Blog Post 5th June 2020
As another Volunteers’ Week draws to a close, none of us will have failed to recognise the absolute significance of this week at this particular time during the COVID19 crisis. The contribution and response of communities and volunteers has ensured that the isolated and vulnerable in our society are being reached in a way that only our communities can do. It is also heartening to hear that this response has opened a pathway to a legacy which will perhaps see a continuation of communities fostering a shared sense of benevolence and a desire to build a better, kinder society.
This week presented an opportunity for many of us across all sectors to mark and celebrate the vital role of volunteers, without whom it would not have been possible to tackle some of the social issues which have emerged during this pandemic.
However, thanks and plaudits are great and often these are sometimes accepted with some difficulty, as most volunteers do not offer their help for such recognition, but this is not enough. We need to see an acceleration of moves towards more public services being co-designed and co-produced. The situation whereby community consultations rarely produce visible outcomes other than further consultation needs to end. We must continue the dialogue this crisis has opened so solutions can be built on the “lived experience” and broad knowledge base which communities can bring.
Over recent years, there has been an interest in the practice of Dialogue and Deliberation as an approach for better public communication. This dialogic model offers the opportunity for public communication to yield a deeper understanding of a community’s needs and aspirations. More space for bringing sectors together is needed so that we can be on the right path to move forward together.
The local response to this emergency has been effective and well-coordinated and has highlighted the interdependence of all three sectors. There has been huge financial investment in the community COVID19 response and we have to see sustained high investment during the recovery phase if we are to see communities thrive again. Whilst robust groups, organisations and plans are to be encouraged, barriers to progress have to be eliminated. There will have to be more investment in available support to assist in building capacity and social capital, where required.
The social and economic recovery, following this emergency, will indeed be a long road but it is hoped that the lessons we are learning today will inform the road map for the renewal phase.
The work of volunteers right now is doing much to lessen the impact of the challenges so far this year. Communities rallying and coordinating to catch people before they fall is reducing potential damage while building capacity and resilience for the future.
So at the end of a historic Volunteers Week, whilst I will continue to fight the Third Sector corner, I will join others in saying a very large and heartfelt THANK YOU to each and every one of you.