London's Digital Neighbourhoods

The London Digital Neighbourhoods study explored the ways in which people communicate online using locally-based websites, whether that communication has an impact and the implications for local service providers.

Local digital communities are attracting increasing levels of interest as they develop in scale and scope and their apparent achievements accumulate.

Claims have been made that they could play a role in transforming local democracy as well as building community cohesion, enhancing community safety, improving wellbeing and encouraging the co-delivery of local services.

In this project, the Neighbourhood Networks organisation worked with London Councils to investigate London's online neighbourhood spaces and understand the true extent of their impact and the implications for local service providers.

The study set out in sections below provides insights on how the local citizen websites:

• contribute to citizen empowerment and engagement
• help strengthen sense of belonging
• build citizens' capacity to work alongside services
• hold public services to account.

Reports:

• Research Summary (4 pages) Opens in a new window
• Introduction, background and extended summary Opens in a new window

1. Social Capital and Cohesion Opens in a new window
2. Supportive & negative behaviour in local online spaces Opens in a new window
3. Empowerment, civic involvement and co-production Opens in a new window
4. Relations with Councils Opens in a new window
5. The future for Citizen-run Neighbourhood Websites Opens in a new window

• Typology of Citizen-run Neighbourhood websites Opens in a new window
• Council Survey Report Opens in a new window
• The Research Context Opens in a new window

Project id: CA214
Theme: Connected London
Status: Closed
Project Manager: Hugh Flouch
Contact: hugh.flouch@networkedneighbourhoods.com