Transcript Slide 1

The Centre for Urban and
Community Research:
Introduction
Imogen Slater & Claire Levy
CUCR: A community of researchers
 Established in
1994
 Interdisciplinary
Department
research centre within the Sociology
 Early
evaluation of local urban regeneration (DCC
report 1996)
 Today:
From New Cross to New York, and UK to
Europe, Asia and Africa.
 Core
expertise ranging from visual sociology, action
research, participatory practice to creative
methodologies
Who we are and what we bring
5* Sociology department
Strong track record in research and evaluation
EU, national, regional, city wide and local evaluative
research
Experience of evaluating European projects including
ECP
Experience in working with partnerships
Focus on programmes and interventions that target
disadvantaged groups
http://www.gold.ac.uk/cucr
Examples of CUCR Projectsof Arts
Culture
CUCR
• Beyond and
the Numbers
Gameat
(Hi8us)
• Skills Exchange (Serpentine)
• Street Training & Creative Families (South London
Gallery)
• Signs of the City (EU Culture Programme)
• Sci:dentity (Wellcome Trust)
• Capital People Programme (NHS)
• Positive Futures (Home Office)
• Create London Case Study and internships (Create)
• Creative
Our Approach
– Interdisciplinary
– Creative methods – including visual methods
– Qualitative and quantitative
• Ethical
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Ethical methods
Participatory, reflexive, praxis-oriented
From ivory tower to grassroots
Making a difference
• The Craft of Research
– Building an evaluative culture: embedding reflection in practice
– Working closely with partners and participants, ensuring research
is robust, useful and of high quality
Context
• Demographic change in Europe –The number of people
over 85 will triple by 2050. More over 65s
• 2006 Riga Declaration on Digital Inclusion
• 2007 European Commission launched the 2010 e-inclusion
initiative
• 2007 EC communication ‘Ageing well in the information
society’
• The Digital Agenda For Europe (2010) target for 2015 is for
60% of disadvantaged people having regular internet use
• EU – 8 Key Competencies for Lifelong Learning includes
Digital Competence
• 2012 EU Year of Active Aging and Solidarity between the
generations
Findings and Outcomes from ECP
• Delivery
• The model
• Beyond reminiscence
Overall the Digitales method was seen
to have a number of clear,
Interlinked benefits:
 Engaging older people in ICT and developing their skills –
increasing digital inclusion
 Socialising and sharing – reducing isolation
 Recording stories which collectively document personal,
social and cultural histories, thereby promoting
intercultural and intergenerational dialogue.