THE MEMBERSHIP
The Community Collective™
Build your confidence, strengthen your skills, and connect with others working in community engagement, social value, CSR and local communications.
1. Connect
Connect with others who understand the realities of the role. Share experiences, discuss challenges and hear how others approach similar situations in their organisations.
2. Learn
Access expert-led sessions, monthly content and on-demand resources, giving you ongoing insight and ideas to support how you approach your role.
3. Grow
Develop your confidence and professional judgement, with people you can turn to when challenges arise.
You’re responsible for representing your organisation, managing relationships and building positive connections with the local community.
You’ve built a strong approach.
But there are still situations where you would benefit from a second opinion on how to approach things.
A conversation where expectations don’t align.
A situation where your judgement is questioned internally.
A decision where there isn’t a straightforward answer.
Most of the time, you’re relying on your own experience while balancing competing expectations.
Supporting organisational plans.
Protecting your company’s reputation.
Trying to do what’s right for the local community.
You take that responsibility seriously.
You care about doing it well.
You’ve got this far on your own, but now you’re looking to strengthen your approach.
I’m Emma Smith, the founder of Nia Avanna. I’ve spent over a decade working in community engagement across both public and private sectors, from supporting police teams to build trust to leading engagement across more than 400 sites in one of the UK’s largest organisations.
I loved the role. I had the passion, the ideas, and the enthusiasm. I was proud of the contribution I was making.
But it also came with challenges I didn’t expect.
Although my role sat within the communications team, it cut across sustainability, operations and other areas of the business. I was working across multiple teams, each with their own priorities, with no one around me who really understood what the role involved.
I could talk things through with colleagues, but there was no one I could properly sense check my approach with or get a second opinion from, so when it came to making decisions, I only had my own judgement to rely on.
Over time, I began to realise that this wasn’t just happening in my organisation.
It was the nature of the role itself.
People were being asked to lead community engagement and social value, often without the support, insight or development opportunities they needed to do it well.
So I started thinking about what would have helped me. A space to connect with others, share ideas and gain a different perspective. Somewhere I could develop the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to keep progressing and build a career I felt proud of, and that’s exactly what you’ll find inside the Community Collective™.
→ Join me inside the Community Collective™
Introducing
The Community Collective™
The Community Collective™ is a membership for people responsible for community engagement, social value, CSR and local communications.
It was designed to give you access to support that helps you develop in your role, learn from others and build your expertise, while protecting your wellbeing along the way.
It brings together professional development, personal growth and connection in a way that reflects the realities of the role.
Having a space where you can talk openly about the challenges that come with community engagement and social value roles can make a real difference.
You can hear how others approach similar situations, learn from different perspectives and sense-check your thinking before making important decisions.
Instead of navigating the role alone, you're part of a network of people who understand the pressures that come with balancing community expectations, organisational priorities and professional judgement.
Over time, these conversations often turn into genuine friendships and trusted professional relationships.
You also have opportunities to strengthen your skills, whether that's gaining internal buy-in, managing difficult conversations, building long-term community relationships or communicating confidently with different stakeholders.
The Community Collective™ brings together professional development and shared experience, helping you grow in the role while protecting your wellbeing along the way.
Community Collective
When you join the Community Collective™, you have access to live networking sessions, expert-led workshops, member discussions and the private online community, all included in your membership.
Choose the option that works best for you.
Working in community engagement, social value and related roles can be deeply rewarding.
You have the opportunity to build relationships, support communities and help organisations operate responsibly.
But the role also comes with real challenges.
Many people find themselves navigating complex situations, balancing different expectations and carrying a great deal of responsibility, often as the only person in their organisation responsible for community engagement or social value.
The Community Collective™ was created to offer a different kind of space.
A place where you can connect with others who understand the realities of the role, strengthen your skills and continue developing in your career while protecting your wellbeing.
Somewhere you can talk things through, share wins, ask for advice and feel supported by people who genuinely understand what the role involves.
If the Community Collective™ feels like the right next step for you, we'd love for you to join us.