Community Champions, Recruiting Local People as Volunteers to Tackle Inequalities

Descriptions

The community champions model builds on the strengths, skills and knowledge of local communities, by recruiting local people as volunteers to tackle inequalities, improve health and wellbeing and address local issues of concern. The model is simple: in each of the three areas a local community organisation (or collaboration), which could be VCS, faith organisation or a school, with strong connections to the specific neighbourhoods, hosts a paid staff member (‘community organiser’) for 3 years. The community organisers recruit volunteers directly from the area where the project is based. The three organisers, whilst working for different community organisations and in geographically separate areas, form a team to build a community of practice, share learning and start to build a wider movement of volunteers.