Please note this application is under active development. If you spot any errors or something isn't working, please contact us at evidence.service@wales.nhs.uk.
Systematic Review
The aim of this systematic review was to synthesise the available evidence and describe the quality of that evidence, in relation to interventions that improve or create the community infrastructure that impacts on social relations and/ or community wellbeing. For this review, we have defined community infrastructure as the physical places and spaces where people can come together, formally or informally, to interact and participate in the social life of the communit
Fifty-one studies were found that looked at social relations, community wellbeing or individual wellbeing outcomes across eight intervention categories: community hubs; events; local neighbourhood design; green and blue space; place-making; alternative use of space; urban regeneration; and community development. Most of the evidence was of poor, or poor to moderate quality. The better quality evidence was qualitative in nature, and most of the review’s findings therefore come from the thematic synthesis of qualitative evidence, supplemented by quantitative evidence where applicable.
The review found MODERATE evidence that community hubs may promote social cohesion through the mixing of different social or age/ generational groups, increase social capital and build trust between people in communities, increase wider social networks and interaction between community members, and increase individual’s knowledge or skills.
The review found MODERATE evidence that changes to neighbourhood design may positively affect sense of belonging and pride in a community.
The review found MODERATE evidence that green and blue space interventions that provide the opportunity to participate in activities or meetings improve social interactions, increase social networks, and bonding and bridging social capital, increase physical activity and healthy eating, and improve community members’ skills and knowledge.
The review also found evidence from qualitative studies that place and space interventions can have potentially negative effects in terms of some residents feeling excluded, particularly in relation to events that target or celebrate particular groups.
The review found evidence that place and space interventions that provide a focal point or a targeted group activity may be useful in (a) promoting social cohesion between different groups and (b) overcoming barriers that prevent some people in marginalised groups from taking part in e.g. physical activity.
The qualitative synthesis of process outcomes identified some key strategies for success when implementing community infrastructure changes to place or space, which included: accessibility; a comfortable, friendly and safe environment; involvement of community members in organisation and planning of community infrastructure changes; involvement of skilled facilitators; flexibility; providing a focal point or reason to interact; avoiding exclusion; looking at longer term outcomes and sustainability; and involving volunteers.
The review found moderate evidence that a range of intervention approaches to community infrastructure can be used to boost social relations and wellbeing in a community, giving stakeholders a range of options. As the evidence currently stands, we cannot say which approach is most effective, as studies have not compared one approach to another, so we cannot make strong recommendations for one approach over another. The review did find promising evidence about ways of doing things that are more likely to lead to success, and ways of doing things that are probably not helpful. These facilitators and barriers to success were common themes across all the intervention approaches.