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Community, Catalysts and Covid

26 May 2020 · Categories: Bulletins

Like everyone else Community Catalysts and our Small Good Stuff and Local Area Coordination Network colleagues have been busy responding to the Covid crisis. In practice this has meant reinventing the way we work together, finding ways to support small enterprises from a distance, marvelling at the response of local people as they help other local people and inventing a few new initiatives to help people and communities get through these horrid times. Read more about all of this here:

Our CEO Sian Lockwood shares her experience of shielded lockdown

Two weeks into lockdown she reflects on the inspiring work of community enterprises who have gone above and beyond to continue to provide help and support to people in their communities

Six weeks later she reflects on the implications for our sector and society as we emerge from the current Covid 19 crisis. She asks how can we grieve for what we have lost, learn from our experiences and ensure we retain the community, connectivity and compassion we have found through this very difficult time

Influencing Government and emerging practice

We sent a letter to Rt. Hon. Helen Whately MP Minister of State (Minister for Care) requesting the inclusion of self-employed people delivering front-line care in the social care workforce

We wrote Valuable not Vulnerable a call to arms to challenge the fact that people who are shielded are portrayed only in terms of their vulnerabilities and needs

Catalysts share what its like to support enterprises in such trying times and how they are emerging as real heroes in their local communities

Catalyst Anita who supports people to set up their own enterprises in Dorset tells us about a day in her working life as we all adapt to social distancing and working from home

Catalyst Heather shares her experience of supporting small enterprises in rural Powys

Catalyst Harry shares lovely stories of small enterprises in Rotherham going that extra mile to make sure people get the help they need

These incredible enterprises show just how many bright lights there are across Rotherham and how they all combine to make a resilient community. It’s through community that we will get through a global pandemic and community and all its bright lights that will drive rebuilding when the lockdown ends

Recognising the power of strong community foundations and local leadership

Angela Catley reflects on emerging evidence that councils who invested in local partnerships and assets seem better placed to weather the Covid storm

Once these awful days are over only time will tell whether those areas that invested in community and individuals’ strengths fared better in their ability to mitigate the crisis in their area. For everyone’s sake I hope they do and that this lesson can prove of value to us all in what are hopefully less challenging times ahead.

Helen Allen talks to #socialcarefuture about how the approaches taken by Community Catalysts, helping local councils and partners to enable enterprise and cherish nimble and responsive support are finding a stronger welcome. She argues they really need to be the new normal as we emerge from the crisis in the coming months. Have a listen to the podcast here 

Nick Sinclair the Local Area Coordination Network developed a powerful series of podcasts called Weathering the Storm – reflective conversations with key sector leaders

We launched The Buzz

A Facebook group and webpage, hosted by Small Good Stuff where we share accessible, inclusive videos sharing activities that people can do at home – things like art, cooking, fitness and learning. Each video is produced by one of the many fantastic community enterprises who have been supported by Community Catalysts

Micro-enterprises, social care and inclusive local economies – report launched

As a positive in such uncertain times last week we were excited to help launch a new report by the New Economics Foundation (NEF). The report reflected a study into community micro-enterprise as a driver of local economic development in social care. We hope it will be of interest to economic policy makers as much as social care commissioners – illustrating through the example of micro-enterprise how social care can be a way to develop and strengthen local economies, starting with the reality of local conditions and building up. It also shows, as we emerge from Covid lockdown questioning the very future of our social care system, how micro-enterprise can be a positive route to high quality, properly paid, local and sustainable job opportunities.

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