Eva Lamorgese
In January we submitted evidence to the Women and Equalities Committee new inquiry on community cohesion. When looking at the data from our Prosperity in east London 2021-2031 longitudinal study, it was clear that there is no straightforward answer as to what determines community cohesion and that multiple intersecting attributes such as gender and race as well as place matter considerably on how people experience social relationships and the challenges they may face in creating a trusted social network.
Our in-depth research coproduced with citizen scientists provides key evidence to show community cohesion as a determining factor of prosperity for local communities. However, a hyper-local look at prosperity outcomes for neighbouring communities in east London affected by long-term regeneration projects highlights how these have very different experiences of social connectedness.
The survey results show significant disparities in terms of both gender and ethnicity. We observed that, for example, women are more likely to report that they feel lonely (especially in Hackney and the Olympic Park area where, in some cases, women’s scores for feeling lonely are up to 20% higher).
Overall, people from non-white backgrounds report lower levels of belonging to the neighbourhood. In some areas like Teviot Estate and Hackney, the Black ethnic group report a sense of loneliness about 10% more compared to other ethnicities. Similarly, people from non-white backgrounds felt less confident when asked if they felt they could “Borrow things and exchange favours with neighbours” and “Whether they feel they can ask favours from neighbours”. However, this could also be due to cultural traits.
A quick look at how people from new and established neighbourhoods score belonging, identities, and culture reveals subtle differences across various aspects.
Regarding their ‘Sense of Community’, established neighbourhoods scored 9.4% higher than new neighbourhoods. However, this disparity could be due to the shorter average tenancy in new neighbourhoods, where residents typically stay about two-thirds as long as those in established areas.
On scores regarding the availability of ‘Arts, Leisure, and Sports’, new neighbourhoods perform slightly better over established ones which suggests newer areas might offer marginally better-perceived access to or engagement with cultural and recreational activities.
Overall, the findings show how community cohesion dynamics are linked with place, with established neighbourhoods marginally performing better in social cohesion while new neighbourhoods demonstrate a slight edge in cultural and recreational opportunities.
Based on our findings, there is reasonable evidence that shows complex and place-based interactions between different dimensions that explain significant variation in lived experiences, and inequality across gender, age, and for different ethnic groups.
A hyper-local focus from policy makers could help to better understand the pressure points that people from various backgrounds are facing. Addressing both gender and ethnicity inequalities will need targeted interventions. By taking account of the full set of assets, services, and networks, that people depend on, and recognising how these are interdependent, policy responses can more closely align with the realities communities face.
You can read our full evidence submitted to the Women and Equalities Committee’s new inquiry on community cohesion published on 26th February 2025.
Eva Lamorgese is Senior Global Engagement and Impact Manager at the IGP. Her work focuses on amplifying the impact of the research work at the Institute with a variety of audiences, including policymakers, academics, other organisations and the general public
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