Unlocking community led action after the pandemic
Across the country we have seen a proliferation of community led action in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this activity is not evenly spread and as highlighted in the early research of the community response the formation of self-organised mutual aid groups are positively related to measures of socio-economic advantage (Felici, 2020).
So, what does this mean for areas of economic disadvantage and what lessons can we learn for beyond the pandemic?
As Felici argues, a sharp focus needs to be placed on the social infrastructure of communities. However, before the pencils of policy officials are sharpened to draft the latest policy innovation, perhaps we could learn from the past?
In 2016, the team at Community Organisers spent time listening to local organisations who were deeply committed to the communities that they were based. We heard stories of decades of disinvestment in community development that meant that for many they had lost the deep connection that they had with their community. And, they had faced a shift in their primary focus from being an organisation that existed for the development and renewal of people and place, to an organisation that delivered services to and for people. This shift in focus, alongside a contract and commissioning culture had seen their accountability transferred from local people to local statutory and public bodies.
Over the last 3.5 years, Community Organisers has worked with a network of 22 locally rooted community organisations to develop the National Academy of Community Organising. These organisations, or “Social Action Hubs” are the cataylsts for community action, galvanising, mobilising and agitating for change working with (not for) local people to build their capacity to organise together.
At the heart of this approach is the intentional building of community power. Working with these organisations, Community Organisers has supported them to build their capacity to train and support local people in the practice of community organising -teaching them to organise, develop strategies for action and mobilise for change.
When the pandemic hit, we have heard stories from across our network of how through their organising work, they were able to work with and alongside the community as the first responders to the crisis. This ability to work alongside the community, coupled with the deep relationships they held through their organising work, meant that they were able to quickly identify those most at risk of the pandemic and develop community responses.
At The Selby Trust in Tottenham, their organising and alliance building work meant they quickly put in place the systems to work alongside, with parity, the Council, the Local Area Co-ordination network and 31 Mutual Aid groups meaning that they could support those most at risk on the East side of the Borough,
In the Wirral, Social Action Hub North Birkenhead Development Trust have worked alongside two other local organisations, and local people, to provide 7,000 food parcels in the first three weeks of the crisis and have been co-ordinating Wirral Council’s Food Hub,
And in Halifax, the Halifax Opportunities Trust (supported by DCMS’ Placed Based Social Action Programme which has enabled them to employ a team of community organisers), have been working with their local businesses and community to ensure that essential food, supplies and medical advice translated for their diverse community was reaching those that need it.
However, despite examples where Local Authorities and local community led organisations are working collaboratively, there are examples where this isn’t the case. We have heard stories of Local Authorities lacking leadership and responding too late to the crisis, turning to the community sector for answers at best, or, at worst an absence of presence to almost absolve themselves of the challenges. These stories are highlighted by community sector leaders who are responding to the crisis having their personal details shared with tens of thousands of local people by Local Authorities leaving small community sector organisations overwhelmed by demand, or, individual cases being passed across numerous departments before landing desperately at the door of a community organisation.
So as we look beyond the pandemic it is time to start investing not just in place and the services that operate there, but in the work of building, developing and nurturing relationships and the intentional building of community power. As the House of Lords report, the Ties that Bind states, “The Government should target specific community development funds to pay for community organisers...This may also include funding local voluntary organisations to undertake this work.” This work will seek to address the power imbalances, strengthen local democracy and accountability but also sustain the community driven efforts beyond the pandemic.
Nick Gardham is the CEO of Community Organisers. For more information on Community Organisers’ vision for the future take a look at People, Power and Place – published June 2019.
