Community Engagement As a Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
You will hear the word community used frequently in politics, public health and other areas where people talk about "the community."
A group of people who share a common interest and who live in close proximity to each other is considered a community. This can include a variety of groups, from a small community of pottery enthusiasts to a group of religious followers.
Defining commUNITY
We often hear people using the word "community" to describe groups of people who share a common interest or purpose. In some cases, this can be accurate.
However, this definition often misses the human face of community. Those who are members of the communities we talk about need to be seen and heard, and have a real stake in what happens in those spaces.
A community is a group of people who share an identity-defining story that shapes aspects of their sense of self. It could be an ethnic group, a religious tradition, a social subculture, a professional association, or any other set of attributes that bind them together.
Developing a commUNITY vision
A commUNITY vision helps you define what your community needs and wants in the future. It creates a shared language for local decision-making, engages residents in planning and builds trust. It gives your community a voice, increases social cohesion and strengthens your brand.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for more comprehensive health equity approaches to public health, particularly to address vulnerable communities that face discriminatory systems and structures. This includes racial, ethnic, and gender inequities, which often predate the outbreak of an infectious disease like COVID-19.
As with any community visioning process, you need to ensure that all community members are involved and have the opportunity to express their views on how they want their community to evolve. This can involve a range of different methods, from online surveys to in-person discussions and community gatherings.
Using a diverse range of engagement strategies allows you to engage more people, which will ultimately lead to a more inclusive community vision. In addition, it will help you to gather more data that can be used to inform your vision and plan for the future.
Developing a commUNITY mission
A commUNITY mission statement is the central pillar that guides everything that your community does. A good community mission statement is simple, clear, and measurable.
To develop a mission, consider what your community needs and wants and what matters most to your members. A strong mission statement can be a catalyst for action, guiding your efforts to achieve your vision and make progress toward a better world.
In addition to creating a mission, you’ll need to create a set of core values that guide your work. These values should be consistent with your mission and reflect your commitment to a holistic approach to community development.
Developing your commUNITY mission and mission statement is a big undertaking that can take months to complete. But it will be worth the effort if your community is able to focus its efforts on achieving the mission and making meaningful progress toward a better world.
Developing a commUNITY strategy
Community engagement as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic should be an integral part of wider systems approaches and initiatives. This is because it can support the implementation of communications and behavior change for prevention and support rapid emergency response in the short term while mitigating economic impacts and building resilience.
Moreover, it should be a logical strategy that makes sense to both community members and the larger community. This will ensure that the escalation of activity is reasonable and does not appear too overblown or reactionary to both.
Developing a strategy requires a thorough analysis of the goals and outcomes desired by the organization. This will help to ensure that the community-building efforts are targeted to the most critical needs and issues that a group faces in its context.