News

Minister to view community projects

Published 11 March 2013

Event 12 March 2013

A £1m programme of community engagement projects run by the University of Brighton will be showcased to David Willetts, Minister of State for Universities and Science.

Projects include community gardening and food growing, a building resilience study with young people with disabilities, and engaging with historic and future food systems.

The showcase will be part of the first Connected Communities Programme event, which will held on 12 March at Congress Centre in Great Russell Street, central London, where David Willetts is scheduled to speak.

Through a mix of presentations, workshops, interactive and participatory break-outs, posters, exhibitions and performances, the event will highlight research being undertaken through the Connected Communities Programme across the UK.

Connected Communities is a cross-council programme designed to understand the changing nature of communities in their historical and cultural contexts and the role of communities in sustaining and enhancing quality of life.

One University of Brighton project being showcased is BoingBoing which provides opportunities to learn about resilience and involves forums, production of books and offering training and talks on resilient approaches to life's challenges. At the heart of the project is working with children, young people, families and adults exposed to social disadvantage.

Professor Angie Hart, Professor of Child, Family & Community Health in the university's School of Nursing and Midwifery, said: "There are many academic articles and books on resilience but few tell how to go about using this knowledge to help children, young people and adults to bounce up against the odds. Part of this is working with people individually, but it is also about trying to do our bit to tackle unfair practices by governments and other big players.

"Our work is strongly rooted in a social justice agenda, and we do not believe that resilience promotion should be about maximising the survival of the fittest."

The university's projects are funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, which runs Connected Communities, and the Economic and Social Research Council.

Professor Andrew Church, Professor of Human Geography in the university's School of Environment and Technology, is overseeing the university's stand, displays and presentations. He will be assisted by Professor Neil Ravenscroft, Professor of Land Economy in the university's School of Environment and Technology, Dr Paul Gilchrist from the School of Sport and Service Management, and David Wolff, Director of the university's Community University Partnership Programme.

Displays and presentations will include:

Digital talking quilt containing individual narratives about the importance of community and food: 'To Bake a Quilt'

text of a play 'Playing with food' based on oral history narratives: Mr Seel’s Garden;
visual art outputs by socially-excluded young people who experience mental health complexity and are involved in arts resilience workshops: BoingBoing,
Connected Communities project films produced by both professional film makers and also volunteers who received training in video skills:
National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement;

Visitors will be able to interact with the digital narratives in the quilt, read stories and narratives, understand the making of the scarecrows and their role in gift exchange, leave video feedback, view project films, and listen to short talks.

A 'breakout' presentation at Spitalfields City Farm, close to Liverpool Street Station, will be for people interested in communal food growing.

Professor Church said: "The focus of the stand and breakout session on creativity is likely to interest many people but each activity is also targeted at a particular audience and is designed to have specific impacts that will be taken forward by future projects involving the partners.

"The stand will contain a facility for the audience to sign up to networks/events currently led by the community partners involved and also to take part in events to be developed as part the future activities.

"This event is a great opportunity to showcase and debate the impact of creativity, community gardening and everyday culture on community supported agriculture and food growing in the UK."

Connected Communities is a new cross-Council Programme being led by the AHRC in partnership with the EPSRC, the Economic and Social Research Council, the Medical Research Council and the Natural Environment Research Council and a range of other organisations.