We Were Built for This: How community organisations helped us through the coronavirus crisis

This report from Locality highlights the vital role that community organisations have played in meeting community need and supporting people during the Coronavirus crisis.

Drawing on a selection of case studies across England it shows how when the crisis struck how community organisations were early responders, coordinating volunteers, delivering emergency supplies, supporting isolated groups, and finding creative ways to keep communities together.

The report reveals that:

• Community organisations have often been the quickest to mobilise and adapt their services to the crisis – but need support to meet the challenges of the future
• Community organisations have been the glue that has held together the community response – coordinating and connecting grassroots groups with public and private sector responses.
• In areas where the public, community and private sector already have strong, collaborative relationships, support was made available faster and has been more effective, and.
• Community organisation have been able to harness the upsurge in community spirit – working with and coordinating grassroots groups and hyper-local support.