Place-based funder, Local Trust, essay competition for the next generation of community researchers - winner announcement

In September 2024, Local Trust, in partnership with CRESR and cross-party think tank Demos, launched an essay competition asking entrants to explore innovative ideas around community regeneration.

The competition was open to early career researchers and policy analysts, independent practitioners in the community sector, and graduate and PhD students. Entrants were asked to write an essay of no more than 2500 words answering the question:

What is your policy idea for turning the most socially and economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods in England into thriving communities, what is the evidence behind it, and how might it best be successfully implemented with maximum impact?

We are pleased to announce the winner and runners-up:

Winner

• Dr Suzanne Wilson (University of Central Lancashire)
  
  Title: Levelled Up or Left Behind? Fostering Community Power and Social Inclusion in Low-Income Coastal Communities (PDF, 394KB)
  
  As the winner of the competition, she will receive a prize of £5,000 as well as the chance to promote her essay through a meeting with policymakers at the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, and a cross-government roundtable with policymakers organised by Demos.

Runners up

Two runners up will each receive £1,000:

• Dr Jason Leman (Neighbourhood Democracy Movement)
  Title: Community Futures: The Opportunity to Flourish (PDF, 190.5KB)
• Dr Daniel Haslam (The Open University)
  Title: The Democracy Audit: A Policy Idea (PDF, 232.7KB)

Shortlisted entrants

Congratulations to the shortlisted entrants:

• Joseph Cook (UCL)
• Julie Aitken (Policy Panda Research)

Thanks to all who entered the competition and a special thanks also to our judging panel. 

To read more of our research, please visit localtrust.org.uk