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Find insights and support for your role in community engagement. From handling challenges at work to building stronger local connections, our blog shares honest reflections and practical guidance to help you feel more confident, recognised, and equipped in your day-to-day.

Podcast thumbnail featuring Heidi L Fisher MBE and Emma Smith, Founder of Nia Avanna, promoting an episode of the Make an Impact Podcast titled "Interview with Emma Smith, Founder, Nia Avanna" on a purple and blue background.
Community engagement: The missing link in creating social value Jul 01, 2025

I recently had the opportunity to feature on The Social Impact podcast to talk about something that often gets overlooked in conversations a...

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Computer screen showing Nia Avanna’s Community Engagement Starter Kit online course dashboard, with training modules displayed, on a modern white desk setup with notebook, plant, and coffee cup.
Unsure how to approach community engagement? Start here Jun 25, 2025

When I started working in community engagement, I was pretty much thrown in at the deep end. Although I had a job description, no one really...

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Emma Smith and Richard Grudgings standing outside the entrance to Warning Zone, a children’s safety charity in Leicester.
Stop. Look. Support. A simple way to help local causes when you’re on a budget May 18, 2025

This week I had the chance to visit Warning Zone in Leicester, a children’s safety centre that delivers an immersive education experience to...

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A man wearing a high-visibility orange jacket, safety glasses, and a white hard hat with the Tarmac logo, standing outdoors near industrial equipment, appearing thoughtful.
How you can create social impact …at no extra cost! Dec 24, 2024

In today’s world, where societal expectations are higher than ever, it’s essential for businesses to actively contribute positively

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A wooden miniature scene depicting a bridge connecting a residential area and a business district, with small wooden human figures standing on the bridge, symbolising community and business collaboration.
From conflict to collaboration: Turning adversaries into allies Oct 16, 2024

When businesses and communities interact, it is common for tensions to arise. From a business perspective, communities can often feel like a...

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Emma Smith, founder of Nia Avanna, smiling while seated against a white wall, wearing a leopard print zip-up jacket—an expert in community engagement, communications, and CSR strategies for UK businesses.

Emma Smith

Community Engagement Specialist

I’m Emma Smith, founder of Nia Avanna, a UK-based business offering digital resources, practical guidance, and a supportive membership community for people responsible for community engagement, social value, sustainability, volunteering, and local communications, as well as those whose roles now include community engagement alongside other responsibilities. I’ve spent more than ten years working across local policing and corporate sectors, helping organisations reduce complaints, improve their local reputation, and build stronger relationships with the communities around them. I started Nia Avanna to share people-focused support that helps you approach community engagement with clarity and confidence.

The information provided on this website is general in nature and is for information only. The contents of this website does not represent nor is intended to be specific advice on any particular matter. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this website. Although we consider the source for this material reliable, Nia Avanna Limited disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this website.