Part 1: Navigating change before the pandemic

Navigating change before the pandemic

INTRO - Guide to the terrain

PART 1 - Before the pandemic

PART 2 - Transitional space

PART 3 - The emerging future

PART 4 - Your reality

Which pre-existing factors affected the ability of communities to respond to Covid-19?

We set out to explore the extent to which the pre-existing conditions, foundations and infrastructure in people’s individual lives, local communities and institutions impacted their ability to respond to crises and disaster in general and to the Covid-19 pandemic in particular. 

 We thought that communities would vary in their characteristics and that these variations would be a critical determinant of the impact of Covid-19.

We asked:

  • Which factors pre-existing Covid-19 were the most important or critical in determining the impact of Covid-19 on the community and its ability to respond effectively?

Our investigation of the issues affecting communities before the pandemic is captured in the themes below. We invite you to explore these and add your reflections in the comments section.

Funding partner

Navigating change before the pandemic

  • Different starting points

    To what extent has your experience of Covid-19 been impacted by your own starting points or those of your local community?

  • Clouds of austerity

    How have the cuts in public funding impacted you, your family and your local community over the last decade?

  • Peaks of power and privilege

    What did power and privilege mean to you before the pandemic?

  • Old world inertia

    To what extent do you feel the pull of the old and the familiar in your own life and the communities and institutions that you are a part of?

  • Lake of latent energy

    Where were you seeing energy for change before the pandemic?

  • Castles of command and control

    What has been your experience of engaging with public, voluntary and other services – to what extent did you feel they were designed to meet your needs?