What we do

ORCC's vision

ORCC aims to improve the quality of life for those who live or work in rural Oxfordshire.

ORCC aims to achieve:

• Strong, vibrant and active rural communitites across Oxfordshire
• Effective rural community action initiated and led by people themselves
• Access to key services for all individuals and groups in rural communities
• Empowerment, equality and inclusion for everyone in rural communitites
• Policies and programmes that are influenced by the needs of rural communities
• Sustainable and long term social and economic improvements in rural communities

ORCC aims to acheive these by:

• Listening to and responding to requests by rural communities
• Helping people to take action themselves to improve the quality of life and well being of people in their rural community by:
   - Getting people together
   - Encouraging effective and inclusive  community consultation
   - Providing people with the independent and accessible information and advice they need in order to decide what action to take and then to take this action effectively
   - Recognising the skills, knowledge and expertise that people can contribute to and develop through community action and helping people to use them
   - Enabling people to network and share ideas with other community groups and organisations
   - Promoting inspiring examples of best practice
• Supporting people to be involved in decision making, both within and outside their communities, about the issues which affect their and their neighbours' lives
• Promoting equality and inclusion for all people within rural communities by:
   - Raising people's awareness of the attitudes and practices which result in prejudice, discrimination and non-participation, so that these can be avoided
   - Promoting non-discriminatory approaches and actions
   - Helping people to act in a spirit of mutual respect
   - Raising people's awareness of the needs of all members of their community, particularly those who are more likely to experience social exclusion (due to factors such as living on low income, having specific support needs or experiencing limited access to transport)
   - Supporting everyone who wants to be involved in community activities and issues
• Continuing to work in partnership with communities, remaining as a resource for them, as and when needed
• Continuing to work in partnership with the public, private and voluntary sectors to secure necessary resources and services for rural communities
• 'Rural proofing' relevant policies and processes to ensure that the needs of rural communities are heard at a local, regional and national level
• Continuing to work in co-operation and share resources with organisations whose work is complementary to ORCC's (including OALC, TOE and OPFA)

Specific issues of concern to ORCC are:

• The shortage of affordable housing in most villages.
• The inadequacy of public and community transport throughout much of rural Oxfordshire.
• Poor access to some essential services and facilities, e.g shops.
• The importance of providing village halls or other places for community groups to meet.
• The decline of small towns as local service centres for surrounding rural communities.
• The need to strengthen support for the voluntary and community organisations (and their volunteers) on which rural services so often depend.
• Hidden disadvantage and social exclusion in rural communities.
• Involving the community in planning for the future through parish plans

Last updated: March 16 2007

© 2005 Oxfordshire Rural Community Council
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