Active Communities
Community care development: a new concept
This Joseph Rowntree Foundation publication evaluates The Hull Community Care Development Project. The project was a 3-year pilot initiative to develop local community responses to their own support and 'community care' needs. A Community Care Development Coordinator was appointed to work in 2 deprived areas of Hull. The report reflects the findings of an independent evaluation by Deborah Quilgars of the Centre for Housing Policy, University of York.
Title: Community care development: a new concept
Author: Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Number of pages: 4
Date published: May 2004
Findings
Community members, and some non-community care agencies, interpreted community care very broadly, most particularly as developing a 'caring' community. As the project was community-led, these definitions influenced and shaped the project.
The process of community care development identified unmet care and support needs, built up relationships, supported existing groups and helped to establish new community groups and activities.
The project had a considerable impact at local level. New community facilities were opened up, and direct support led to an increase in community groups and activities. These activities provided opportunities for residents' mutual support. Community networks were established that led to increased community participation.
A shortage of volunteers meant that some activities were unable to be set up or sustained. New community spaces were sometimes contested, and community politics meant that networks were not always able to represent all parts of the community. Community groups found it difficult to reach more vulnerable groups in the population.
Overall, the project was most successful in addressing broad community development issues, with communities prioritising issues such as community facilities and provision for young people. Whilst some low-level health and social care benefits were achieved, it proved more difficult to develop specific care and support initiatives.
The Hull Community Care Development Project
The project was set up to test a new approach to working with the community sector to address support and care needs. The project was based in 2 deprived neighbourhoods, each approximately a mile square.
Community care
The process of community care development involved 5 key stages.
Selecting project areas
Identifying unmet care and support needs
Building up relationships and partnerships
Working with existing and new groups
Developing a strategy
Community benefits and outcomes
The 7 key benefits that arose from the project were:
Opening of new community facilities
Increase in community activities
Benefits of the community activities
Developing and strengthening networks
New models of working
Developing capacity
Increased resources
Challenges to community care development
The process of community care development was not without the following problems:
Contested spaces
Representation issues
Lack of volunteers
Different approaches
Funding sources
Reaching of more vulnerable groups
Conclusion
The project made a positive impact in the local areas, particularly community development. The initiative supported communities to develop new activities and effective community forums.
The local context directly shaped the nature of the project. In one area, pressing issues of widespread poverty, crime, out-migration and house clearances made it particularly difficult for the community to address issues such as community care.
Barriers including the lack of volunteers and resources from the formal sector, prevented the development of community care projects. The 'invisibility' of people with care and support needs at a community level was also a hindrance.
How to get further information
For further information please contact:
Deborah Quilgars djq1@york.ac.uk
The full report, Communities caring and developing: Lessons from Hull by Deborah Quilgars, is published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (ISBN 1 85935 189 1, price £13.95).
Download: 'Community care development: a new concept' from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation website 
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Last update: Tuesday, July 22, 2008