Community change-scapes of Covid-19 recovery
Project: Community change-scapes of Covid-19 recovery
Community change-scapes of Covid-19 recovery
Authors: Dr Vicky Johnson, Inverness College UHI and Dr Ros Bryce, Perth College UHI
University partner research centres involved: Centre for Remote and Sustainable Communities, Centre for Mountain Studies, Centre for Recreation and Tourism Research, Institute for Northern Studies Orkney, Environmental Research Institute.
Funded by: Scottish Funding Council
There is evidence that COVID-19 has had disproportionate impacts on rural, remote and marginalised communities.
The main aim of the project is to influence community recovery through systematic community driven research including understanding individual/group support and actions raised in communities to providing evidence to change policy and practice regionally.
This creative and participatory research will systematically show the impacts that different members of communities and local businesses and residents feel as a result of COVID-19. It crosses over social, economic, cultural and environmental boundaries and explores the impacts through the eyes, voices and everyday lives of local people. Through common methodology and analysis, which will be synthesised across cases, it will have relevance for regional policy and practice.
The approach centres on local people as agents of change through local action planning: this process will explore ways in which different community members and stakeholders locally can take immediate action together, and what support they may need to increase such social innovation. Volunteers will take on the role of citizen scientists in this project, gaining valuable opportunities to develop new skills sets, based on social science methodologies, and to provide valuable insights on responses to COVID-19 in their own communities. Regional stakeholders including Highland Council, Highland & Islands Enterprise and Visit Scotland will engage with the research as part of a cross-case study reference group.
Objectives:
- Carry out four case studies of community driven research to understand change and action in response to the global coronavirus pandemic
- Analyse across cases to share common themes and strategies in order to have regional relevance
- Influence policy and practice locally and regionally with community perspectives/evidence about landscapes of change and covid recovery
Reports: