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Case Studies.

Our gallery of case studies illustrates exactly what our work looks like when it’s brought to life for places and people. Learn more about the communities and organisations harnessing our research to make a difference in their area.

The Tackling Loneliness Hub Department for Culture Media and Sport

What was the ask?

To oversee and run the Tackling Loneliness Hub on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

What did we do?

Neighborly Lab, in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University‘s Centre for Loneliness Studies, (which now hosts the Campaign to End Loneliness), have been awarded Government funding to further develop the The Tackling Loneliness Hub. This funding will enable the partnership to expand the hub’s reach, provide members with not-to-be missed in-person events, insightful webinars and key resources!

What was the outcome?

(if it’s still in progress – what will the outcome be?)
As the first of its kind in the world, the hub was initially developed by the Campaign to End Loneliness and serves as a digital platform where professionals in research and academia, charities, government, think-tanks and more can come together to network, share knowledge, resources and insights.

Community Engagement Learning Partnership with Local Authorities Greater London Authority

What was the ask?

To act as a learning partner supporting 13 London Boroughs who were in receipt of Community Engagement innovation funding. This fund, known as supporting London Boroughs’ Engagement Project, was funded by the GLA and run in partnership with London Councils

What did we do?

Our role as a Learning Partner was to bring together these diverse projects, troubleshooting challenges and spreading shared learning. This included facilitating a series of Action Learning workshops, conducting ethnographic visits to see the projects in action and understand their community impact first-hand, and providing one-on-one support sessions to help grantees reflect on and refine their engagement strategies.

What was the outcome?

This learning partnership has not only supported immediate community needs but also established new skills and practices within the councils. The insights and experiences gained will now inform and improve future community engagement efforts across London.

Shops – Opening up new social spaces in supermarkets The National Lottery Community Fund

What was the ask?

To explore how to create social opportunities in supermarkets using the underutilised space in stores.

What did we do?

We are working with a range of supermarkets in Glasgow, Birmingham and Sheffield with different spaces and transforming these into community spaces. Local community organisations are being invited to run events and activities along with staff led sessions to foster social connections in stores.

What was the outcome?

We are testing the mechanism of format and routine in order to package up an offer that all supermarkets will be able to adopt is a variety of spaces and with different levels of staff support.

Community Co-design North and West Bristol Locality Partnership

What was the ask?

To address a health inequalities gap in North and West Bristol by identifying how community based interventions can support residents’ healthy ageing.

What did we do?

We worked in partnership with North and West Bristol Locality Partnership and University of West of England to undertake interviews with residents in their 50s and 60s with long-term health conditions in deprived areas. This led to co-designed community-based healthcare interventions to be supported by anchor voluntary and community organisations in Bristol.

What was the outcome?

The intervention ideas were directly fed into a business proposal for future funding which was successful and implementation will begin in early 2025.

Civic Data Innovation Challenge – ‘Making Sense of “Belonging’ Greater London Authority (GLA)

What was the ask?

Use grant funding from the GLA to deconstruct the concept of belonging into something practical and measurable, that can become a tool for local authorities and also feed into the GLA’s ‘Civic Strength Index’.

What did we do?

We carried out 20 ethnographic interviews with residents in Newham and Lewisham, spending time travelling around their local area with them. We then fed these qualitative insights into a quantitative analysis of the Survey of Londoners, to identify what the core predictive factors of belonging are both across London and from borough to borough.

What was the outcome?

We delivered a report unpacking our qualitative and quantitative insights about belonging, including the core predictors of belonging that we identified and recommendations for how local authorities can use these insights to foster more belonging in their boroughs.

Exploring the Integration Experiences of Refugees and People in the Asylum System in the UK Commission on the Integration of Refugees

What was the ask?

To explore the integration experiences of refugees and people in the asylum in the UK, and to gain a deeper understanding of what facilitates and what hinders integration from this group’s perspective.

What did we do?

We carried out mixed-methods research, combining immersive ethnographic interviews and a UK-wide survey of refugees and people in the asylum system. The survey was one of the largest of its kind to take place in the UK, receiving 755 responses.

What was the outcome?

Our research was published in a report by the Commission. It also fed into the Commission’s headline report “From Arrival to Integration: Building Communities for Refugees and for Britain”.

Resident-led Design of a New Development Hadley Property Group

What was the ask?

Hadley Property Group are currently working up proposals to repurpose a now-defunct office building for mixed used – i.e. homes, community spaces, retail, workspaces and more. They wish to understand the wants and needs of the local community, and bring resident voice in to the shaping of the design for the site

What did we do?

We have undertaken community research with residents and local groups to understand the lifeblood of the area, the local assets and the gaps in provision that the site might address.

We are running a series of co-design workshops with residents and the design team for Hadley PG and other partners. These workshops will cover a wide range of elements in the site from accessibility and navigation to safety to the facilities and amenities that residents want to see.

What will be the outcome?

Outputs from the co-design session will help to inform the plans being developed for the site. The ambition is that what is proposed truly reflects the wants and needs of the local community.

Cost of Living Research Surrey County Council

What was the ask?

Surrey County Council wanted to understand residents’ experience of the CoL crisis and how financial struggles and job loss has impacted their health and wellbeing. With a particular focus on understanding the experiences of those with long-term health conditions from the most deprived LSOAs in the region

What did we do?

We undertook mixed methods research complimenting ethnographic walkabouts and deep listening in community spaces (e.g. warm hubs, food banks) with a quantitative survey to gain a broader picture of the experiences of local residents

What was the outcome?

Findings from the research helped to inform the Council’s Winter 2023/24 support strategy and provided crucial insight from lesser heard pockets of the community to help inform Council thinking more broadly

Understand Community Spaces and Places in East Barnet Barnet Council

What was the ask?

Barnet was seeking to better align its physical assets to community needs. To help them achieve this, we conducted an ‘audit’ of the community spaces in East Barnet, both formal and informal, through the lens of its residents, to really understand how they are used and most importantly to understand the barriers of non-users.

What did we do?

We carried out ethnographic research, community walkabouts and participatory heat mapping to create a detailed perspective of all residents.

What was the outcome?

This piece of work supported Barnet’s Community Strategy by engaging with residents in asset-based and constructive ways, allowing their needs and usage of their local area to inform future decision making around Barnet’s places and spaces