Community Action Groups
Community engagement in practice
Community Action Groups (CAGs). This is a network of almost 40 local voluntary groups across Oxfordshire and is managed and facilitated by Resource Futures.
Resource Futures' CAG support team provides hands-on help for groups at the forefront of community-led climate change action. CAGs organise events and initiatives to raise awareness and take action on climate change issues including waste reduction, promoting the 3Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle), carbon reduction, sustainable transport and food, energy and water conservation issues to help people to live more sustainable and less resource-dependent lives in their local community. The CAG support team has been providing day-to-day advice and support for groups since 2001.
Each Community Action group is involved in various activities, including:
- holding swap shops
- thermal imaging to reduce heat loss in communities
- collecting recyclate that is not collected locally at kerbside
- local food growing, distribution and education
- testing electrical equipment for future use
- community-owned, renewable energy share schemes
- producing local recycling directories
- home energy efficiency projects
- helping to set up community composting facilities
- cycle repair and education
CAGs also work in partnership with other organisations such as churches, Women’s Institutes, schools and local authorities to help gain an understanding of the barriers to living a more sustainable life and to point to some of the solutions.
The CAG project helps groups gain momentum, develop a structure, secure funding and grow in both size and ambition. In 2011-2012, groups held over 250 events and brought in almost £800,000 in external funding.
To find out more about our award winning CAG project click here or visit the CAG website.