When communities come together, they have the power to do extraordinary things.
Rarely has this been so apparent as in the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of us have been inspired by local Mutual Aid groups rapidly mobilising to ensure that the most vulnerable in their communities have what they need to make it through the crisis.
In so doing, communities eased the pressures on frontline services, and made an invaluable, preventative contribution to this country’s fight against coronavirus. Perhaps more significantly, they also offered a glimpse of what a more democratic, more caring and better society could look like.
This report offers a how-to guide for public bodies – particularly local authorities – interested in mobilising the communities that they work with. We define a mobilised community as one that knows what it wants, knows what resources it has at its disposal, and has a plan for how to use them. Getting communities to this point is, we believe, the first stage in unlocking ‘community power’. By this we mean communities’ ability to – with support – deploy their own skills and resources to define and address many of the challenges they face.
Luca Tiratelli
Senior Policy Researcher
New Local
New Local (formerly the New Local Government Network) is an independent think tank and network with a mission to transform public services and unlock community power.
