OCA Community research projects have been developed in close collaboration and as an ongoing partnership with Healthwatch Oxfordshire
Research has often been done ON communities rather than WITH communities. OCA takes a different approach.
OCA Research aims to foster numerous benefits that traditional research approaches often overlook. We do this via a process we call Community Participatory Action Research (CPAR). This strategy involves the community directly in the research process, from identifying research questions to implementing solutions based on findings. This approach nurtures a sense of ownership and agency, leading to more sustainable and impactful outcomes.
Additionally, we promote collaboration and co-learning between researchers and community members, bridging the gap between academic knowledge and local expertise. Centering the voices and experiences of those directly affected by the research topic generates more nuances and contextually relevant insights. Moreover, CPAR facilitates the development of trust and mutual respect between researchers and communities, laying the foundation for future partnerships and initiatives. Overall, OCA Research not only produces valuable research outcomes but also contributes to social justice, capacity building and community resilience.
Our Research Work
The Cost-of-Living Crisis and Its Impact on Remittances in OX4’s Diaspora-Immigrant Communities
Amanda Opara (Oxford SDG Impact Lab; MSc in Law and Finance, University of Oxford)
and
Intissar Eddajraoui (Oxford SDG Impact Lab; MSc in Modern Middle Eastern Studies, University of Oxford)
A Community Lab Partnership Project of the Oxford SDG Impact and Oxford Community Action
Community Wellbeing (2024)
A short film about a project carried out in 2024 by two community researchers from Oxford Community Oxford, supported by Healthwatch Oxfordshire, to understand more about the impact of the cost of living.
Community research with Nagla Ahmed
This report captures the views of members of the Sudanese community in Oxford on food, exercise and healthy lifestyles.
The project was carried out by Nagla Ahmed, a Community Research Volunteer for Healthwatch Oxfordshire, who has been actively involved in the Sudanese Community in Oxford for more than 20 years.
The report sets out what she heard and her recommendations for changes that could help support the community (and beyond) achieve better health.
Oxford’s new and emerging communities’ views on wellbeing
Between November 2019 and September 2020, Oxford Community Action, along with community volunteers, worked collaboratively with Healthwatch Oxfordshire to understand what Oxford’s new and emerging communities think about wellbeing. Previous joint work had highlighted that mental health and wellbeing was a concern.
Together we took time to collaboratively plan the project and develop a way of working that built trust, understanding and open dialogue. We ran three focus groups and designed a questionnaire to reach out to Oxford’s new and emerging communities. 152 people responded to the questionnaire, along with many ongoing conversations. Respondents represented the diverse and multi-ethnic communities in Oxford. This report is the result of the work we did and what people told us.
This report shows that there is a huge appetite within the community to learn more about, gain skills and receive support to improve health and wellbeing. However, it also shows that there are significant barriers to getting the support that is needed.
The message is loud and clear- that to build access, trust and create culturally appropriate services- communities want to see support designed and delivered with their input, within community settings, and building on community networks.
Services need to actively engage and reach out to enable this to happen, in a continuous ongoing dialogue, and build relationships over time.
Oxford’s new and emerging communities’ views on wellbeing
Between November 2019 and September 2020, Oxford Community Action, along with community volunteers, worked collaboratively with Healthwatch Oxfordshire to understand what Oxford’s new and emerging communities think about wellbeing. Previous joint work had highlighted that mental health and wellbeing was a concern.
Together we took time to collaboratively plan the project and develop a way of working that built trust, understanding and open dialogue. We ran three focus groups and designed a questionnaire to reach out to Oxford’s new and emerging communities. 152 people responded to the questionnaire, along with many ongoing conversations. Respondents represented the diverse and multi-ethnic communities in Oxford. This report is the result of the work we did and what people told us.
This report shows that there is a huge appetite within the community to learn more about, gain skills and receive support to improve health and wellbeing. However, it also shows that there are significant barriers to getting the support that is needed.
The message is loud and clear- that to build access, trust and create culturally appropriate services- communities want to see support designed and delivered with their input, within community settings, and building on community networks.
Services need to actively engage and reach out to enable this to happen, in a continuous ongoing dialogue, and build relationships over time