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Working with voluntary and community groups

About this guide

Working with voluntary and community organisations for some is a very important way to do geography. These organisation come in various shapes and sizes and may also often be referred to as the third sector, the voluntary sector, not-for-profit organisations, community groups or the civic sector. In this guide, we share the experiences of researchers doing geography in collaboration with community and voluntary organisations. A range of topics and issues are explored from health, disability and care, through to austerity, violence, and craft, amongst others. We learn about the approaches taken by geographers in their work with community and voluntary organisations, and some of the challenges they have negotiated in the process. 

Group of people sat around a table with one person writing notes in a notebook

Introducing the 'doing geography with voluntary and community organisations' guide

By Peter Hopkins, Newcastle University

Two people planting plants in baskets arranged in horizontal lines on a wall

Volunteering with a community or voluntary organisation

By Matej Blazek, Newcastle University

A bundle of plastic and waste products floating beneath the surface of the sea with fish swimming around the waste

Promoting social justice

By Peter Hopkins, Newcastle University

People moving around an exhibition with artwork hung on the walls and sculptures on stands.

Mental ill-health geographies and the arts

By Cheryl McGeachan, University of Glasgow

Two children with their arms around one another walking towards a beach

Geographies of care

By Andrew Power, University of Southampton

People in gloves handing out bags and pots of food.

Volunteering in faith-based welfare organisations

By Andrew Williams, Cardiff University

 A group of people sitting at a table with pieces of artwork and craft supplies

Researching geographies of learning disability

By Edward Hall, University of Dundee and Andrew Power, University of Southampton

Six people standing in a field with the sun setting behind them

Working with young carers

By Elizabeth Olson, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Rooftops of houses in a village with a church spire and hills with trees in the background.

Young people growing up in the countryside

By Michael Leyshon, University of Exeter

Three people walking in a row on wood chips towards a mound of waste. Smoke is rising from the mound where waste is on fire.

Working with street youth organisations

By Lorraine van Blerk, University of Dundee, Janine Hunter, University of Dundee, and Wayne Shand, University of Manchester/EDP Associates

Woman carrying child in front of a terracotta wall. The wall features drawings which are implied to have been drawn by children.

Working with refugee youth

By Sarah Mills, Loughborough University, Matt Baillie Smith, Northumbria University, Bianca Fadel, Northumbria University, Moses Okech, Makerere University

Sticky notes with writing on stuck to a wall.

Researching geographies of violence

By Rachel Pain, Newcastle University, and Jessica Wild, University of Westminster

Hands holding onto intertwined strands of knitting wool.

Understanding gender-based violence on the margins

By Cathy McIlwaine, King's College London

Tiled 'way out' sign pointing towards the exit on a train station platform.

Violence against women

By Janet Bowstead

The LGBTQ+ flag hanging outside a window.

Doing research with LGBTQ+ community organisations

By Ale Boussalem, University of St Andrews

Sterling coins in a jar.

Geographies of, in and with austerity

By Sarah Marie Hall, Elizabeth Ackerley, Alison Briggs, Laura Fenton and Santiago Leyva del Río, University of Manchester

Person writing on a glass board with a felt-tip pen.

Co-producing knowledge with low-income fathers and multi-agency professionals

By Anna Tarrant, University of Lincoln

Cluster of shopping bags filled with groceries.

Poverty and food insecurity

By Megan Blake, University of Sheffield

Person holding a crochet hook and crocheting.

Remaking worlds through craft

By Rebecca Whittle, Lancaster University

Person bending over to pick up litter on a beach.

Biodiversity conservation

By Sam Staddon, University of Edinburgh

Using Citizen Science to monitor habitat conditions of estuaries in the UK

By Geraldene Wharton, Queen Mary University of London et al.

Restored peatland landscape with vegetation.

Working in partnership to restore upland peatlands

By Martin Evans, University of Manchester

Flooded street with water rising towards windows of brick buildings.

Flooding and communities

By Lindsay McEwan, University of the West of England