Rhetoric versus the reality: the university as an anchor institution to facilitate the social bridging capital of a worker co-operative

Barry, S, Collins, DH ORCID: 0000-0001-9380-9025, Jolliffe, P and Lees, P Rhetoric versus the reality: the university as an anchor institution to facilitate the social bridging capital of a worker co-operative. In: 25th International UFHRD Conference, 11th Jun - 13th Jun 2025, Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Accepted)

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Abstract

This ongoing study employs community-based participatory action research to examine how universities, as anchor institutions, can facilitate bridging and linking social capital for marginalised communities through a case study of Kitty’s Launderette, a worker cooperative in a deprived area of Liverpool. The research demonstrates that Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) supported Kitty’s via knowledge transfer, leadership mentoring, and access to institutional resources, enabling the cooperative to expand its networks and strategic influence. Key findings underscore the necessity of trust-building, intermediary “anchor brokers,” and contextual sensitivity to community driven timelines, which can conflict or differ with institutional expectations The partnership supported Kitty’s to strengthen environmental sustainability and address local challenges such as hygiene insecurity and structural barriers yet also highlighted bureaucratic processes underpinned by inaccessible language, creating tension between university and community collaborations. The study advocates for a balanced approach of external support to avoid undermining local autonomy, and questions whether universities are always suited as anchor institutions. This ongoing case-based study contributes to our understanding of the mechanisms underpinning social capital formation.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > HF5001 Business L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education
Divisions:	Liverpool Business School
Date of acceptance:	22 April 2025
Date of first compliant Open Access:	21 August 2025
Date Deposited:	21 Aug 2025 09:41
Last Modified:	21 Aug 2025 09:41
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/26695

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