Community resilience in an age of austerity – examining volunteering as a response to public sector cuts

This research will examine community response to cuts in local government support of traditional leisure services through the theoretical frameworks of social capital (1), the big society (2, 3), community resilience (4,5) and how these are constructed and understood in the context of disruption to local community structures arising from austerity measures. More broadly, its theoretical contribution will be to explore how community activism can contribute to social inclusion (6) and social capital (7), potentially enhancing resilience at a local level.

The research will focus on how community groups have taken responsibility for management and delivery of public libraries in Sheffield. In September 2014 management and delivery of ten Sheffield libraries was transferred from local government to community groups. The groups are supported by a three year grant to cover running costs. After that time they will need to become economically independent. They will also need to sustain the enthusiasm of volunteers who originally developed as a campaigning group but have had to transform to one capable of delivering a library service.

The research builds on work supported by a research stimulation grant; which led to an ESRC Festival of Social Science event in November 2014, the dissemination of sport related cases studies through the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity and conference presentations (8). The proposed project will focus on the sustainability of transfer of libraries because of the examples available in Sheffield and because national data is available showing the considerable replacement of paid employees by volunteers 2008 – 13 (9).