Building community networks for active learning for active citizenship

Recent attention from government bodies has turned to the question of how citizens engage with the state and its institutions and how learning processes might strengthen these interactions to create active citizens and responsive social structures. The Community OR Unit has been engaged by the Home Office (Civil Renewal Unit) as part of one such project – through the creation of one of 7 Active Learning for Active Citizenship hubs nationwide. This paper introduces the role of community operational researchers within this endeavour and reflects on some of the lessons learnt.