GB-London: research report

The project will aim to bring together existing research on and evidence of the positive impact of councils working with the voluntary and community sector to improve civic participation of underrepresented groups. In doing so researchers will work with councils and the voluntary and community sector to identify and highlight good practice and key policy principles.

For the purpose of this document, the term civic representation should be understood in the broadest sense and including formal and informal activities, although we are keen for participation in political processes and council decision-making to be specifically addressed. For the purposes of this document, the term underrepresented groups can be any group who do not appear engaged with civic activities in an area. There is a more in-depth discussion of these term in the introduction and background section.

The project should aim to capture long-standing activities which have been proved to have a positive impact and new and emerging practices which may have been instigated due to recent events, for example Black Lives Matter protests and COVID-19.