Community based action research projects

Over many years People and Work have focused on the importance of place both as a motivator for community involvement and a measure of the impact of community involvement. Our approach has evolved over the years from seeing ‘place’ as where work happens and, often, providing the context for why work happens; to being the bond that links people and, drawing on the Welsh concept of cynefin, provides the power and strength behind community change.

We have shifted to working with, and from within, communities in their place. We now focus on supporting the people in those communities who have development Ideas. In Rhondda over the last eight years we have employed 19 local people (mostly under the age of 25) on a mix of one year and three year contracts. From these has emerged a group of four who are spear heading the development of a new, independent Rhondda charity – Generation Rhondda. This approach of investing in people to lead local change is one we intend to build on.

One of People and Work’s core functions is:

• To promote the value of education and learning as a tool for tackling inequalities and promoting employment, through a programme of community based action research projects.

Click on a logo below to find out more about some of the most recent place based work carried out by People and Work.