Is communitarianism a bulwark against populist insurgents and global anarchy?
Lord David Blunkett (Professor of Politics in Practice at the University of Sheffield, member of the House of Lords and former MP for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough)

Participation, Poverty and Power: Reflections from the COVID and Changing Realities research programmes
Professor Ruth Patrick (Professor of Social Policy at University of York)

Paper 1: Understanding trauma through the experiences of homelessness
Alex Norton (Sheffield Hallam University)

Abstract

Understanding the intersection between experiences of homelessness and trauma has become critical for shaping inclusive policies. This paper is based on PhD research which has explored the experiences of homelessness through the lens of trauma, using in-depth qualitative interviews to understand the life experiences of individuals facing the profound social and psychological impacts of inequality and precarious living, specifically found within the experiences of rough-sleeping homelessness.

In line with the conference focus on justice and change, this paper will contribute to ongoing discussions on social policy reform by critically analysing the frameworks of trauma, highlighting the relation of austerity measures and structural inequality with trauma, and therefore shedding light on how trauma-informed frameworks can drive meaningful and lasting improvements for some of society’s most vulnerable populations.

The findings of this paper reveal that trauma is a complex phenomenon; the stories of participants reflect upon histories and present experiences of hardship and adversity, experiences one would undoubtedly assume to be traumatic. However, trauma is a contested term for many of the participants in this study, their experiences often accepted as a normality, hinting at a generational downpassing of adverse experiences. These findings highlight that for many of these participants inequality is experienced throughout the life course and often before their experience of homelessness. Participants reveal that homelessness is often a cause and consequence of a neglected or restricted social capital and ontology, highlighting the realities around the interconnectedness of trauma and social inequality.

Through this examination of lived experience, this paper adds to the body of literature and knowledge on existing social and healthcare systems and how they understand and respond to the needs of rough sleepers.

Paper 2: Multidimensional trauma and the trauma-informed community in Rotherham
Rebecca Hamer (Sheffield Hallam University)

Abstract

This paper presents the findings of a fellowship applying a multidimensional conceptualisation of trauma to explore trauma-informed systems change in Rotherham. Incorporating a lens that recognises that trauma occurs at individual, community and systemic levels, the research demonstrates how the challenges facing survivors of sexual violence, the communities around them and the services supporting them can exacerbate trauma on all levels. However, trauma-informed systems change is proving to be transformative, not only offsetting the impact of multidimensional trauma but building resilience and ultimately, empowerment among individuals, communities and organisations.

Paper 3: “I do think people aren’t treated equally across the board”: Public Spaces Protection Orders and people experiencing street homelessness
Ben Archer (Sheffield Hallam University)

Abstract

This paper considers how the application of Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) – a spatial tool to address anti-social behaviour – reinforces formal and informal mechanisms of social control over vulnerable citizens, specifically people experiencing street homelessness.

Building upon a decade of academic critique of PSPOs, this paper utilises empirical data from semi-structured interviews with nine local authorities and police forces in England. It interrogates the decision-making of these practitioners, revealing that the implementation and enforcement of PSPOs lead to the exclusion and criminalisation of citizens with complex needs. The findings also highlight that policing bodies subject people experiencing street homelessness to different standards than other public space users, making compliance less likely.

Aligning with the conference theme of ‘Political Transitions’, this paper offers evidence-based policy recommendations, advocating for a shift away from punitive criminalisation towards holistic harm-reduction strategies that address the root causes of social exclusion. This analysis will be contrasted with the previous government’s proposed ‘Nuisance Rough Sleeping’ and ‘Nuisance Begging’ powers.

Paper 1: Digital skills, gender equity and intersectionality: Exploring the experiences of women in the North West, UK
Evelyn Oginni, Kate Han and Tracy Boahene (University of Salford)

Abstract

The discourse on gender equity remains a critical issue on the global agenda, with key legislation such as The Equality Act (2010) playing a pivotal role in raising awareness of discrimination and inequalities. The UK government’s Digital Strategy (2022) outlines its plan to foster a thriving digital economy with the inclusion of enhancing digital skills. Despite these efforts, gender-based inequalities continue to persist to a significant degree and are further exacerbated by the rapid expansion of digital technologies.
This research aims to explore the experiences of women within communities in the North West, UK through an intersectional lens using semi-structured interviews to gain a nuanced understanding of their experiences. Women face different barriers to developing their digital skills, which are further shaped by their intersecting social identities such as race and disability. Yet, discourse on intersectionality in relation to digital gender skills gap remains under explored. These barriers can have profound implications for women including restricted access to digital services and limited suitability for job opportunities. Given the multifaceted nature of these challenges, it is crucial to examine the role of intersectionality in influencing the barriers women encounter in developing their digital skills. The proposed research aims to contribute to the existing body of literature on digital gender skills gap and support the development of targeted interventions that would take into consideration, women’s diverse intersecting needs.

Paper 2: Five years on from the Leicester Boohoo scandal: Why has there been limited progress in addressing the exploitation of migrant workers in fast fashion manufacturing in the UK?
Susannah Williams (University of York)

Abstract

Since the 2020 Boohoo scandal in Leicester, migrant workers in the fast fashion manufacturing industry in the UK have faced mass job loss, the industry being pushed further underground and increasingly exploitative practices. This research, situated within Critical Political Economy and Labour Migration Studies, applies a Bacchian ‘What’s the Problem Represented to Be?’ (WPR) approach to analyse why there has been limited progress in addressing the exploitation of migrant – majority women – workers in the fast fashion manufacturing industry in the UK, despite supposedly strong legislation and governance. I build upon the recent approach of Bird and Schmid (2023), who use Critical Political Economy to situate migration and particularly the role of NGOs in broader structures of capitalist accumulation: I situate labour migration and the role of different actors – primarily workers, suppliers, brands, NGOs, politicians – in (relational and relative) global production networks.

The paper forms part of my PhD research, focusing upon the research question, What challenges do actors surrounding the industry face when trying to address exploitation in fast fashion manufacturing in the UK? I combine the WPR framework with Racial Capitalism (Bhattacharyya, 2018) and Coloniality of Power (Werner, 2011; Lugones, 2024) to understand how current policies and approaches of different actors in the production network may construct and reproduce unequal power relations that they seek to address. The conceptual contribution from combining these frameworks could be useful for theorising beyond this specific case, with other industries in the UK reliant upon the exploitation of migrant workers – including agriculture, health and care work, and fishing (LBL, 2024). Meanwhile, the case study of the UK fast fashion manufacturing industry could be useful for theorising around exploitation in global production networks (beyond the UK), especially in garment manufacturing, because it highlights the reworking of social and spatial boundaries through intersections of power.

Paper 3: Towards a more local caring economy: ‘care work’ and the Pathways to Work Strategy in Barnsley
Valeria Guarneros-Meza (York St John University)

Abstract

This paper contends that social and economic precarity can be overcome through caring practices found in the social reproduction that communities develop in their everyday experience of place-making. By following ethics-of-care debates (Tronto, 2013), the paper proposes care work as a concept borrowed from feminist and environmental studies which pursue care at an individual, collective and systemic levels to ensure that people’s wellbeing is maintained and repaired in inclusive and democratic ways. The paper understands ‘care work’ as not only including traditional activities that look after others, such as child and adult care, but also includes other collective activities such as volunteering in communities as an important factor that contributes to the making and pride of place. This conceptual framework is applied to fieldwork carried out in Barnsley Metropolitan Borough, South Yorkshire. The paper unpacks how the visibility of material and social precarity are compounded with the invisibility of voluntary work in the initiatives organised by the local council and different community organisations when caring for others and place. By specifically focusing on the 2024 Pathways to Work Strategy, published by Barnsley Council, the paper shows how the Strategy falls into the risk of turning exclusive and fragmented by overlooking the value that the local VCSE sector offers through community volunteering.

Paper 1: Data-driven decarbonisation: How AI and big data are transforming environmental policy making
Mohd Basheer and Tala Alhabashneh

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the impact of the standard shift of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data analytics on environmental policies with an emphasis on decarbonisation in the United Kingdom. In the course of current political transitions and the increasing severity of climate change, this paper aims to investigate how new digital tools can support, direct, and accelerate policy actions towards the reduction of carbon emissions. The main purpose is to assess the potential of integrating AI models with the huge energy data to reform policy strategies. This study employs a strong mixed-methods approach, which includes a quantitative analysis of the national energy consumption and emission data and qualitative data from in-depth interviews of policymakers, AI technologists, and industry experts. Some of the machine learning techniques that were employed included neural networks and circle algorithms in an attempt to find hidden patterns in energy consumption and simulate the impacts of various policy measures. At the same time, the thematic analysis of the interviews helped to reveal both the strategic advantages and the operational risks of implementing such digital innovations in the public sector. Initial results show that AI-based analytics can enhance the accuracy and timeliness of environmental policy frameworks and reveal new decarbonisation strategies. This digital strategy leads to a feedback loop where data is used to update policy effectiveness on a real-time basis. However, the study also reveals some critical challenges, such as data governance, privacy, and the digital divide, which are critical to address to realize the full potential of these technological advancements. Through the provision of new empirical evidence and practical recommendations, this research defines the future direction of data-driven policy innovation in sustainable energy governance and presents a practical model of a decarbonised future.

Paper 2: Energy consumption, environmental quality and health nexus in West African countries: Implications for sustainable development
Ester Aderinto (Lead City University Ibadan)

Abstract

Despite the fact that Africa is rich in renewable energy sources, the continent’s energy mix is dominated with the fossil fuels constituting about 90 percent, while renewable energy accounts for 10 percent. This could have deteriorating effects on the environment and subsequently on the health status of people across the continent. The sustainable development goals are geared towards ensuring a sustainable future for all, with good health, well-being and sustainable environment as part of the principal targets. However, most developing countries including West African countries have been experiencing declining health patterns following the lack of attention on health-related factors like energy and environment. This study therefore intends to examine the nexus among energy consumption, environmental quality and health in West African countries while employing data from 2000 to 2022. The study disintegrates energy consumption into renewable and non-renewable energy. Pooled Mean Group Autoregressive Distributed Lag (PMG/ARDL) model was employed for the study. Short run estimates reveal a negative influence of non-renewable energy on life expectancy in West African countries. Similarly, non-renewable energy exerts a significant and negative influence on child mortality. Non-renewable energy also reduces health expenditure. Renewable energy was observed to increase life expectancy and reduce child mortality. The study concludes that a substantial amount of renewable energy be incorporated into the energy basket of West African countries to improve health conditions.

Paper 3: “Re-imagining the just agri-food transition narrative: Lessons learned from small-scale horticulture growers in the UK and Greece”
Elpida Apostolopoulou, Will Eadson and Caroline Linhares (Sheffield Hallam University)

Abstract

Decarbonising horticulture is fundamental towards achieving Net Zero (NZ) futures, as it is an energy dense, high-emitting, and vulnerable to climate change sector. Embedding Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) on the horticulture decarbonisation agenda, is also important, as these constitute a vital part of the sector. However, NZ transitions create a plethora of socio-economic, political, and spatial inequalities, while justice concerns are constantly raised for smaller actors, across different geographies. Nevertheless, very scarce research has previously focused on how agri-food SMEs experience injustice and navigate in the NZ transformation; in a dynamic socio-political landscape.

This study seeks to uncover the agri-food Just Transition (JT) narrative through the lens of small-scale horticulture growers. Drawing upon empirical findings from our fieldwork in rural and peri-urban areas in Greece (Western Greece Region) and the UK (South Yorkshire), we initiate a comparative analysis and discussion. This allows to develop an in-depth understanding on both what decarbonisation entails for small-scale growers, and on how it can be planned and governed in a fairer and more inclusive manner. More specifically, we: (1) shed light to the growers’ vulnerability to climate change and current climate action, (2) uncover the transition-induced opportunities and challenges for smaller growers, and (3) explore their visions of a JT.

Through this qualitative research, we aspire to create a space of empowerment for the under-researched and under-represented groups, where they can share their perspectives and have their voices heard. Via re-thinking the agri-food JT narrative, we position small-scale growers and local communities, at the epicentre of the NZ transformation. This provides a more creative pathway towards designing a resilient, equitable and sustainable agri-food system.

Paper 1: The State of Poverty: How do multi-level governance structures and policy siloes shape experiences of poverty in Scotland?

Claire MacRae and Thomas Rochow (University of Glasgow)

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon the ‘state of poverty’ in relation to multi-level governance arrangements and social security policy in the UK. The governing process of the welfare state in the UK has become increasingly ‘multi-level’ and ‘multi-agency’, often creating complications in policy implementation and co-ordination. For example, the introduction of the Adult Disability Payment, a Scottish Government policy implemented with new devolved powers, as augmented support for the UK-wide Employment Support Allowance under Universal Credit, reserved to the UK Government. It demands a wider recognition of what is effectively a rapidly evolving governance structure in the UK across multiple levels, with policy divergence. Whilst a devolved, localised approach is preferred, it can fail to address the complex reality of people’s lives, pushing people further into poverty rather than addressing the inequalities.

In this paper, we draw upon a range of applied policy and theoretical literature to explore the ways in which social security policymaking across the UK, including tensions between reserved and devolved powers, can shape poverty risks among marginalised groups in society. It draws upon existing literature and secondary qualitative data from Citizens Advice Scotland to map multi-level policy decision-making for social security beneficiaries across Scotland, outlining where these decisions interact with lived experience. This paper concludes that some poverty risks and inequalities can be reduced by facilitating more cohesion between governmental departments and greater strategic collaboration. Core to this is understanding that a bottom-up approach to policymaking is necessary, prioritising individuals’ lived experiences as the foundation for decisions, rather than starting with policies set by governments or institutions.

Paper 2: Cross-jurisdictional youth employment policy and welfare in Scotland, Wales and England: A street-level perspective
Sioned Pearce and Nivedita Narayan (Cardiff University)

Abstract

This paper examines interactions between centralised and devolved employment support and welfare in Scotland, Wales and England, taking a qualitative approach to gain a street-level perspective on delivery with young people. Young people are increasingly stuck between the rock of unemployment and the hard place of work insecurity as policy responses to the former increase and perpetuate the latter. Young people are also most likely to normalise work insecurity and poor working conditions as part of the life course or the price of autonomy. The stigma associated with benefit receipt often forms part of a move to reduce claimant numbers and is reflected in the declining numbers of eligible young claimants, as less than 50% of unemployed 16-24 years olds seek support through JobCentre Plus, the motivation behind Youth Hubs.

In this context, the paper’s twin aims are to challenge the privileging of methodological nationalism in the study of welfare regimes and to offer a sub-state alternative through a street-level perspective. In the context of prevailing trends towards activation measures and mixed economies of welfare across Western Europe, the UK’s work first approach and categorisation as a Liberal welfare regime of minimal provision is complexified using a devolved policy context. The findings on cross-jurisdictional interactions show devolved employment support in Scotland and Wales actively reshaping welfare delivery through JobCentre Plus in ways that resist the UK’s historically centralised approach. We contribute to a growing body of literature on substate welfare regimes with significant implications for the privileging of methodological nationalism in the study of work and welfare.

Paper 3: Minoritised mothers’ experiences of inequities and discrimination in children’s social care services
Larissa Haensel Povey and Sana Rahim (Sheffield Hallam University)

Abstract

In recent years the number of looked after children in England has increased sharply, at the same time mothers with recurrent care applications against them is also rising (Department for Education, 2022; Broadhurst et al., 2017). Black, Asian and minoritised children are persistently overrepresented in the child protection system (Detlaff et al., 2020). It is important to understand the lived experience of ethnic minority birth mothers and those professionals working alongside them. Incipient research highlights ethnic minority mothers experiences of racism and oppression within child protection interventions both in the community and in the prison (Cornish, 2024; Thomas, 2023), but the diverse nature and complexity of these experiences is under-researched and under-theorised.

Drawing upon new empirical data from northern England this paper explores the lived experiences of Black, Asian and minoritised mothers subject to children’s and family social care interventions, and the professionals working in this arena. Of particular concern is the disproportionality in Black, Asian and ethnic minority children separated from their families by state intervention. The data highlights an inequitable and micro-aggressive landscape that minoritised mothers navigate when they are subject to parenting assessments as part of child removal proceedings. Their narratives highlight the injustice within cultural misunderstandings and the devastating pains of ‘lost’ motherhood (Abbott et al., 2021).

This paper explores cultural awareness, curiosity and responsiveness within social work practice for children and families in an English city. Drawing on the concept of ‘matricentric feminism’ this paper argues that ‘good mothering’ is culturally determined and variable. The data suggests that despite an awareness of disparities, and efforts to be ‘culturally curious’, current practice in social work continues to uphold a white European standard of a ‘good mother’ which leaves little space for diversity.

Paper 1: Does increased capital grant actually deliver more social rented housing? Evidence from a quasi-experiment in England
Michael Marshall and Meng Le Zhang (University of Sheffield)

Abstract

The chronic undersupply of affordable housing in England, most notably the social rented tenure, has been associated with issues relating to affordability, persistent homelessness, and overcrowding. The national government elected in 2024 has placed renewed emphasis on building new homes, and committed themselves to revitalising the Affordable Homes Programme and social rented delivery. However, the capacity of social landlords and developers to deliver new homes is constrained and calls have been made to increase the capital grant available to stimulate new supply, despite wider fiscal pressures on national government. This paper contributes to this debate by answering the question, does increased capital grant actually deliver more social rented housing? We evaluate a 2018 policy change that provided additional capital grant for social rented homes in areas of ‘high affordability pressure’. We adopt a quasi-experimental design to estimate the causal effect of the policy change on affordable housing starts in 2019/20. Using a fuzzy regression discontinuity design, we estimate the effect of the policy to be 0.71 additional social rented starts per 1,000 dwellings in a local authority, or roughly 58 homes in the average local authority. Moreover, the effect was notably strong on homes delivered by housing associations. We find no effect on social rented starts by local authorities, or affordable housing starts irrespective of tenure. The study contributes empirical evidence on how supply-side subsidies interact with their institutional context. And contributes to policy debates by demonstrating the effectiveness of grant in stimulating social rented supply. Although the findings do suggest that faced with a finite pot of funding, government faces a trade-off between funding different affordable housing tenures.

Paper 2: Uncertain temporalities; spatial stressors and disrupted connections: the impact of temporary accommodation on family life, health and wellbeing
Hannah Fairbrother, Nick Woodrow, Ellie Holding, Mary Crowder, Anne-Marie Burn, Peter Kraftl and Elizabeth Goyder (University of Sheffield)

Abstract

Background
Temporary accommodation (TA) is emergency accommodation provided by local authority for families at risk of homelessness. The use of TA has increased dramatically over the last decade and now over 150,000 children are living in temporary accommodation. While families should only be housed in TA for a maximum of six weeks, evidence suggests that it is increasingly being relied upon to plug the gap in social housing with families staying for extended periods.

Methods
We undertook 79 interviews with parents, children and local authority professionals across three geographical areas in England: South Yorkshire, the North West and London. We spoke with parents and children living in various forms of TA including hotels, hostels and bed and breakfast accommodation. Many of the families had been living in TA for months and even years, well beyond the intended limits of their use. The majority of interviews were undertaken over the phone or online via a video call. We mobilised framework analysis (Ritchie and Spencer, 1994) to analyse our data.

Results
Our analysis generated key themes focusing on: i) the constant, cumulative stress associated with not knowing if, when and where stable accommodation might be secured, ii) the spatial unsuitability of TA for family life and iii) the disconnection and disruption to social support and educational engagement for families living in TA.

Conclusion
Temporary accommodation is not conducive to positive family life, health and wellbeing. It perpetuates inequities and contributes to a cycle of poverty and ill-health. There is an urgent need to address the housing crisis in England, in particular the lack of affordable suitable social housing for families.

Paper 3: Housing and Place: Towards Community-Led Change in the Built Environment
Al Mathers, Leonie Taylor, and Jack Layton (The Young Foundation)

Abstract

Housing associations face the complex challenge of balancing tenant needs with delivering sustainable, long-term place-based transformation. Regeneration processes often unfold over many years, during which delayed repairs, neglected homes, and fragmented communications erode trust between tenants, service providers, and the broader community. This breakdown in trust undermines efforts to create lasting positive change.

Our place-based research highlights these critical issues, revealing that only 9% of people felt that their voices were heard or their views were represented in local developments. This prompted us to investigate whether community-led research can serve as a catalyst for genuine engagement and be a robust foundation for transforming policy and practice.

This paper draws on our recent empirical findings from Basingstoke, where we worked alongside local residents and a housing association to redefine what a more equitable housing system might look like. We explored the ways that structural barriers – such as risk aversion, economic constraints, and disinvestment in public services – shape residents’ lived experiences, limiting their opportunities to drive meaningful change.

However, through employing participatory approaches at the intersection of housing, the built environment and community development, our research reveals how new community capacity and partnerships can emerge. We emphasize that sustainable transformation demands a long-term commitment to relationship-building, where communities are seen and engaged as equal partners in the process of change.

Our findings show that while collective hope for the future has grown – with 50% of residents expressing trust in the possibility of positive local change – their sense of agency remains low. By exploring the power dynamics in these communities, we identified targeted opportunities to reshape the relationships between residents, housing providers, and local authorities. Our research recommends investing in social capital through community-driven research and establishing new structures for shared power, such as tenant boards and neighbourhood movements, to foster lasting change.

Session abstract

The application of historical methods to the study of contemporary environmental problems is gaining traction, resurrecting the long forgotten Foucauldian concept of a ‘genealogy of the present’. Looking to the past can help us understand how we got to where we are; unearth forgotten causes and good and bad practice and help us think about what is worth preserving and what we never want to return to. This session will showcase work from two interdisciplinary projects that have advanced the application of historical perspectives to the study of key environmental challenges, revealing novel considerations for policy and practice. JUSTHEAT has involved extensive study of personal experiences of heating transition since 1945 across four European countries, uncovering – inter alia – factors that have shaped our enduring preferences and aversions regarding different modes of heating. Was the Past More Sustainable? considered four key environmental problems through a historical lens, covering: home heating, air quality, waste and transport. We will present insights from across these projects, drawing out learning for policy and practice and reflecting on the value of the methods applied. We also welcome papers that have taken related approaches to environmental research.

Paper 1: JUSTHEAT: Looking back to move forward: a social and cultural history of heating: key cross-national findings
Aimee Ambrose and Lindsey McCarthy (Sheffield Hallam University), Kathy Davies (The British Library)

Paper 2: Was the past more sustainable? Keeping Warm
Aimee Ambrose (Sheffield Hallam University)

Paper 3: Was the Past More Sustainable? Bad Atmosphere
Kathy Davies (The British Library)

Paper 4: Was the past more sustainable? The rise and fall of the dustbin
Henry Irving

Paper 1: Housing Development or Community Development? – or both?: Reviewing the community dimension in major plans for residential areas
Martin Field (East Midlands Community Led Housing)

Abstract

In many separate places around the UK, large-scale urban developments are under consideration, each involving many hundreds of new homes for the future – in some instances, these will even be thousands, as reinforced in the emerging aspirations of Government proposals for a next set of ‘New Town’ developments.

This paper examines the roles regularly outlined for the local authority, the design and development sectors, and relevant landowners in a collaboration upon the planning and delivery of such developments, and of the kinds of policies and guidance that encourage the creation of exemplar ‘place-making’, and to the creation of ‘new’ communities.

It questions, however, some of the rhetoric and the practice behind these activities, when a practical engagement with local people who will or could be resident in such areas is customarily filtered through an occasional ‘consultation’ or survey on ideas that are already pre-formed, or through a limited membership of a body established by commercial interests as a vehicle for local discussion in the future. It is noted that a core involvement of explicit community development expertise is rarely evident within the earliest stages of promoting and planning such areas, which raises concerns on what depth of community engagement and identity is likely to emerge if local people have little opportunity to influence key affairs.

The paper raises considerations on the nature of greater community engagement in, and contributions to, the ideas that could shape large-scale urban and New Town developments and draws attention to a number of ways such engagement could take place in relation to the residential element of such places – in core ‘master-planning’ stages; in a phased practical assessment and delivery of new dwellings; in future management and ‘stewardship’ roles, and as the holders on future ‘community assets’.

Paper 2: Street Art and Safer Streets: Investigating Public Art’s Effect on Violence
Jane Prophet, Marc Zimmerman, Stephanie Tharp, Haley Crimmins, Dan Lee, Rachel Wyatt, Shaun Bhatia, Emilie Ziebarth, Mary Byron (Sheffield Hallam University)

Abstract

Public health researchers using methods from applied social and behavioural science have consistently found that improving the physical conditions of a neighbourhood through remediating vacant properties helps to improve social capital and cohesion in neighbourhoods and reduce violence. Most of this work, however, has focused on planting gardens, mowing, landscaping and fencing. Since the 1980s, city authorities worldwide have increasingly deployed cultural policies as economic policies, commissioning public art, community gardening and landscaping, some of which are artist-led, and sanctioning specific graffiti projects that they rebrand as ‘street art’. Despite a 40% cut to arts and leisure spending by councils across the UK since 2011 as they struggle to meet rising social care costs, it is notable that councils have retained budgets for commissioning public art. As in the US, the associated arts spending is often incorporated into urban regeneration and crime reduction schemes. To date, few researchers have gathered or examined data to test the ways that public art installed to repurpose vacant lots might be a viable strategy for preventing violent crime and firearm-related crime specifically. Similarly, there is little data analysis to gauge whether public artworks co-created and/or co-produced with communities rather than for residents is compelling. A multidisciplinary team with expertise in public health, data analysis and violence prevention, led by a PI from art and design, worked with Detroit community groups to test whether the presence of public art is associated with less firearm-related crime. We also examined the influence of public artwork on violent firearm-related crime across different bandwidths (e.g., 100m, 200m). Our study shows that firearms-related incidents decrease closest to art and that the protective effects of art installations on gun violence increased with decreasing proximity for youth-aged population subsets. Our method may be usefully adapted to evaluate whether public artworks in the UK can reduce youth knife crime and injury.

Paper 3: Parish matters – the dreams and doubts of human-scale government
Jason Leman

Abstract

Parish councils are a reliquary of local government in England, preserving forms that in the past have funded more public works than the parliament of the day. Town councils are an echo of Urban District Councils, centres of local control over public services. This history could foreshadow our democratic future. New parish and town councils are being formed. An expansion of their role, their powers and resources, is argued for by those in the sector. This is government at the human scale, covering constituencies of hundreds and thousands rather than hundreds of thousands. Drawing on detailed case study evaluations of Saffron Walden Town Council and Frome Town Council, alongside a survey of existing literature, this paper considers the potential of parish and town councils as platforms for a participatory and deliberative democracy. Compared to increasingly massive principal authorities, these are a human-scale form of government that can act as a convenor for the locality, a centre of place-based action, a facilitator of social and civic capital. From Neighbourhood Planning Processes to participatory budgeting to initiating community networks, councils at this scale have been innovative and participatory. And yet, the challenges are equally great. This is a sector rooted in local tradition and practice, with diverse constituencies ranging from 40 people to 40,000, with localised resources and capacity, with disengaged apathy alongside determined activity. It is argued that the deliberative and participatory promise of parish and town councils will only be maintained if they are shaped according to the same principles, where change is initiated with and by their constituents. The paper concludes with a discussion of key questions that face those advocating parish and town councils, reflecting both the dreams and doubts of human-scale government.

Paper 1: Organisations organising organisations: a local voluntary sector perspective
Peter Horner (Sheffield Hallam University)

Abstract

Ahrne & Brunsson (2008) recognise that most organisational theory looks at organisations that organise people and assert that different approaches are needed when studying organisations that organise other organisations. They use the term meta-organisations to describe such organisations. In general research has focussed at international and national level organising and less so at local level. This presentation will explore the conceptual thinking and debates around meta-organisations and discuss their relevance to my PhD research on local voluntary sector infrastructure organisations and their convening role.
Local voluntary sector infrastructure organisations perform a range of roles, conceived in different ways but broadly include developing and building the capacity of voluntary groups, connecting them together and influencing wider policy and practice functions (Macmillan, 2021; NAVCA, 2024). There has been a significant amount of research on their developmental and capacity building role but less on their convening role in bringing the sector together for strategic influence (Macmillan, 2021). The latter role has been garnering increasing interest with statutory bodies, partly as a result of their role during the COVID-19 pandemic (Local Government Association, 2024). My research is looking at this convening role from two perspectives – how LIOs structure their activity and how they manage the inherent tensions in navigating the contested space in which they operate.
In this presentation I will look at how the theoretical concept of meta-organisations contribute to both strands, how the approach is shaping my thinking and research design and how my research will contribute to better understanding the relevance of these concepts to local voluntary sector place-based organisations.

Paper 2: Addressing the challenge of public service resilience through a blurring of sectors – Mapping the third sector workforce
Elizabeth Cookingham Bailey, Chunhua Chen and Anne-Marie Greene (University of York)

Abstract

Modern welfare states are facing ever increasing pressure from aging populations, economic instability owing to globalisation, and workforce demands. This is compounded by movements towards devolution and decentralisation which create broader variability between countries, regions and individual public services. This means therefore creates boundaries between those who have access to stable services and those who do not based on concentration of resources. Poorer regions are left to have poorer services the more they are disconnected from centralised initiatives. This ‘retreat’ of the welfare state has increased the reliance on third sector organisations to fill in the gaps.

Non-profits, social enterprises and community groups can provide essential services where there are statutory gaps. These organisations also provide an important means of ‘bridge building’ between communities (Harris and Young, 2010) whilst providing specialist knowledge in key areas where the stat lacks capacity. According to Young (2000), in modern welfare states these constitute functions that are seen as supplemental to the state and those that are complementary to the state. However, the greater the demand for support from the statutory sector from these third sector organisations to deliver core services, the more boundaries are blurring. This leads to what Evers (2020) describes as ‘inter-sectoral hybridity’ as non-state organisations are contracted for state services.

This blurring of boundaries between sectors, organisations and services also blurs our understanding of the public service workforce. This implies that individuals possess certain skills or capabilities which allow them to provide key public services regardless of the sector or organisation. However, different sectors have different capacities to track the demographics of their workforce and the skills therein. The more third sector organisations are brought in to deliver statutory services the more certain skills and capabilities will be demanded. This paper is based on a mapping exercise that sought to fill the gap in knowledge about the extent of the third sector workforce.

This study looked at one public service sector in one region of the UK. Organisations working in social care, health and wellbeing were invited to participate in a survey, individual interviews and focus groups looking at the current state of their workforce and the sustainability of it going forward. This helped to build a picture of the current makeup of the sector but also the gaps in skills and capacity. It also provided insights into the challenges to organisational resilience that will impact on the future sustainability of the sector. The findings of this study will inform the regional strategy for the statutory partners seeking to commission future work and to provide capacity training initiatives.

Paper 3: On the frontline: exploring the role of civil society in reducing social divides and promoting social cohesion
James Rees (University of Wolverhampton)

Abstract

The voluntary and community sector (VCS) in the UK prides itself on its role in addressing faultlines in society, challenging injustice, and promoting social cohesion, as witnessed in the aftermath of the English riots in 2024. For instance influential sector leaders in the Civil Society Group stated that “Civil society organisations are on the front line in the racist violence” and went on to note that civil society “exists to make the world a better place – championing the voices of those who experience disadvantage and exclusion…working to achieve social justice and cohesion”. But what do we know about the proportion of the sector that are actively on the ‘frontline’ of this agenda (indeed some might in fact be ‘neutral’ or even actively fuelling divisions), and what activities comprise the work of those organisations that are dedicated to solving social divisions and promoting social cohesion? Addressing this lacuna, the presentation outlines a research project with two distinct phases. It asks first, through a basic quantitative analysis, what (and where) VCS organisations are actively addressing this agenda, and what work do they do? Armed with this basic information, it is possible to distinguish between organisations whose primary aim is to reduce division/promote cohesion, versus those that achieve those outcomes as a secondary side effect of their mission and activity (an example of the latter might include a local asylum-seeker and refugee charity, ie by promoting integration). Such organisations operate at and between multiple scales: from local neighbourhoods to national. Second, through an extensive literature review, it answers two closely related questions: what is known about the activity of this part of the sector; and what approaches, good practice and theories underpin successful work in this field? Ultimately a key aim of the project is to devise a typology of organisations in this field, in order to guide further empirical research.

Paper 1: Decarbonising off-grid homes and the urban-rural divide
Yael Arbell (Sheffield Hallam University)

Abstract

There are thousands of properties across the UK that are ‘off-grid’: without access to both electricity and gas mains connections. A further 4.3 million UK homes are off the mains gas grid. People living off-grid are at greater risk of fuel poverty and can struggle to heat their home. Their homes are more likely to have poor energy efficiency and often rely on fossil fuels such as oil and diesel, which are more polluting than gas or mains electric. There are a range of challenges to mains connection and decarbonising solutions due to these homes’ location and structure and the grants available. We studied the experiences of people living off-grid, mainly in rural areas, to understand their needs, challenges and preferences. At a time when the rural-urban divide is strongly felt, we give voice to the people at the sharp edge of the net-zero policy.

Paper 2: Capital and illness within a small declining resort town. An ethnographic exploration of struggle and restitution
Edward Hart (University of Hull)

Abstract

Many seaside towns share a fate analogous to former industrial towns, as expressed in the relative loss of their intrinsic purpose and consequent implications for health. Unlike their larger counterparts, small seaside towns are often overlooked as sites of postmodern struggle. This oversight occurs despite many being geographically isolated and dependent on declining tourism.

This paper derives from an ethnographic study on the experiences of working-age adults living with multimorbidity in a small, remote northern seaside town. The town, pseudonymised as Skelsend, was transformed from a tiny fishing village into a bustling seaside resort during the Victorian era. Since the 1970s, Skelsend has undergone decades of economic decline, characterised by the incremental dissolution of its resort life, which has resulted in its dissolution of purpose. Typical of many resort towns, its neighbourhoods, aside from those on the town’s fringe, are measured as significantly socially disadvantaged.

Findings suggest that residents’ utilisation of space in this declining town is related to their access to social and economic capital. Moreover, how they use space largely shapes residents’ perception of their town, thus revealing underlying community tensions. For many residents, often those requiring economic opportunities to achieve wellbeing, the spatial redundancy of Skelsend cultivates dispositional schemas of despondency. Spatial immobility, caused by illness and precarious access to capital, intensifies their dependence on a town they perceive as disappearing.

However, for many residents who have relocated to Skelsend, especially those who are both economically secure and voluntarily inactive, the spatial calm developed through the town’s comparative redundancy creates conditions to experience restitution in the context of illness and trauma. This differing experience results in a tension of needs influencing relations within the town’s fields of social struggle.

Paper 3: In my Driving Seat: Intercity Shuttle Drivers Perception of- and Experience in the City
Ayobami Abayomi Popoola, Taiwo Oladapo Babalola, Samuel Oluwaseyi Olorunfemi, Lovemore Chipungu, Hangwelani Magidimisha-Chipungu, and Michael Hardman

Abstract

The state of the global economy has triggered different surviving responses for immigrants from the Global South. One of the most popular responses to the economic meltdown in these developing economies is migration to perceived thriving economies. However, the post-Covid-19 years have recorded the highest level of migration to OECD countries over the past 20 years. These migrants target cities, perhaps because of job opportunities and the availability of educational institutions for those using schooling circumstances. Undoubtedly, this increasing inflow of migrants has overstressed the existing housing infrastructure in most of the cities. The quest for apartments significantly affects the housing quality and rent. Through the questionnaire survey of foreign migrants of African descent, this study seeks to explore the complexities surrounding access to residence/home among foreign migrants in some selected cities in the Global North countries. The study argued along the concepts of social integration and communal interaction as an adaptation tool adopted by foreign migrant individuals and families in managing the social, emotional and economic stress of getting a home in host/destination communities. Earlier evidence from immigrants’ commentaries suggests the adoption of a step-wise housing alternative through shared apartments with families and friends before securing their own homes. The study reported increased vulnerability of foreign migrants due to their negative exposure to the housing market demand and supply externalities. In managing the economic stress of the housing rental charge surge, families, and individuals resort to shared rooms, and/or apartments as sustainable housing adaptation options.