Exploring the role of public services in relation to 'connected communities'; Learning from different conceptualisations of community-school relations
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Manchester
Department Name: Environment, Education and Development
Abstract
Taking state-funded schools as an exemplar of public services, this study has explored the role of schools in relation to geographical communities which experience economic deprivation and associated disadvantages. Reviewing literature primarily from the U.K. and U.S., it has been particularly interested in how activities linking schools and communities have been conceptualised, and what this suggests about how the self-reliance, sustainability and well-being of disadvantaged communities might be developed.
A mapping framework for organising and analysing the literature is presented. It focuses attention on:
i. the sorts of actions which have purposefully been taken to link schools and communities and tackle disadvantage at a community-level
ii. what the literature says about the purposes of these actions and who has the power to act.
The literature indicates that professionals working within existing societal arrangements and structures appear best placed to have impacts on communities' experiences of disadvantage in terms of tangible outcomes relating to public services.
This has implications for the emerging agenda of localism. Promoting local action is likely to reinforce a focus on ameliorative actions within existing arrangements, and policy makers must be cautious about anticipating transformative outcomes which local actions cannot realistically achieve. Strengthening local actions will require greater dialogue between professionals and communities, leading, at least, to shared agendas. Research is needed into the best mechanisms for achieving this.
A more transformative social agenda will require some long-term alignment of local, regional and national activities, in order to impact on wider societal structures.
A mapping framework for organising and analysing the literature is presented. It focuses attention on:
i. the sorts of actions which have purposefully been taken to link schools and communities and tackle disadvantage at a community-level
ii. what the literature says about the purposes of these actions and who has the power to act.
The literature indicates that professionals working within existing societal arrangements and structures appear best placed to have impacts on communities' experiences of disadvantage in terms of tangible outcomes relating to public services.
This has implications for the emerging agenda of localism. Promoting local action is likely to reinforce a focus on ameliorative actions within existing arrangements, and policy makers must be cautious about anticipating transformative outcomes which local actions cannot realistically achieve. Strengthening local actions will require greater dialogue between professionals and communities, leading, at least, to shared agendas. Research is needed into the best mechanisms for achieving this.
A more transformative social agenda will require some long-term alignment of local, regional and national activities, in order to impact on wider societal structures.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Alan Dyson (Principal Investigator) | |
| Helen Gunter (Co-Investigator) |
Publications
Dyson, A.
(2012)
Conceptualising school-community relations in disadvantaged areas
Kerr K
(2016)
Networked Social Enterprises: A New Model of Community Schooling for Disadvantaged Neighborhoods Facing Challenging Times
in Education Sciences
Kerr K
(2016)
Conceptualising school-community relations in disadvantaged neighbourhoods: mapping the literature
in Educational Research
| Description | This literature-based scoping study formed part of AHRC's Connected Communities programme. Taking state-funded schools as an exemplar of public services, it explored the role of schools in relation to geographical communities which experience economic deprivation and associated disadvantages. Reviewing literature primarily from the U.K. and U.S., the study was particularly interested in how activities linking schools and communities have been conceptualised in the literature, and what this suggests about how the self-reliance, sustainability and well-being of disadvantaged communities might be developed. The study's major achievements are: 1. To undertake a conceptual review of literature in a field that is more noted for descriptive and exhortatory accounts than for critical analysis. 2. To map for the first time the kinds of substantive actions reported in the international literature that engage schools with communities. The map differentiates between actions that are school led (providing services and facilities, building social and civic capacity, acting as engines of area regeneration) and those that are community led (parental choice, involvement in school governance, community organising, establishing schools). 3. To develop a conceptual framework for analysing those actions, based around two dimensions. The first dimension is 'power and control'. This explores whose interests the literature reports as driving efforts to link schools and communities. The second dimension is 'social stance'. This explores the purposes the literature attributes to actions linking schools and communities. 4. To identify significant gaps and biases in the literature. Specifically, the literature is much stronger in adopting the perspective of school and other professionals than it is at identifying and analysing community perspectives. Likewise the literature is overwhelmingly focused on bringing about incremental improvements within existing social arrangements than with conceptualising school-community engagement as a means of bringing about more radical change. In this way, the review was able to identify the need for research of a more community-focused and socially-critical kind in this field. The review was also able to identify a lack of trans-national comparative studies in the field and to alert practitioners and policy makers to the need for greater dialogue between themselves and communities. |
| Exploitation Route | The review has immediate relevance to researchers and research funders in education, social policy and community development. On the one hand, it provides a map and conceptual analysis of a previously under-conceptualised field. Researchers can use this map to inform their own studies. On the other hand, the review identifies significant gaps and biases in the existing literature and identifies the kinds of studies that are now needed. Researchers and research funders could work towards filling these gaps and addressing these biases. The review's findings can also be taken forward by practitioners and policy makers. School-community engagement is a recurrent theme of policy and practice both in the UK and internationally. However, most initiatives lack a sound conceptual basis. This review enables policy makers and practitioners to think through the issues in their efforts rather than simply engaging in initiatives that have not been thought through in depth. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Education Government Democracy and Justice |
| URL | http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/documents/project-reports-and-reviews/connected-communities/conceptualising-school-community-relations-in-disadvantaged-areas/ |
| Description | The findings have had a direct impact on practice in schools and children's services. They have contributed to a programme of work by the same researchers on the role of schools in disadvantaged areas. Latterly, this work has led to a joint initiative with Save the Children to establish four 'Children's Communities' in England. Three are now on-stream with the fourth in development. These are multi-agency strategic initiatives aimed at improving a range of outcomes for children and young people in highly disadvantaged areas. There is a fifth similar initiative under development in Northern Ireland and other similar initiatives are emerging elsewhere. The research team is also engaged in discussion with the Welsh education minister and civil servants where similar developments are under consideration. A characteristic of these initiatives is that they are shaped by a strong conceptual and evidence-informed approach - in contrast to many previous initiatives in this field. The conceptual review has played a particularly important role in developing the necessary conceptual foundations. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2013 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Impact Types | Societal Economic Policy & public services |
| Description | Development of Children's Communities |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | The research formed part of a body of work which informed the development of a national initiative led by Save the Children to develop strategic approaches to improving children's outcomes in disadvantaged areas. the key contribution of the AHRC project has been to the conceptualisation of the initiative in a field noted for its lack of conceptual underpinnings. Four sites are active in the UK with a fifth in development. Policy makers and practitioners elsewhere are monitoring these developments with interest and a network of similar initiatives has been established so that there can be mutual learning. Impacts are on children's outcomes and the wellbeing of the local community. |
| URL | http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/resources/online-library/developing-childrens-zones-england |
| Description | Commissioned research |
| Amount | £320,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Save the Children |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United States |
| Start | 03/2016 |
| End | 12/2018 |
| Description | ESRC CASE funding |
| Amount | £40,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | NorthWest ESRC Doctoral Training Centre |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2013 |
| End | 09/2016 |
| Description | National conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | 200+ participants, drawn from across the Education sector in Scotland attended a conference presentation on the 'connected school' where they heard a presentation on the research and were enabled to think through the implications for their own work. This is one of many similar activities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |