Community Action
Our servicesWhat is community action?
Community action happens when people who are linked by a place or shared identity come together to achieve a common goal. Focus areas vary from protecting biodiversity to improving local transport, but individuals involved in community action benefit from an increased sense of belonging, improved overall wellbeing, and develop new social connections and skills.
At its core, community action is a collective effort to take care of the places where we live and the people who live there.
Community Action Services
We offer a range of support services and training for people and groups who are interested in or run community action projects. Rooted in the principles of Asset Based Community Development, our approach focuses on utilising the existing strengths and assets of communities:
Community Led Planning
Develop a planning tool that helps your community set a collective vision, identify the actions needed to achieve it, and research what may affect it.
Community Led Planning
Health & Wellbeing
Apply for grant funding (when available) for health and wellbeing projects in your local area and find out more about our advocacy and research work.
Health & Wellbeing
Community Transport
Browse a directory of community transport schemes in your local area, access expert guidance and peer to peer support, and join the Oxfordshire community transport network.
Community Transport
Hubs, Halls & Shops
Access bespoke advice for managing community assets like halls and shops, join our Community Building Affiliation Scheme, or browse our directory of Oxfordshire halls to hire.
Hubs, Halls & ShopsCommunity Action Training
Inclusive, effective, community projects make the people involved feel valued and listened to. To sustain the positive impacts of community action in Oxfordshire, we offer free or affordable workshops and training resources to groups across the county:
Asset-Based Community Development Training
We deliver interactive workshops that explore the principles of Asset-Based Community Development and how these can be put into practice within your own community.
Active Listening Workshops
We deliver active listening workshops that help community groups develop their listening and communication skills, helping them find out what matters most to the communities they are a part of and what skills the community can volunteer.
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I just wanted to say thank you for the fantastic workshop on Asset-Based Community Development! I really enjoyed how you delivered the session – it was engaging and interactive. It was really interesting to be able to discuss with others too.
2024 Training Participant
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The Asset-Based Community Development training session was truly outstanding. It provided practical insights and inspiring strategies that empowered participants to recognize and leverage community strengths rather than focusing on deficits. The facilitators were engaging, knowledgeable, and created a collaborative environment that encouraged active participation. This session has equipped me with valuable tools to foster sustainable community growth and make a meaningful impact. Highly recommended for anyone passionate about community development! One of the best and most inspiring training sessions that I have ever attended!
Rhonda Eaton, Community Support Supervisor, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils
If your community group would like to book a workshop, get in contact with us for more information.
Reports
In collaboration with OCVA, we have published several reports on community action and the voluntary sector in Oxford. Have a read to get a better picture of the strengths, challenges, and some steps forward for the sector.
Volunteering
People are the bedrock of community action and volunteers undertake a huge amount of work. There are lots of organisations who can support volunteering work in Oxfordshire, and we've highlighted a variety of resources below. You can also browse our community directory map to find organisations near you.
Direct Volunteering Support in Oxfordshire and the UK
Governance
Project Management & Impact Measurement
Community Directory
If you’re looking for community activities near you, or you want to set up a community organisation of your own, you can browse our directory of essential community websites and social media accounts – simply move across the map and click on a community to find out what’s happening.
You can also use CAG’s Mycelium Directory to find existing, active community action groups across Oxfordshire.
Resources
You can access tailored resources below, or head to our resource library to browse all of Community First Oxfordshire’s open access materials.
Plunkett Foundation’s Business Planning Guide for Rural Community Businesses
Preparing a Business Plan, Writing a Business Plan, Business Plan Template
NCVO’s Strategy & Business Planning Resource Hub
Learn about how to develop your organisation’s strategy
GOV UK’s Community Emergency Plan Toolkit
This document is a step-by-step guide to help you and your community produce a Community Emergency Plan.
ACRE’s Community-Led Planning Toolkit
A free, comprehensive guide to the Community-Led Planning process. Containing nine modules, this toolkit was produced by the Association of Communities in Rural England.
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