Living in Co-operative & Community-Led Housing during COVID

This research by the Wales Cooperative Centre’s Communities Creating Homes (CCH) programme looks at the experiences of co-operative and community-led housing schemes across Wales during the pandemic. It reveals how schemes have provided a supportive, safe environment for people through these unprecedented times. 

The positive impacts that residents taking part in the research attributed to living in CLH as opposed to if they lived in other types of housing reflected these co-operative and community values and included:

• Reduced isolation and loneliness
• Greater financial security
• Better physical living conditions (e.g. more outside space)
• Reduced psychological/mental distress
• Closer links to the wider community
• Greater practical support (e.g. day to day tasks, shopping, etc…)

And for more on the work of the Wales Cooperative Centre CCH programme, check out their recent Housing LIN guest blogs, Co-operative values and the strength of community through the pandemic and Cohousing for older people in Wales: A fresh lease of life for supportive community led living.