The Wiltshire Community Foundation is joining forces with Oxford Consultants for Social Inclusion (OCSI) to provide access to Local Insight, a powerful online data platform designed to enhance understanding of the needs and priorities within communities across Wiltshire and Swindon.
OCSI, a leading UK-based research and data consultancy, specialises in helping organisations leverage data for improved social and community outcomes.
Their Local Insight platform offers user-friendly access to current local data and mapping, empowering organisations to better understand their communities and target resources effectively.
This partnership makes Local Insight readily available to charities, community groups, voluntary organisations, funders, and the general public in Wiltshire and Swindon.
The platform boasts over 1,500 regularly updated indicators covering a broad spectrum of themes, including health, employment, population, education, inequality, and the economy. Through interactive maps, insightful dashboards, and customisable reports, users can explore data relevant to their specific areas. This data can then be used to inform funding bids, demonstrate community needs, shape services, and illustrate the unique stories of their communities.
The Wiltshire Community Foundation has been utilising Local Insight internally since 2019 to support its own research into local needs. Their Wiltshire and Swindon Needs Analysis reports, published in 2021 and 2023, have become invaluable resources for charities, funders, and partners looking to identify inequalities and drive positive change.
The Foundation has commissioned an updated Needs Analysis, set to be released following the publication of the new English Indices of Deprivation later this year.
To help users maximise the platform's potential, the Foundation will host a free online Local Insight Catch-Up session on 18th June. This informal session will provide an opportunity to ask questions and explore the various ways the tool can be used effectively.
"We’re so pleased to be working with the brilliant team at OCSI to make Local Insight available to anyone who wants to understand more about our communities," said Margaret Firth, Wiltshire Community Foundation’s Director of Partnerships.
"This platform empowers users to complement their existing knowledge and understanding of their communities with data – whether it’s a community group applying for funding or a local organisation planning services, this resource can provide invaluable insight into the challenges and opportunities within our county. It will make a real difference to charities and voluntary groups in Wiltshire and Swindon, and we can’t thank OCSI enough for their generous support.”
Stefan Noble, OCSI Director and Head of Research, added: "Wiltshire Community Foundation put evidence-based decision making at the heart of their grant-giving strategy. The socio-economic data presented in Local Insight and the local needs analysis is a crucial tool to help ensure that the unique needs, characteristics, contexts and challenges of Wiltshire and Swindon are reflected, prioritised and understood by the foundation and the wider community. It is great to partner with Wiltshire Community Foundation in this work."
For more information, including access to the platform, a short video tutorial, and details on the upcoming support session, visit the Wiltshire Community Foundation’s dedicated Local Insight page: https://www.wiltshirecf.org.uk/local-insight/
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