Locally Directed Policy and the Fostering of Social Capital Within Regeneration: The Case of Objective 1 South Yorkshire

This article reports the findings of a qualitative study on the impact of community-based research within the South Yorkshire Objective 1 Programme. Based upon semi-structured interviews with participants who conducted community-based research, the study highlights the social capital impacts arising from the use of such research within development practice particularly in terms of the formation of networks and the development of trust. Although community-based research can enhance social capital, the study demonstrates that this is a complex process and as such is not an easy tool to harness and use within the policy-making process.