Centre for Social Action

Working for the community

The Centre for Social Action is based at De Montfort University in the School of Applied Social Studies as part of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences.  We are a Centre which undertakes research, training and consultancy in the field of public participation in health and social care.

Our key focus is on the realisation of people’s human rights as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  We do this through a commitment to partnership working and to the active involvement of people in decisions concerning their communities, services and lives.  Centre for Social Action has a particular commitment to emancipatory and empowerment approaches to research and maximizing the involvement of community members, young people and service users.  Key areas of our work are

• youth participation
• person centred services
• public and patient involvement in research
• social capital and community cohesion

We have received funding from the ESRC, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the BIG Lottery as well as numerous commissions from local authorities and third sector organisations, with grants ranging from £10 000 to £500 000.
Examples of research currently being undertaken include:

• work on social capital and community cohesion in Leicester
• research in partnership with older people on enhancing older people’s well-being
• providing support for public and patient involvement in research
• evaluation of Participation Works

Evaluation | Research | Current Work | Publications