Active Neighbours
Covid-19 saw an outpouring of community-led support in which 9 million ‘volunteers’, or 15% of the UK’s population, stepped forward to help out. From fundraising for the NHS to picking up prescriptions for neighbours to new relationships of care, we’ve seen community-led support on a whole new level.
We’re working to uncover the stories behind the statistics; to understand the motivations, needs and energy of those who stepped up and to collaboratively develop pathways to inspire and guide local organisations to help maintain this commitment into the future.
If you’re interested in getting involved, please get in touch.
Ministers call this a ‘volunteer army’ but few would describe themselves and volunteers and they are certainly not an army ready to be redeployed – there is no structure, no formality, no rules. Most weren’t mobilised by an organisation. They are willing citizens making an individual commitment. This is change in a different currency: organic, relational, much more “Me Too” than “Neighbourhood Watch”. We must nurture an ecology that enables it to survive and thrive without owning and constraining it
Related blog posts
Capturing the spirit of the 10m
Shift Researcher Leonie Shanks invites us to explore who the 10m community ‘volunteers’ were who stepped up to support their communities through Covid, and how we can maintain this energy and commitment going forwards.
Observatory Sighting #7: Taking stock (part 1/2)
In this, our seventh Observatory Sighting, we begin to take stock of what we’ve learnt about the response to the outbreak of coronavirus.
Observatory Sighting #8: Taking Stock (part 2/2)
Following on from last week’s Sighting, we continue to take stock of what we’ve observed over the past few months. In this, our eighth Observatory Sighting, we scratch beneath the surface to reflect on the changing undercurrents which have driven changes in our behaviour.
Micro Care
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