Stronger Communities

Readers may remember the Social Capital Survey done in parts of All Saints Wigston and St Peters Oadby in June 2006. It was repeated in February this year in the same areas.

The survey measured such things as trust, social networks, a sense of belonging, participation, volunteering and neighbourliness.

Here are some samples responses to questions with a comparison of June 2006 in St Peters Oadby and across the 20 areas of Leicestershire:

Please indicate how strongly you feel you belong to your neighbourhood, very and fairly:

76% in 2006 80.5% in 2009
78% in Leicestershire

Have you given unpaid help to friends, neighbours or anyone except relatives over the last 12 months? Yes:
83% in 2006 43% in 2009
78% in Leicestershire

By working together, people in your neighbourhood can influence decisions that affect the neighbourhood, yes:
62% in 2006 64% in 2009
63% in Leicestershire

How important is it to you that you contribute to your community in some way? Very important:
24% in 2006 34.5% in 2009
34.5% in Leicestershire

Here are some samples responses to questions with a comparison of June 2006 in All Saints Wigston and across the 20 areas of Leicestershire:

Please indicate how strongly you feel you belong to your neighbourhood. Very and fairly strongly:
66% in 2006 79% in 2009
78% in Leicestershire

To what extent do you agree or disagree that your neighbourhood is a place where people from different backgrounds get on well together? Agreed:
45.5% in 2006 76% in 2009
59% in Leicestershire

In the last 12 months have you given unpaid help to any groups, clubs or organisations? Yes to 2 hours or more a week:
22% in 2006 15% in 2009
13% in Leicestershire

You can influence decisions that affect your area, yes:
11% in 2006 21% in 2009
20% in Leicestershire

By working together, people in your neighbourhood can influence decisions that affect the neighbourhood, yes:
47% in 2006 53.5% in 2009
63% in Leicestershire

Special thanks to members of the Oadby and Wigston Police Neighbourhood Action Team and the Wigston Magna URC Church for carrying out the survey door to door. The groups each received £600.

Thank you to the Wigston 28th Scouts group and Sunflower Community Radio who received £100 each for delivering leaflets about the survey.

Thank you to the people who were very welcoming and took time to answer the survey.

If you would like more details about the survey or have any comments please contact Sue Hill at OWCA.

Community Page

We can type letters or let you use our computers, assist with photocopying (at a small charge of 9p per A4 side black and white or 14p colour) and create posters (again a similar charge is levied).

We can advertise your group in our newsletter, on our website and in our Self-Help Directory.

You can use our meeting room, for a reduced fee.

We can provide some training or information where you can get training.

The Oadby & Wigston Compact

"The Oadby & Wigston Compact is an agreement between local Government, the voluntary and community sector and other local Public bodies of the Borough of Oadby & Wigston to improve our relationship for positive outcomes within the local community."

The purpose of the Compact is to:

Improve communication, common understanding, ways of working together, trust and respect between the Voluntary and Community Sector and the Statutory Sector.

Set a framework for effective consultation, representation and partnership working including an agreement on definitions, shared values and joint and distinct undertakings.

Set out ways for developing working relationships between the Voluntary and Community Sector and the Statutory Sector.

Act as a reference document and a process for monitoring and evaluating the quality of those relationships and partnership working at all levels.

Support and reinforce the application of value for money ("Best Value") principles in the relationship between the Statutory and Voluntary and Community organisations.

This Compact was signed at Voluntary Action's Annual General Meeting on the 12th October 2005.

If you would like a copy please contact OWCA on 0116-281 0026 and we will be happy to send one to you.

Directories

We currently have two directories that are available for public use:
The Self Help Directory which gives information about local groups, charities and organisations. This information is generally a contact name, address and telephone number and if it is a group, where and when they meet.
The Community Facilities Directory gives all the information you require for hiring a room/facilities in the Oadby and Wigston area.
If you go to our Directories section of this website you will be able to down load the Community Facilities Directory.
If you require a copy of the Self-Help Directory please contact us direct and we will send you one.

Use our message forums to post your questions and comments about our Services