Community, Covid-19, Challenge and Change

This thinkpiece explores our ideas on moving beyond the current and unprecedented global situation of coronavirus (COVID-19) as a health crisis to consider how ‘life in lockdown’ sharpens focus on community and raises questions for policy and practice. In considering where we go from here, we begin by exploring the current context and what we mean by community to show how these have been impacted by COVID-19. Finally, we consider questions on the role of community work and use this to inform questions on how this exceptional situation could serve as a catalyst for cohesion and social change. Specifically, we assert the need to revitalise the current system by valuing and appreciating well-being in parallel with market-driven priorities to create a more socially equitable world where well-being and community are foundational to a good life for all (Sen, 1985).