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CommonHealth Assets

Calendar icon Communities, Health and Care

Folder icon Sep 2021 - Ongoing

The CommonHealth Assets project is a multi-disciplinary collaboration between researchers at Glasgow Caledonian University, Bournemouth University, Glasgow Centre for Population Health, Queens University Belfast, and the University of East London, working with community partners from across the UK. It focusses on how, for whom, and in what contexts community-led organisations (CLOs) can build and mobilise their ‘assets’ to impact on health and wellbeing of those living in deprived areas. It aims to understand how different community organisations support their own unique communities, especially at a time when people are facing challenges such as expensive housing, inflation, and the energy crisis. 

GCPH is a partner in this research being led by the Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health at Glasgow Caledonian University. The CommonHealth Assets project is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). 

Content icon Overview of page

  1. Project objectives
  2. What is involved
  3. Project outputs
  4. Further resources & reading

objectives icon Project objectives

The overarching project research questions which will be investigated are: 

  • Do CLOs impact on health and wellbeing and by what mechanisms and in what context are outcomes achieved? 
  • What approaches are scalable, and which are specific, local solutions? 
  • What are the key issues for sustainability of CLOs? 

CommonHealth Assets 2

involved icon What is involved

Over a planned three-year period, this multi-site, multi-method project is working with 15 CLOs based in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland. A range of creative, innovative, and participatory research methods are being used to explore the research questions. Detailed information on the research project, methods, resources, partners and team members can be found on the CommonHealth Assets website. 

Lived Experience Panel 

To ensure that the research project is informed by ongoing community expertise, voice, and perspective, a Lived Experience Panel has been established. This Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) aspect of the project is led by GCPH. 

Engaging and working with people in the communities that the research is taking place in is crucial to improve our understanding of the real-world contexts that impact how community organisations deliver their activities, support community members, and improve the health and wellbeing of the individuals who engage with them.

Composed of participants from the CLOs across the UK, members of the Panel meet at key stages of the project and have roles in shaping the research and study design, participating in activity relevant to the project phases and methods, and informing the interpretation of findings to ensure they are relevant and meaningful to community organisations. 

Output icon Project outputs

Publications & Documents

News

resources icon Further resources & reading

Characterising asset-based studies in public health: development of a framework. Martin-Kerry J, McLean J, Hopkins T, et al. Health Promotion International Volume 38, Issue 2, April 2023. doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daad015

Common health assets protocol: a mixed-methods, realist evaluation and economic appraisal of how community led organisations (CLOs) impact on the health and well-being of people living in deprived areas. Baker RM, Ahmed M, Bertotti M, et al. BMJ Open 2023;13:e069979 

Community Development in Health: A Literature Review 

Tailor Made: How Community Groups Improve People’s Lives 

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