ABSTRACT

The early processes of dialogue, together with the Breakthrough campaign, created a momentum of close local involvement by the team which at times became almost overwhelming. Some people were members of two or more groups and so helped to unify the general direction taken by the Project. Other people formed groups that had a limited life. Students from Southampton and Surrey Universities provided invaluable support both with group work and research. Without their help little of the work accomplished during the Project’s final year would have been possible. The role of the Project team changed as time went by: it moved from appraising the area through committed, direct action with people to committed direct and indirect action with people. During the exploratory stage of the Project, information contained in the 1971 Census showed that a significant percentage of some ward populations consisted of single-parent families.