This discussion paper, published in collaboration with the Centre for Welfare Reform addresses the question: ‘Does community hold the key to wellbeing?’

Community holds the assets, resources and connections required to sustain its citizens.

The Covid-19 outbreak in the UK in February 2020 triggered an accelerated movement of community resilience.

In this paper Sarah Holmes and Liz Leach Murphy explore ways that we can maintain the strength of community – that has gained real traction during the coronavirus pandemic – as a long-term alternative to the broken and inefficient welfare systems we currently have in place.

The paper explore the changes – some subtle and some more radical – which could help to shape a fair, equal and better society:

• Changes to government policy
• Changes to systems and structures
• Radical change (an upside-down picture of society and the devolution of power to communities)

We have a powerful and urgent opportunity to review the way we used to do things before Covid-19 ‘lockdown’ came into effect. It is now time to consider the proper use of public monies to support stronger, more efficient and democratic ways of promoting and enabling wellbeing for all citizens.

Here is a copy of the paper ‘Exploring the Strength of Community’

The publisher is The Centre for Welfare Reform.

All Rights Reserved. No part of this paper may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher except for the quotation of brief passages in reviews.