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18 months of community connections in Oxfordshire

22 April 2022 · Categories: Communities Care

We are now 18 months into our partnership project with Oxfordshire County Council and I am still amazed by people’s compassion and commitment. I’ve been working with amazing local people who want to develop community and small enterprises offering care or support to other local people.

A drawn image showing a community enterprise leader helping someone with cleaningThe number of people interested in setting up their own community enterprises is astounding – I have already received 183 enquiries and have 78 people currently signed up to our programme of support. The high numbers coming through are a fantastic result for our local community, particularly given the challenges presented by the Covid restrictions during the project so far.

Interest in the project, is testament to the amazing sharers and connectors in Oxfordshire: people engaging with social media, support from Oxfordshire County Council and Cherwell District Council staff, the local Job Centre, partner organisations and other local organisations, such as Citizens Advice, as well as active residents – thank you all for your support and spreading the word.

Connecting with our community is the absolute key to the success of this project…

…This has enabled local people to develop 49 community enterprises who are now offering an amazing choice of support options…Like Bev, who recently shared her journey from the corporate world to the care sector with Oxfordshire County Council or Charmin who got in touch with me for a bit of extra support with her enterprise.

A drawn image showing a community micro-enterprise leader helping with gardeningI have also been connecting to the local careers fairs and Activate Learning in order to raise awareness of running your own community enterprise as a different career option as it can work really flexibly around studies, other jobs and family life.

With Spring in the air and a promise of normality resuming I am seeing more sessions and events being organised which is great for everyone! I’m looking forward to our numbers growing and seeing even more community enterprises setting up to offer more choice and options to local people.

By Anita Wingad – Community Enterprise Catalyst (Oxfordshire)


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