The Social Action process combines two distinct things in one schema: Firstly, it is a model for guiding the way in which a Social Action group develops, through posing a series of questions and an order in which they should be tackled. Secondly it pinpoints the role played by the facilitator.

Communities and service users are facilitated and encouraged to:

• set their own agenda
• analyse critically their situation
• devise ways of tacking their issues, problems and concerns
• take action for themselves
• reflect on their experiences, consolidate their learning and begin the process again on a higher level

Social Action is different to other ways of working and methods because:

• the agenda is handed over to community members or services users
• facilitators and group members work in partnership
• all people are viewed as having the capacity to create social change and are given the opportunity to do so
• the facilitator is the catalyst for change and the agents of change are the community members/service users.

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