PRIORITY SEVEN: STRONG & RESILIENT COMMUNITIES  – LEAD PARTNER: One Communities Group

Communities in Northern Devon have often expressed frustration at being ‘done to’ by larger councils and statutory bodies. The top down approach doesn’t recognise that the people who know what’s best for their community are the people that live and work in them.

Additionally, communities face very different challenges based on their geography, size, rurality, economy and social infrastructure. Some of our towns face particular issues of inequality with life expectancy and social mobility rates amongst the worst in the country.

Many people are willing to help their communities and their neighbours but there isn’t always a clear route into different types of volunteer role matched to their skill in their community.