The Community Action Clinic helps students develop the knowledge and skills needed to initiate societal change and also works with them to put it into action.

We empower students to address vital social justice issues through community organising. By collaboratively campaigning with external organisations such as Citizens UK and Citizen Essex, students tackle challenges such as street lighting, housing, violence, living wage, and refugee issues. Our dynamic student community fosters real-life campaign skills, including public speaking and leadership, while working closely with local civil society enhances the university's civic role.

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What do we do?
  • Students actively participate in expressive learning, exploring their own stories and identities.
  • Collaborate with external partner organisations, community-based groups, and engage with external speakers enriching the learning experience.
  • Through a relational teaching approach, interactive discussions, and real-life issue campaigns, students learn to make change, discover their passions, and cultivate empowerment..

Democracy in Action module

Democracy in Action is an award-winning module on community organising, offered in collaboration with Citizens UK to students in their final year at University. Rooted in principles of coproduction and participatory action research, it fosters democratic exchange and collective engagement. This initiative not only enhances student learning but also brings tangible benefits to the wider community by addressing social issues and forming partnerships with local organizations like Colchester Foodbank and The Salvation Army.


Find out more about the module