Social Impact Assessment (SIA) briefing paper



Social Impact Assessment (SIA) draft chapterJanuary 2018The need to measure and evaluate the impacts of development proposals on existing residents and businesses in a neighbourhood was identified in the Just Space ‘Towards a Community-led Plan for London’ as a key requirement for socially just and sustainable planning. The proposal is for Social Impact Assessments to be carried out by local authorities (with GLA support) to gather evidence of the assets (including existing housing, businesses, social infrastructure etc.) and needs of local communities (Community-led Plan, Implementation chapter). Local community networks will be fully involved in the preparation of criteria, and community led evaluations are another component. This relationship between the institutions and the grassroots is critical. To develop this proposal further, Just Space has worked in collaboration with the Urban Development Planning Masters programme at UCL’s Development Planning Unit over the last 4 months. The practical project undertaken by the students was to illustrate what Social Impact Assessments should include and how they can be carried out, working closely with four different community organisations based in Southwark and Haringey to ensure the research responds to the priorities and needs of local groups.In December 2017, Just Space and the UCL Development Planning Unit organised an event to discuss the students’ findings with the community partners and a broader range of local groups from across London, reflecting on how the social impact assessment tool could be further developed. Recordings of the session, presentations and other material from the session can be found here: discussion paper draws from the work carried out by students, reviews of literature on the subject, conversations with the community organisations and illustrations of the social impact assessment tool through the four case studies. SIA definition The International Association for Social Impact Assessment defines social impact assessment (SIA) as: “including the processes of analysing, monitoring and managing the intended and unintended social consequences, both positive and negative, of planned interventions (policies, programs, plans, projects) and any social change processes invoked by those interventions. Its primary purpose is to bring about a more sustainable and equitable biophysical and human environment”. For Just Space this means meeting principles of sustainable development and social justice.Social impacts can be defined as the consequences to people of any proposed action that changes the way they live, work, relate to one another, organise themselves and function as individuals and members of society. SIA background and scope in London contextSocial Impact Assessments (SIAs) first emerged as a component within Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), however SIAs have now developed into a distinct discipline within the impact assessment field, capable of providing mechanisms in which human and social ecosystems are integrated into decision making.?SIA can provide the themes and variables for a sound, community supported and supportive planning and thus successful long term implementation, by recognising aspects that existing Integrated Impact Assessments do not cover. The openness of the process enables “’softer” social impacts to be considered, such as any detrimental impacts on the culture of the community, which tend to be overlooked due to existing processes focusing on prescribed easy to “count” datasets.Benefits or challenges posed by planning scenarios can be assessed in terms of their impacts on social inclusion and social cohesion aspects that are viewed as an interconnection between citizens and their surrounding physical and social environment/context; assessing change in a holistic way.PrinciplesParticipatory: seeks to ensure that the process stays contextually relevant to the diverse local communities. This is done by incorporating, where necessary, the specific characteristics and views of communities involved or impacted by planning decisions. Through an informed and evidence -based formulation of alternatives grounded in the local context, a participatory SIA can support the Mayor’s commitments to diversity, inclusion and community engagement.Co-produced: the scope is established by local community priorities; enables wide and inclusive public participation and interaction, community development and capacity building at all stagesPluralistic: values diverse local knowledge, expertise and perspectivesIndependent from developer/private sector interests: local communities are involved in a transparent commissioning process; build on existing academic and research networksAccessible and inclusive: research and assessment methods are easy to understand and use by everyone and are tailored to meet specific needs for participationHas potential for longitudinal research: establishing participatory monitoring and evaluation mechanisms; developing social networks to maintain contact with groups and communities taking part in the SIA process in the long termMethodologySIA components/stagesDeveloping profiles of the communities which may be impacted through:Local audit/baseline evidence collection: existing assets, spaces and networks (housing, work, social and community infrastructure, green infrastructure, transport etc)Needs assessment of diverse communities and a holistic “social profiling”: intersectional and integrated; an assessment of how the proposed project/plan would meet these needs and maximise positive opportunities2. Scoping the potential impacts that might be caused by a planned intervention through assessingExperiences of change: threats and risks to local communities; signals, trends and patterns recognised from other areas (learning from past failures/best practices); cumulative impacts at different scales (looking beyond the development site or area boundaries)Community vision and aspirations for the future: the first step for testing community alternatives and developing mitigation, adaptation and compensation strategiesAssessing the significance of the predicted impacts through specific variables such as:? ‘hard’ outcomes: improvements in health, educational attainment, crime reduction, increased employment levels, quality of the living environment, economic and material well-being (the balance between individual good and social good, present impact and trans-generational impact)? personal impacts/human capital: increased self-confidence, enhanced self esteem, enjoyment, inclusion, skills acquisition, prospects and future outlook ? collective/group impacts: increased social contact, increased understanding and tolerance of other people, group identity and pride, skills such as teamwork, interpersonal skills, etc, cultural (language, heritage, identity).? civic/community impacts: community involvement, community identity and pride, active community, local democracy. Formulating alternatives for the planned intervention through:A set of steps related to the mitigation, monitoring and management of social impacts through a social impact management planBuilding on existing community-led alternatives (such as community plans, neighbourhood plans or working documents of Neighbourhood Forums, other uses of Community Rights, manifestos and charters developed by local groups etc). If such alternatives are not already in place, a strategy should be implemented to ensure resourcing and capacity building for local groups to engage in this process. This stage is essential in seeking to ensure the fair and inclusive distribution of opportunities and benefits from planned interventions to existing local communities, and in itself has the potential to create positive social impacts related to strengthening community infrastructure, human and social capital.Data collection and analysisDepending on the local context and available resources and capacity, different types of methodology can be used in data collection and analysis throughout the different stages of the SIA, for example: Multiple-method approach - typically employs a range of techniques: analysis of monitoring or baseline data, questionnaires, interviews, observation, site visits, project documentation, wider stakeholder/community testimony. A community based multi-method approach would focus on outcomes related to human and social capital.Longitudinal research method - structured collection and analysis of data of characteristics and outcomes from a single case or a set of cases over an extended period of time; useful in understanding processSocial audit method – social impacts are measured in relation to the aims of the planned intervention and those of the local communities; value-driven process; Survey method - systematic collection of quantitative data and opinion from a number of individuals/local groupsTo ensure an inclusive and participatory SIA process, the preferred methodological approach should also focus on collecting quantitative and qualitative data that is not being captured by mainstream statistical datasets and make use of existing evidence and documentation from community and voluntary sector organisations. When designing the research methodology, it is important to be mindful about how much time and resources the research process will require from the communities. It is also essential to plan for diverse and inclusive research activities, such as community meetings, face to face conversations, walkabouts etc.International comparisonsSIAs have been used in several countries, such as Finland, Iran etc., reflecting the international recognition of SIAs as a key element in the planning process and the variety of ways in which they can be conducted.The two cases below show different approaches to the SIA, the first one being more institutionally-led, while the second one is developed from the grassroots. SIA and regional land use planning: examples from 3 regions in Finlandthe three cases show different approaches to the scope and methodology of conducting SIAs, with varying degrees of community participation and consideration of diversityone of the cases which most reflects these principles was commissioned by the regional council to a consultant specialised in working on gender issues, older people and social justice working in partnership with the Helsinki Universitythis assessment focuses on ‘sensitive groups’ (older people, people with disabilities and children), linking physical changes with social phenomena, showing impacts at different scales and presenting new ideas and perspectives on development in the region.Assessment themes and indicators used in those studies can be indicative of relevant choices of indicators in the context of assessing planning decisions: balanced and equal living environment (accessibility, mobility, local identity and communality, participation and action possibilities, image of the region); changes in population and regional segregation, employment (Impacts on economic structure, preconditions of companies and distances to work); improving mental health; safety and wellbeing (including economic safety); impacts on gender (Ageing, links to local communities, public transportation, sports and leisure, shopping and services)A community-led social audit for grassroots organisations in Salvador de Bahia, BrazilA ‘popular’ or community-led social audit tool was developed by a local residents association in the historic centre of Salvador de Bahia in conjunction with academics and researchers, following an action research project carried out in 2017 by students from Universidade Federal de Bahia, UCL Development Planning Unit and a city-wide network of community groups and campaigns called Lugar ComumThe residents association is fighting displacement from the historic centre as a result of an ongoing large scale regeneration project, which would affect vulnerable and diverse communities. While a legislative and policy framework is in place to protect them, spaces and opportunities for participation are not accessible for these groups to claim their right to the city. In this context, the community-led social audit is proposed as an ‘instrument for collective action’, and an ‘accountability mechanism thataims to evaluate policy and its implementation while understanding how this enables or compromises their achievement of rights to the city. It intends to be strategic in opening up spaces of dialogue between a community and different stakeholders to influence future policies’.The template developed in collaboration with these local communities includes three layers of assessment: Actors and legislation: mapping stakeholders and existing legislative frameworks; a community vision of the right to the city; an evaluation of how legislation supports this visionPolicy delivery: an assessment of planned interventions; an analysis of gaps in provision; community case studies in the form of personal stories, photos, lived experiences; social impacts related to housing, facilities and services, work opportunities, safety, spaces for participationStrategic spaces for dialogue: identifying opportunities for strategic action; building relationships with other stakeholders; setting a community-led agenda London case studiesThe case studies below summarise the research done by the UCL Development Planning Unit students in collaboration with two community organisations based in Southwark and two based in Haringey. Each project reflected a different set of local needs which could be revealed through a participatory and inclusive social impact assessment. Building on the Just Space ‘Towards a Community-led Plan for London’ proposals, these case studies show the strength of the grassroots approach to gathering evidence and doing a range of different needs assessments. The diagrams and illustrations at the end of this paper are examples of how some of the components of the social impact assessment tool can be expressed in a more accessible way.Southwark Travellers Action Group (STAG)STAG is a local organisation supporting Gypsies and Travellers living on the four council sites in Southwark around the Old Kent Road and Peckham, as well as those living in housing on a range of issues - including to have their needs recognised in the Council’s planning documents for the Opportunity Area and the whole borough. The starting point for the students’ research has been to pilot a model for a Gypsy and Traveller accommodation needs assessment that links housing with the broader range of inequalities and concerns facing the community. Through site visits and interviews with Gypsies and Travellers, STAG trustees and staff, the students revealed two sets of important findings. On one hand, that the value of Gypsy and Traveller sites can’t be reduced to density and viability issues, because of all the social functions and needs that it meets: care for children, older people and those with disabilities, home education, support networks, play, community and family space. On the other, that caravan sites are not isolated from their areas and should be seen in the context of Lifetime Neighbourhoods. Some examples of indicators for assessing social impacts in an integrated way across all these issues include: homes that meet needs, access to non-discriminatory services and facilities, equal say and inclusion in local development planning.PemPeople and the Old Kent Road Building on a previous Development Planning Unit project carried out in conjunction with Just Space, one of the student groups focused on developing a broader social impact assessment tool rooted in the experiences of different community groups in the Old Kent Road Opportunity Area. The community partner on the project, PemPeople, is an organisation working closely with a range of local groups, particularly with young people from BAME communities to support them in gaining skills, confidence and knowledge to set up their own enterprises and be part of the area’s future. Through site visits, interviews and meetings, the students have brought to surface the concerns and needs of a range of different local groups in one part of the Opportunity Area, all centred around threats of displacement. PemPeople has taken over the garage space in the Ledbury Estate located in the Old Kent Road Opportunity Area, seeking to create workspace for a range of community projects, organisations and businesses. However, the estate is currently facing uncertainty because of the high fire risk and structural issues identified. Alongside the concerns expressed by council tenants and supporting bodies like the Southwark Group of Tenants Organisations, potential occupiers of the garage workspace such as the Feminist Library are also facing displacement due to rent increases in their current premises. The importance and value of local community spaces and networks of support have also been revealed through interviews at the Peckham Park Road Baptist Church.Based on the needs and priorities of these groups and organisations, the students have developed a range of indicators looking at impacts in terms of housing (affordability, maintenance, quality), community spaces (functionality, capacity, cultural identity) and local businesses and social enterprises (capacity to remain, local employment, workspace needs) and reflections on how these dimensions are interconnected and lead to cumulative impacts.Wolves LaneThe Wolves Lane Horticultural Centre located in Haringey was previously run by the council, period during which it was a publically open asset. Recently a lease on the centre has been given to a consortium of food growing organisations with the aim of developing a broader offer including community food growing, skills and training and social enterprises. While these developments are underway, the site is currently closed to the public, which has caused some tensions between the consortium and local residents and groups previously engaged with the Horticultural Centre. However one of the current strengths of the consortium is their reach to communities from diverse backgrounds across the Borough, particularly BAME, through partners like the Ubele Initiative, Living Under One Sun and the Selby Trust.The students’ research has brought out a significant challenge in conducting social impact assessments for a particular project, which relates to the different scales at which community needs, aspirations and impacts should be measured. In the case of the Wolves Lane Horticultural Centre, the ‘local’ has to be carefully defined; the students’ work has drawn from mapping and data gathering at neighbourhood, ward and borough level, in order to collate baseline information about community assets, social and green infrastructure and demographics. But while the centre is unique in the local Borough and the consortium is working with Borough wide partners, the needs of residents and groups in the more immediate locality (e.g. the neigbourhood) also have to be understood and addressed.A second important contribution made by the students’ work is broadening the scope of measuring impacts associated with a project which at a first glance is concerned primarily with food growing. Through interviews with a wide range of groups involved in the Wolves Lane project, indicators were developed around the themes of recognition (diversity, cultural food, cultural heritage), distribution (skills and training) and participation (outreach to minority groups, ongoing involvement).St Ann’s Redevelopment Trust (StART)StART is a Community Land Trust established around the need to protect a local asset in Haringey, the site of the St Ann Hospital from being sold by the NHS to private developers for a residential development project including very little affordable housing. The community-led initiative has produced an alternative plan for the site based on the principles of Lifetime Neighbourhoods, seeking to ensure broader health and environmental benefits alongside meeting housing needs. Working with partners such as the Ubele Initiative, StART are also looking to broaden their reach to BAME communities in the area.For StART, the social impact assessment tool is important from two key perspectives. On one hand, through developing a set of indicators reflecting the priorities of local residents and groups involved (housing, health and environment), the assessment can support them to reveal the social value of their proposed masterplan more strongly and make an evaluation in comparison with the NHS proposal. This could support StART to argue their case more strongly for an integrated approach to redevelopment in conversations with the Council, GLA and NHS. Some of the indicators supporting a more integrated approach were: Supportive Health Networks, Integration of Health into the Design of the space, Recognition and Incorporation of Diversity, Community–led decision makingProcesses.Secondly, the process of conducting a social impact assessment can be used as an opportunity to engage more widely with the new members of the Community Land Trust but also with local residents and groups, to better understand their needs and interests and incorporate them in the redevelopment proposal. Two methods of engagement – focus groups with new members and attending community stalls – have been piloted and documented by the student group.Example of Social Impact Assessment process diagramExamples of Social Impact Assessment indicators Example of measuring social impactsExample of putting the Social Impact Assessment tool in practice ................
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