Promoting Community Cohesion and Mental Health: Evaluation of an Activity Village

This is an evaluation of a community development project by YMCA Nottinghamshire. It will assess the impact of a Community & Activity Village on the community of Newark and Sherwood, with particular attention to the views and perspectives of those living locally, to the diverse groups within these areas, and to different age cohorts. The research will seek to answer whether the provision of a community centre, investment in community health resources and sports facilities be shown to improve mental health and well-being or to promote the feeling of belonging and of social cohesion.

The research will collect qualitative and quantitative data over several years to study how the community responds to new provisions. The project itself will have shared with participants its Developmental Assets approach (including Relationships First) and the evaluation will survey these, adapted to this community and cultural context, to assess change over time. The research will echo the participative approach of the community development project itself in its work with schools, the local authority and sports and creative groups. 

The YMCA is co-funding this scholarship and will be involved in the support of the researcher and of the evaluation project, and as a values-led organisation it will be involved in developing the ethos of the study.

We seek a self-organised researcher with a commitment to equality and community development to help design and deliver qualitative and quantitative studies that will together evaluate this ambitious community development project.

Essential Criteria:

• PG qualification in social sciences or relevant experience
• Communication Skills 
• Experience of conducting interviews and/or focus groups ethically and sensitively

Desirable Criteria:

• Youth and/or Community Work or Community Development background
• Professional skills (e.g. from youth work, teaching or social work etc.)
• Experience of conducting evaluations 
• Skills to conduct before and after comparisons and/or to learn from international projects/ interventions in other countries

How to apply

For a step-by-step guide and to make an application, please visit NTU's how to apply page.