Building communities collaboratively: the Milton Keynes Community Mobiliser Service

How can community support be maintained during the COVID-19 pandemic?

“…Due to the absence of empirically valid measures for collaboration, we used research by Melucci ( 1995 ), Jamal and Getz ( 1995 ), Emerson et al ( 2011 ), Bradshaw ( 2000 ), Drake et al ( 2014 ), and Nasca et al ( 2019 ) to develop a three-item scale for collaboration. These items asked respondents to check on a five-point scale the extent of the participation of residents and action groups, the collaboration of action groups or residents’ organizations for NVP, and collaboration of action groups and local administration for NVP.…”

“…However, there are relatively few empirical studies that examine the relationship between community support and collaboration. While empirical research on community support has been published (e.g., Kang et al, 2014 ; Kanwal et al, 2020 ) and studies concerning collaboration are progressively being published on issues such as generalization of collaboration theory, preconditions, necessity and function, empowerment or governance mechanism, roles of organizations, discouragements, and indicators (Abel & Gillespie, 2015 ; Abers, 2007 ; Bradshaw, 2000 ; Cicognani et al, 2020 ; Drake et al, 2014 ; Emerson et al, 2011 ; Gray, 2004 ; Gray & Wood, 1991 ; Jamal & Getz, 1995 ; Marek et al, 2015 ; Nasca et al, 2019 ; Nuttavuthisit et al, 2014 ; Thomson et al, 2007 ; Wondirad et al, 2020 ), these studies commonly only admire and encourage collaboration as an ideal for bringing high levels of civic engagement, community governance, and community support. However, research on such collaborations is mainly focused on case studies and literature reviews and lack empirical verification and generalizability (O’Leary & Nidhi, 2012 ).…”

“…The increase in multifunctional and multi-jurisdictional features of community development projects could be solved by collaborations among various organizations beyond the boundaries of tasks, resources, experiences, and capacities. Drake et al ( 2014 ) demonstrated how collaborations among residents or groups in the community and supporting organizations can be elaborated. They elucidated that the role of official community-supporting organizations is to be mobilizers, facilitators, and “the glue that brings communities together” (p. 319) to make people or groups speak; the official organizations should not be professional planners.…”

A structural equation model of community development organizations (CDO)' capacity and collaborations to increase community satisfaction

“…Millesen et al (2010) said that CDOs facing similar problems to address specific challenges with limited resources and complexity and volatility of the economic situation are strengthening their capabilities by developing informal alliances, networks, and partnerships. Drake et al (2014) emphasized that CDOs should function as "glue" (p. 319) so that communities can collaborate and lead community development projects. Collaboration is an essential resource and role for CDOs to build to enhance community satisfaction (Flaspohler et al, 2008; Greenhalgh et al, 2004).…”

Fun, lifelong relationships and a safer community: understanding collective leadership practice in a grassroots association

“…By definition all residents had come from somewhere else, and were in the process of building new social networks within the locality. Research has shown the importance of community development work in these new spaces to make connections between new residents (Drake et al, 2014). Early community development work in this area took place as residents moved into the first houses, building relationships and holding small events in communal spaces despite continued construction work -'Making it up, seeing what happens…' (Former community worker).…”