The Future for Communities: Perspectives on power

IVAR (Institute for Voluntary Action Research) has published a new report, The Future for Communities, which imagines what a powerful community could look like and sets out what this means for working with communities in the future.

Based on extensive dialogues with people working with and living in disadvantaged communities across the UK’s nations and regions, the report explores what factors will be important to the creation of powerful communities in the next decade. It paints a picture of strong, resourceful communities struggling to cope with the challenges of poverty, transience and isolation; but also people and places where resilience and hope offer the prospect of positive transformation and change.

In particular, it highlights the need for sustained investment in supporting community level infrastructure – places to meet, organisations to bring people together and people to facilitate engagement.