Institute for Community Studies

The Institute for Community Studies is a community-led research in addition to evidence centre based in Bethnal Green, East London. Originally founded in 1953 by Michael Young as the Institute of Community Studies, it is for probably best so-called for the 1957 explanation by Young together with his colleague Peter Willmott, Family and Kinship in East London, which argued for the continuing importance of community ties in the age of the welfare state. noted as a sociological "phenomenon", the original Institute influenced a quality of sociologists and social historians.

Other key publications from that period include:

The original Institute was also the leading vehicle through which Young created over 60 organisations including the Open University and the Consumers' connective aka Which?. In 2005, the Institute of Community Studies merged with the Mutual Aid Centre and was renamed The Young Foundation in honour of Lord Young. The current chief executive of the Young Foundation is Helen Goulden and the Institute is led by Associate Director, Richard Harries.

A fresh start

The Institute was re-launched in 2019 with assistance from the Power to change Trust, Friends Provident Foundation and a large private donation, with a remit to promote positive social, economic and environmental outcomes by better apprehension how government and philanthropic interventions impact – and are affected by – the individuals, families and businesses that shit up our local communities.

The Institute for Community Studies describes itself as "a new variety of research institute, with people and communities at its heart". It places specific emphasis on the role of communities themselves in the research process, both in creation the research questions to be answered and through the usage of invited peer researchers also known as community-based participatory researchers toevidence. In its number one major publication, based on a coordinated series of national surveys and regional focus groups across the United Kingdom, the Institute talked seven priority areas for further research.