Community Initiatives for COVID Recovery By Caitlin Buckley
What more can be achieved when our local communities work together to address the unmet needs surfacing from the COVID-19 pandemic? The COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions of 2020 and 2021, have affected the wellbeing of many members in our community, either directly or indirectly. Seeking help can be difficult in the best of times – so much information, so many websites to navigate! Finding useful information, resources, and support services can be a challenge for the most able and digitally savvy among us. Knowing where to start, who can help, and what services we are entitled to requires patience, time, and knowledge that not everyone has. The presumption of digital literacy and accessibility, from service groups and government departments, can contribute to an overwhelming feeling of vulnerability, despair and isolation, which many are feeling. With that in mind, I recently spoke with Raylene Fordham – Anglesea and District Community Bank (ADCB) board member – to discover how our local communities are coping with the COVID-19 challenges.
Raylene informed me that the outcome of a 2020 Bendigo Bank survey identified major community concerns about the impact of the global pandemic: income loss, sponsorship and membership reduction, inter-group communication gaps, health deterioration, physical distancing regulations and their implementation, skills and resources shortages, morale and momentum diminishment, and limited knowledge and understanding of Government COVID-19 Recovery Assistance grants. To consider and address these concerns, and how we could all work better together at a local level, a Digital Community Forum was established – a collaboration between ADCB, the Anglesea Community Network (ACN) and the Surf Coast Shire Council (SCSC). The forum would provide an opportunity for local community groups to meet, share and explore existing strategies, build connections, extend networks, and prepare and plan for immediate and long-term issues.
The SCSC saw the potential for a Digital Forum to be an asset across the Shire, and agreed to collaborate with the ADCB to fund a pilot forum, via their COVID-19 Recovery Grant. Given the significant negative impact of the pandemic on our local communities, it was no surprise when representatives from almost 60 local community groups, clubs and businesses, joined the first digital forum held via Zoom in October 2020. Forum attendees were encouraged to recognise and acknowledge the many positive initiatives already established to meet the needs of the community; identify the most urgent concerns for their groups; and consider challenges, opportunities, and issues that may arise in the future. Seven main concerns emerged from the forum, and almost replicated the larger survey results: financial hardship, declining health, changing demographics, waning membership/ sponsorship, volunteer uptake, COVID restriction compliance, and a loss of morale and momentum among groups and individuals alike. Attendees also acknowledged a ‘need to identify those in the community who need help – who are we NOT seeing?’
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In a post-forum survey, respondents identified the need to bridge the perceived divide between permanent and non-permanent residents and create better connection and communication. Of paramount concern was who – or which groups – could identify, reach out, and assist those in need to access recovery assistance programs and grants, and facilitate referrals between individuals and groups. A second forum held in late October expanded on these themes, and considered what more could be done to help our community recover. Many proactive ideas were mooted: an ‘adopt a neighbour’ program, garden and home maintenance help, meal
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