuses on supporting local authorities to better understand barriers and enablers for meaningful and inclusive engagement with local communities in the process of reshaping and re-imagining London’s high streets and in creating stronger and more resilient communities. The aim is of this project is twofold: through primary research, we identify existing needs in terms of public engagement capacity in London boroughs, and, through knowledge exchange activities we test and shape a guiding framework for community engagement that can support regeneration teams in local authorities in pursuing inclusive recovery under the Highstreets and Stronger Communities missions in London Recovery Programme.

The work builds upon existing knowledge exchange programme conducted by the London Met Lab, with the generous support of the Greater London Authority (March 2020 — March 2021), the Social Integration and Regeneration Learning Network.

The project examines narratives and practice of community engagement within the context of regeneration work in London boroughs during the pandemic, with the view to identify gaps and potential needs London local authorities face in terms of designing effective and meaningful community engagement strategies in the context of recovery.

This project explores:

• how London local authorities and their regeneration teams perceive and understand community engagement and its relevance to recovery;
• how the Covid-19 pandemic has challenged existing practice in community engagement;
• how local authorities plan to engage communities in shaping their local recovery.

In doing so, we ‘map’ out existing strategies and practice in terms of engaging communities and capturing diverse voices, what local authorities have learnt from the challenges of 2020, and how they plan to use these lessons at a vital time for social integration in the capital. Through continuous engagement with the SIRL Network we seek to share and enhance knowledge and capacity in terms of effective community engagement in regeneration. ​​​​​​​

This work is consistent key strategic priorities for London Metropolitan and demonstrates the university’s commitment to empowering London communities and supporting our London partners to address our capital’s social and economic challenges.

Professor Stirbu, from the School of Social Professions, and Dr. Natasha Choudary, Senior Lecturer in Health and an early career researcher in the School of Social Professions, will be leading the project.

Workplace opportunities will be offered to two postgraduate taught students in SSPR between May and August 2021.