New Chair for Pioneering Third Sector Research Centre

Published by Dawn Prentice for Dawn Prentice Communications in Communities and also in Education, Environment, Health, Housing

The member directors of the Midlands-based Centre for Community Research (CfCR) have elected Kevin Gulliver as the Centre’s new Chair. Formed in 2008, CfCR is now developing its services under a renewed mission, supported by M-E-L Research, an established research and consultancy practice based onBirmingham’sAstonSciencePark. CfCR will seek to provide an evidence base for third sector and civil society organisations, including housing, health, regeneration and social enterprise, supporting a fresh perspective on the needs, development and aspirations of communities.

Kevin Gulliver said:

‘I am delighted to accept the role of Chair of a rejuvenated CfCR. CfCR already has an extensive two year track record of undertaking research that not only provides evidence of how communities can help to achieve their potential but also embedding precious human capital through the training and development we bring. This is the key strength of CfCR. We have worked with local authorities, social landlords, the voluntary and community sector and social enterprises on a range of community-based projects. Case studies can be seen on our new website’.

‘We are now developing further what we believe is a unique social enterprise built around community-based research in the Midlands. We are building partnerships with public, private and voluntary sectors to extend our portfolio of research and community development services, including offering social landlords and community-based organisations research and training support to meet the requirements of the expanding ‘Civil Society’ agenda, localism, running tenants and community panels and enabling successful co-production of VFM services at a time when resources are limited’.    

Kevin Gulliver is Director of the Human City Institute, an independent housing and regeneration consultant and senior partner in SWS Communications.