With thanks to Nettes Derbyshire, Debra Gordon, Clare Harewood, Chantal Jackson, Jean-Claude Kabuiku, Toqueer Ahmed Quyyam, Marianne Walker and BVSC Research Over the summer of 2025 CUWb academics and community researchers were involved in two community festivals – the Neighbourhood Futures Festival which we co-host with Birmingham Settlement annually at their Nature and Wellbeing Centre, … Continue reading “Listening to public perspectives on urban wellbeing”
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Community Research handbook published
Earlier in the year and throughout 2024 the Centre for Urban Wellbeing and Birmingham Voluntary Services Council (BVSC) Research to co-produce a guide for researchers to work in a values-led and inclusive way with community research. We hope that you find this a recipe for great research! It advances a values-led and inclusive approach to … Continue reading “Community Research handbook published”
Visiting Fellow, Johannes Melchert, University of Heidelberg reports on 6 months at the Centre for Urban Wellbeing
It’s hard to believe it’s almost been a year since I embarked on my Marietta Blau-Grant fellowship journey, funded by the OeAD (Austrian Agency for International Cooperation in Education and Research). As I look back, I realize that when I first started this adventure in October 2024, with an end date set for September 2025, … Continue reading “Visiting Fellow, Johannes Melchert, University of Heidelberg reports on 6 months at the Centre for Urban Wellbeing”
Reflections from the 2025 Voluntary Sector and Volunteering Research Conference, by Clare Harewood
The 2025 Voluntary Sector and Volunteering Research Conference took place at Bayes Business School in early September, bringing together researchers, practitioners, and civil society leaders from across the UK and beyond. This year’s theme—Creating Change Together: Civil society working beyond sector and organisational boundaries—framed a dynamic and thought-provoking programme. The conference opened with a plenary … Continue reading “Reflections from the 2025 Voluntary Sector and Volunteering Research Conference, by Clare Harewood”
Community Researchers lead engagement on urban wellbeing inequalities, by Jean Claude Kabuiku
written by Jean Claude Kabuiku My recent two-day experience at outdoor events at the University of Birmingham and the Birmingham Settlement Neighbourhood Futures Festival during June 2025 was incredibly insightful. It was a fantastic opportunity to engage directly with local people and share perspectives on my work as a Community Researcher with BVSC and the … Continue reading “Community Researchers lead engagement on urban wellbeing inequalities, by Jean Claude Kabuiku”
New Beginnings, New Routes
Written by John Munro In this rich commentary John Munro, co-director of the Centre for the Study of North America and new associate member of the Centre for Urban Wellbeing tells us about their “New Routes” conversation series. Researchers from Tunisia, US, UK and Germany met to discuss Elsa Devienne’s award winning book focussed on … Continue reading “New Beginnings, New Routes”
The cost of living crisis isn’t inevitable — it’s a policy choice
Written by Hannah Absalom In this piece, CUWB Associate Member, Dr Hannah Absalom reflects on her participation in the All Party Parliamentary Group on Social Science and Policy in February. Hannah’s research, funded by the ESRC at the Centre for Urban Wellbeing has developed community engaged action research which foregrounds the lived experiences of tenants … Continue reading “The cost of living crisis isn’t inevitable — it’s a policy choice”
Manchester-Barcelona calling! The Mindset Revolution team place young people at the forefront of policy change in mental health
Authors: Sonia Bussu (University of Birmingham), Saira Ali (peer researcher), Niamh Carroll (42nd Street), Ali Coleman (peer digital designer), Chimwemwe Chirwa (peer researcher), Sam Dixon (peer legislative theatre facilitator), Zarah Eve (Manchester Metropolitan University), Prateek Gupta (peer digital designer), Zainab Maria (peer digital designer), Juliet Oduro (peer legislative theatre facilitator), Linton Rainford (peer digital designer), … Continue reading “Manchester-Barcelona calling! The Mindset Revolution team place young people at the forefront of policy change in mental health”
Urban Wellbeing in Policy Roundtable: Reflections on valuing, sustaining and bringing partnerships to life
By Susie Drummond and Jessica Pykett What kind of partnerships work, how do they get started and how can they be valued and made to last? This is a recurrent question for academics, community organisations and policy makers who are focussed on knowledge exchange and engagement beyond their own sectors. Changing current two-way systems of … Continue reading “Urban Wellbeing in Policy Roundtable: Reflections on valuing, sustaining and bringing partnerships to life”
Considering community wellbeing in times of Covid-19 and levelling up
The Different People, Same Place research project is led by the Universities of Birmingham, Durham and Warwick and supported by the Centre for Ageing Better and Spirit of 2012. It explores the interrelationships between individual and community wellbeing. Here, the researchers discuss what they found. How can resources best be allocated to improve individual and community wellbeing … Continue reading “Considering community wellbeing in times of Covid-19 and levelling up”