A new publication, the Journal for Community Studies, launches today, bringing academic research into direct conversation with the knowledge, experience and expertise held within communities across the UK.
Published by the Institute for Community Studies, part of ‘think and do’ non-profit organisation, The Young Foundation, the inaugural issue of the Journal is supported by the Centre for Collaboration in Community Connectedness (C4).
The publisher says the Journal challenges traditional assumptions about who creates knowledge and what evidence matters. Each article pairs academic research with a response from a community practitioner, organisation or leader, creating a dialogue between research findings and lived experience.
In her foreword to the first issue, Dr Sue Griffiths, CEO of the Institute for Community Studies and The Young Foundation, describes the Journal as a space where ‘evidence and experience meet’ and where community-led research is recognised as ‘an indispensable part’ of the evidence base.
The first edition includes contributions from researchers and academics at the universities of Reading, Stirling, Greenwich and Sheffield Hallam, and community leaders from organisations across the UK, including Clackmannanshire Third Sector Interface, Community Land Trust Network, Intergenerational England, Lambeth Links, the Brixton Project and Darnall Well Being. Articles cover:
- Social infrastructure for connected communities
- The impact of community ownership
- Nurturing meaningful intergenerational relationships
- Understanding diverse communities
- Inclusion and participation in the digital age
Dr Jack Layton, an editor of the Journal and Place Research and Impact Manager at the Institute for Community Studies, said: "Exceptional research is happening every day in communities, charities, local organisations and through people with direct lived experience. Yet too often that knowledge is overlooked or difficult to access. The Journal for Community Studies creates a new space where academic researchers and community partners can learn from one another, challenge assumptions, and develop new ideas together.
"We hope this publication will help build a richer understanding of the issues shaping communities across the UK and inspire new collaborations between researchers, policymakers, practitioners and communities themselves."
The Journal forms part of the Institute for Community Studies' long-standing mission to bridge the gaps between communities, evidence and policymaking, ensuring that research is grounded in the realities of everyday life and informed by those closest to the issues being studied, added the publisher.
Sarah Pearson, director of the Centre for Collaboration in Community Connectedness, said: "The solutions to many of the challenges facing communities already exist within communities themselves. The task for researchers, policymakers and practitioners is to listen, learn and work in partnership.
"That is why C4 is delighted to support the first issue of the Journal for Community Studies. By bringing together academic evidence and community voice, the journal creates a valuable new platform for collaboration and learning. We hope it will spark new conversations, strengthen connections across sectors, and contribute to a deeper understanding of what helps communities thrive."
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