Communities
C3’s community-engagement programme partners with local communities to identify barriers to good health and use a community’s existing strengths to overcome these barriers.
Our aim is to make the healthy option the easy option for all.
Read more (or watch a video) about our work with local neighbourhoods below. Or, go more in-depth about our projects using these links.
Why communities matter
ASPIRE project
What makes us unique
Health interventions are often imposed on communities. Evidence shows that actively engaging communities in evaluating the challenges and opportunities they face in their day-to-day lives leads to more effective, longer-lasting solutions.
What makes our community-engagement programme unique is CHESS® (Community Health Engagement Survey Solutions).
CHESS® is an innovative, evidence-based approach that shifts decision-making to local communities by engaging them as ‘citizen scientists’ in an investigation about their health and the built environment (e.g., the shops, restaurants and parks in their neighbourhood).
Created by C3’s global health associate Dr Denise Stevens, CHESS® includes a mobile tool that equips local communities in identifying and mapping the barriers they face every day when making choices about diet, activity and healthy living.
C3’s community-engagement programme
This community-based investigation includes:
Identifying and meeting with key local players (individuals and organisations).
Locating local project managers known and trusted by the community.
CHESS training and mapping. Community members walk their neighbourhood to record what they see in answer to questions posed by the tool (e.g., are healthy foods available for purchase?).
Reviewing through insight sessions the quantitative and qualitative data collected by community members along with vital context about social and health inequalities.
Using C3’s public health guidance, community members decide on an action plan of interventions to implement (ranging from small to big changes).
Implementing interventions through grants (either through the C3 project or by using CHESS evidence to apply to other funders).
Significant results
The strength of evidence collected by UK communities through CHESS® and C3 has led to:
Tackling obesity and unemployment across borders: C3 was a partner in ASPIRE, a seven-figure EU-funded initiative supporting over 6,000 people in England and France to improve health and employment. C3 co-designed action plans in seven disadvantaged areas. In Boscombe, 79% improved health knowledge; in Medway, 88% increased physical activity. Overall, through ASPIRE 61% lost weight, 20% gained jobs, and 80% improved employability.
175 children fed and 30% of the population engaged, C3 engaged 30% of the community to identify health barriers and secure grants for lasting infrastructure and programmes, including free lunches for children, cooking classes, youth activities, and a hygiene bank. A decade later, these initiatives are still running.
One-third of Halifax’s Ovenden population engaged (4,000 community members) and partnerships with 18 local organisations. Interventions included classes about cooking, gardening, and wellbeing; community clean-ups; dance sessions; breakfast and tea clubs; geocaching; sports/activity sessions.
The Economist and the creation of healthy supermarkets: C3's CHESS work in King's Lynn, Norfolk was recognised in The Economist Impact's global health inclusivity index case studies and led to the creation of a community orchard and Purfleet Pantry a local affordable healthy supermarket.
10 Years of Community-Led Change: in Girvan, Scotland engaged 30% of the local community and secured grants for vital infrastructure upgrades. These revived the community centre and launched health-focused programmes including free healthy lunches for 175 children, cooking classes, youth activities, and a hygiene bank. A decade on, these initiatives are still running.
Councils and Communities Unite in Brent: C3’s Pfizer-funded initiative connected healthcare professionals with communities to tackle chronic disease. In Brent, CHESS engaged residents and pupils to shape interventions, sparking council involvement and meetings with MP Dawn Butler. 80% of participating HCPs reported improved ability to support patients in making healthier lifestyle changes.
Youth Voices Driving Safety: young people in Bockhanger and Beaver, Ashford shaped safer communities by identifying safety concerns and proposing solutions like improved lighting and CCTV. Their ideas now inform local crime reduction strategies, demonstrating the power of youth-led engagement to drive real change and enhance wellbeing.
Cooking Classes, Play Areas, and Nature Trails: C3 trained five nurses from the Queen's Nursing Institute Scotland in chronic disease prevention. Three nurses led community change: transforming green spaces in Patna and Inverclyde into safe play areas and extensive trails and supporting LGBTQ+ youth in Glenrothes through intergenerational events, cooking sessions, and a wellbeing-focused community garden.
Intrigued?
Interested in using CHESS® in your local community? Contact us to learn more.
You can also download a leaflet about our community engagement programme to share with your colleagues.
