Community Organising
Community Organising is the work of bringing people together to identify and find solutions to important local issues. Community organisers reach out, listen, connect and motivate people to build their collective power.
About Community Organising
Community Organising is the work of bringing people together to take action around their common concerns. Community First currently employs two senior Community Organisers who work with communities to reach out and listen, connect and motivate people to work together to identify and find solutions to issues that matter to local people.
Listening
The first thing Community Organisers do is LISTEN to local people – one to one and in groups. They do this by knocking on doors and by going to local places where people hang out. They explore what local people care about – their loves, their concerns, visions and dreams for their community – and collate this information to share with the community at a future date.
Bringing people together
Community Organisers build capacity, trust, relationships and networks within a neighbourhood. In doing so, they begin to identify local leaders and volunteers – people willing to get together to do something to help tackle local issues. Some of these will go on to become part of the local Community Organiser team as volunteers in the community.
Converting ideas into action
Community Organisers challenge and support people to convert their ideas into action. Community Organisers are not there to do the job for people, but to support them to get their views and opinions heard. Community Organisers then link people with others that feel the same so they can take positive action and find local solutions.
Social Action Hub Wiltshire + Swindon
Are you looking for better ways to motivate people to get involved in your community, organisation or group? Do you want to help bring people together to collectively tackle important local issues or social issues at a grassroots level?
Social Action Hub Wiltshire + Swindon is part of a network of Social Action Hubs, offering training to help you discover how to listen to people, understand your community and motivate people to take action for a better community. The training, led by qualified Community Organisers Alex Neale and Katrina Watson, is offered free to residents, grassroots organisations and partners in Wiltshire and Swindon.
Social Action Hub Wiltshire + Swindon is one of 20 Social Action Hubs across England, supported as part of the Community Organisers Expansion Programme (2017-2020). The Programme is funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and led by Community Organisers.
If you would like to take part in an upcoming training session or organise a free session for your community group or organisation, please email: hello@socialactionhubwilts.org.uk or telephone 01380 722 475
