Building Connection and Pride: How Social Capital Transforms Communities

With over £1 million invested in grassroots community projects, the Big Local programme empowers neighbourhoods to shape their future at their own pace. New research from Local Trust highlights how patient, resident-led funding builds the social infrastructure essential for inclusive regeneration.

In England’s most deprived communities, the challenge of nurturing connection and inclusion is critical—and Local Trust’s latest report, How Investing in Social Capital Builds Cohesive Communities, offers a compelling blueprint for change. Drawing on over twelve years of experience, the report demonstrates that when residents are truly empowered—granted both resources and authority to decide what’s best for their neighbourhoods—remarkable regeneration follows.

Social capital, defined as the networks, trust, and shared values that bind people together, is at the heart of this transformation. The report emphasises three crucial pillars:

First, long-term investment in community-led social infrastructure is essential. Every community needs welcoming spaces—community centres, parks, sports hubs—where people can meet, share ideas, and build trust. These places are the bedrock of social bonds and inclusion, traditionally scarce in deprived areas.

Second, power must shift decisively towards local residents. Moving decision-making closer to the ground enables communities to fully shape their priorities and collaborate meaningfully with local authorities. This resident-led approach nurtures pride, ownership, and accountability.

Third, young people must be central to regeneration efforts. Programs like youth mentoring, homework clubs, and work experience create safe, inspiring spaces for growth, helping young residents develop skills and a connection to their community.

Leicester’s St Matthew’s Estate offers a striking case study. Once one of the most deprived neighbourhoods in England, plagued by poverty, unemployment, and a lack of safe spaces, it has been revitalised through the Big Local programme.

With over £1 million in long-term funding, residents partnered with local councils and organisations to transform a derelict field into a thriving sports hub. Community volunteers share how children who once had little to do are now actively engaged in running activities and mentoring younger members, shifting the neighbourhood’s spirit and prospects.

Words from Rachel Rowney, the Chief Executive of Local Trust, encapsulate this impact: “The St Matthew’s transformation shows the power of trusting residents with the time, tools, and authority to lead. For safer, stronger neighbourhoods across the country, we must invest in communal spaces, authentic local decision-making, and meaningful opportunities for young people. These are not just policies—they are the heart of community pride and cohesion.”

Grounded in evidence from the Social Capital 2025 research series developed with Demos and others, the report confirms that strong social capital is linked to better health, reduced crime, improved economic outcomes, and resilient communities. The interplay between social infrastructure and social networks creates a virtuous cycle of inclusion and well-being.

Crucially, Big Local’s distinctive funding model offers lessons beyond its 150 participating communities. Its long-term, unconditional, resident-led approach counters traditional project-led grants by enabling neighbourhoods to progress at their own pace and according to their own plans—building trust and capacity sustainably.

The Local Trust report is a clarion call to policymakers and funders alike: investing strategically in social capital is investing in the future of society itself. By prioritising community-led regeneration that fosters connection, inclusion, and opportunity—particularly for young people—England can rebuild the social fabric that underpins safety, pride, and flourishing communities.

To read more of Local Trust’s groundbreaking research and explore their vision for a fairer, more connected future, visit localtrust.org.uk. Their evidence is powerful and their message hopeful: when communities control their destiny, remarkable transformation follows. This is the blueprint for mending society, one neighbourhood at a time.

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