Community-led approaches are different ways of planning and delivering services which puts people, relationships and communities at the centre. In recent years strategic planning has focused much more on taking a whole system view of care and support, recognising community strengths and preventing crisis. The Service Renewal Framework and the Population Health Framework both highlight the role that communities need to play in guiding how services are planned and delivered, and the need for much more collaborative working.

Engaging with community-led approaches will help you think differently about how to achieve these goals. Community-led approaches are a shift in how, where and when people get support, and often also, who provides it. These resources will guide you through different ways of doing community-led approaches in an impactful and sustainable way.

Community-led approaches:

  • promote wellbeing, connection, and community resilience
  • reduce waiting times and bureaucracy by simplifying access to support, and
  • shift from transactional, service driven processes to relational, people-led approaches

The materials here provide a starting point for thinking about how community-led approaches might support your change, and how you can start developing them.

As knowledge and insight in this area grows, so will these resources.

What are community-led approaches

Resources which give you an understanding of what community-led approaches involve, how to get started, and some examples of them in action.

Community-led approaches and strategic drivers

Resources which help you understand how community-led approaches can help you meet key national strategic objectives.

Supporting the development of community-led approaches

Resources to help you with the practicalities of creating supportive conditions for community-led approaches and ensuring sustainable implementation of them.

Last Updated: 3 September 2026